The Grenada sentinel., 1903-10-17

'||l|' be able to see the
glories of mountain. of woodland, of
meadow. with waters shimmering and
splashing in the sunshine, and birds
sailing in the blue vault of the heav-
ems. but Notwithstanding the keenness
of the natural vision which enables
them to drink in the beauties of ma
ture. they may be woefully and dis
tressingly near-sighted. The spiritual
vision is defective. The eyes of the
soul are not trained to see beyond the
present moment, or circumstance, or
condition, or need. There is no look
ing of to the distant triumph and
blessing Of the Lord, for the eyes are
holden by the stress Of present circum-
stances, or the glitter of present gain.
1t is as though the Christian used the
little end of telescope when looking
at the things of God, and reversing it
and magnifying and bringing nearer
objects when looking at the world.
Jesus charged His disciples with hav-
ing eyes and yet seeing not, and the
type of the near-sighted Christian is
not extinct. He is met with on every
hand. Yea, perhaps we will not have
to 60 very far at the present moment
to discover such an one. Almost all
Christians are afflicted with spiritual
near-sightedness at times, while with
Others the condition is chronic. This
is disease which is distressing to the
Christian and limits his efficiency in the
service of the Lord. The Christian
who permits this disease to fasten
itself upon him is handicapped, both
as to his personal relationship to his
Lord and his relationship to the world.
There is confused uncertainty attend
ing his movements and he Is unable
to see far enough to appreciate his op-
portunities and blessings. Take for
illustration the person who is suffering
from near-sightedness of the natural
eye. and whose defect has not been
cured or corrected by properly-fltted
lenses. What a great disadvantage he
1abors under He is never quite sure
of his footing. and everything is con-
fused and misshapen before his imper-
feet vision And it is so with the
Christian who suffers from spiritual
near-sightedness He is not able to
look far enough ahead to walk with
any certainty or courage, and his eff
cheney in service is curtailed. or even
wholly destroyed, because of present
stress or difficulties or present pleas
ures and hope of gain.
ID sighted Christian to the words of our
text? Much, because the Christian who
frets at the success or prosperity of evil
d0ers, or who is tempted to meet evil
with evil, or trickery with trickery, or
questionable shrewdness with question
able shrewdness, is the near-sighted
Christian The whole thirty-seventh
Psalm is splendid eyesalve for this dis
ease of near-sightedness. Our text is the
urgent admonition which introduces to
the rest of the Psalm. The Psalmist un-
folds in great richness and fullness and
clearness the reasons why the Christian
should not be near-sighted. Doubtless
In David's day there were a good many
people afflicted with this disease. In one
OF the Psalms ascribed to Asaph-the
seventy-third-the troubled and per-
picked and near-sighted poet exclaims:
'''But as for me, my feet were almost gone:
My steps had well-nigh slipped.
For l was envfous at the arrogant,
When saw the prosperity of the wicked.
For there are no bands in their death;
But their strength is firm.
They are not in trouble as other men:
Therefore pride is as a chain about their
neck;
violence covereth them as a garment
Their eyes stand out with fatness;
They scoff. and in wickedness utter op-
preSSiOn;
They speak loftily.
They have set their mouth in the heavens.
And their tongue walketh through the
earth.
Therefore his people return thither:
And waters of full cup are wrung out
by them
And they say. How doth God know.
sssse sPs tSs xieea es Most h'
And. being alway at ease. they increase in
riches.
surely in vain have cleansed my heart.
And washed my hands in innocency:
For all the day long have been plagued.
And chastened every morning.
II had said will speak thus; !
Behold. I had dealt treacherously with
the generation Of thy children.
When I thought how l might know this
It was too painful tor me-
And If he had looked nowhere else than
upon the picture which he has painted in
the preceding lines, surely his feet would
have wholly slipped, but he goes on to
tell US: -. .e
81 went into the sanctuary Of God.
And considered their latter end
Surely thou settest them In slippery places: .
Thou easiest them down to Destruction.
Asaph's near-sightedness was cured by
Q glimpse Of God and His large purposes
and ultimate triumph. and 90 may the
uear-stghtedness Of al Christians be 40
cured. The thjrty-seventh Psalm un-
folds the part God plays in human At
fairs. and supplies the reason Why the
Christian should not fret because Of evil