Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-09-02
REJOICING III THE TRUTH.


Charity rejoiceth in the TRUTH
Cor, Kill, O.
Re weAare convinced OF tho truth Of
n sill pie fact such as the form OF
some object, then we believe 1t. but
the conviction produces no effect upon
our feelings. llut there are truths
which. when we are assured or then'
eithe4 sadden or make us happy
q friend comes to mother ana
gently breaks the news that her emu
Is drowned. But she cannot believe ..
She viii not believe It. Only an hour
ago this dear little one was nesting 70
her bosom, full OF the JOY OF hfe' ana
basking in the happiness OF moth
er,s love. "My child cannot be dead"
she cries. II will not believe it," But
at last when she sees the body OF her
little one borne in to her the dread
rul truth is realized, and the pent up
agony gives way to food OF tears.
Here indeed we have truth that may
not he rejoiced over.
Bnt. on tie other hand, the news
of certaia fact may bring with II a
world of joy. The lost may be found
The son who had wandered away
from his home and loving family, and
who had spent his youth in riotous
living, returns at last. His father
runs to meet him, he recognizes him
and his heart goes out to the son who
WAS dead and is alive agaiii. and was
lost and is found What happy m5r
rnent was that In the life Of the aged
patriarch Jacob, when his sons re-
turned from Egypt with the news
Joseph is YET alive" At first he
could not believe if, but when they had
told him all Sheir tale. and had showed
hmm the wagons which Joseph had
sent to carry him. the spirit of Jacob
their father revived. and Israel said,
-'It is enough; Joseph, my son, is yet
lalive. | will SO and see him before
L die" Yes. 1t is indeed joy to be
convinced of truth like this
All these events, which affect more
or less our human life are of little
consequence, however. compared with
tie greater truths concerning the uni
verse and God himself Under the for
mer head we may consider scientific
truths-truths which men have dis
covered and proved by profound study
and research They are the revela-
tions Of things which God meant for
as 20 kaow. New facts are being dis
covered every day in the world Of
science, and in regard to these things
1t is onr duty to receive them when
we arc convinced of their truth.
But belief Is one thing and rejoicing
in what we believe is altogether an
other. A scientist, bacteriol0gist,
a student or disease germs. IS study
ing some painful and contagious dis
ease. He thinks TO himself: Now,
this disease must be propagated by
some kind of germ. Let me try to
discover the presence Of SUCH" With
great pains he analyses everything
which may be the lurking place of
such germs as he supposes exist. At
last he is rewarded by finding the
cause of Il c rouble, and perhaps also
discovers some way of DISCRIMINATING
the bacteria. He has discovered the
truth. He has convinced Others of
his profession that his conclusions are
true. and he Is very happy Others
who have been laboring to heal peo-
pie of this disease without. success read
of his experiments. realize how great
is the discovery. and rejoice with him
Science deals only with the world
and mans physical life. There is a
still greater fund of truth which II
cannot touch, the great facts about
God and heaven and mans spiritual
being and prospects. These we may
cali divine truths. We shall see that
they are of the greatest ipterest not
TO few people only. but toeyery child
o. man. Yes, they should interest him
and make him rejoice.
It is not enough that believe in
the creed and in all the facts of our
Lords life. 1t is not enough to say
i know. / believe. but rather. Praise
the Lord. Oh my soul. rejoice and be
exceeding glad, for thy God hath
showed thee, O man. what is true
Rejoice. therefore, IN the truth. II
these things which enumerate in
my belief do not make me glad, Their
1 must indeed be a bad man.
We say that we believe the OLD
and New Testaments to be the Word
OF God. We all know this fountain
OF truth. but does it make us glad.
DO we take up the Bible, read ii care
lessly. and put it down again with a
sigh of relief as If a dsagreeable duty
had been accomplished? We say thai
we fully believe what we have read
but what value is there in such be
lief? As well read some profound and
abstract treatise on mathematics
which we know to be true. but which
interests Us not at all. Far better Il
would be, 1t seems to me, to read even
,ikepticaily, expecting to disbelieve
than TO read carelessly. Better an hon
est donbter. than one who can read
the glorious pages of Gods work and
Eot rejoice
Then we say that we believe al
the articles OF the Christian faith al
contained in the Creeds Of the Church
But "A cur belief does not make Us
happy. our belief is vain I believe
in the Fatherhood of God, and IL
believe as a Christian should. | shall
s,e indeed happy Ia Gods family. Coo
tries to make His children happy