Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1903-04-25
INCREASE OF FAITH.
OUR REGULAR SUNDAY SERMON
The Prayer of Our Souls When the
Worlds Depression Comes Down
Ipon Us.


Ewing. of ST. James Episcopal Church,
Grccnviile. Miss. Who was at one time nm
der consideration for one 81 the important
pulpits Of Brooklyn. recently preached = /
Mr. Ewing took his text from Luke XVII /
5: "Io-d. increase orr t@'.h. In the /
course OF the sermon he said.
NJ @ DO not know WHY precisely tne DISC
pes should have made this request q. 'n's
particular time Jesus had just said 10 /
them. III thy brother trcspass against thcc /
rcbukc hun. and II he repent. forgive MN. !
and II he trcspass against thee seven times |
IN day. and seven times m a DAY taEn 20 |
thee saving. / repent. thou shalt forgive /
him Then very abruptly comes from
them tho request. Increase our faith.
Possibly there was some tone OF impatscn'e
in their voices as they spoke. They may
have recalled that IN the old hooS Of l.c-
viticus was 20 be found practically thc
same commandment that lie was giving
them: that IN tic book ot l.evificus they
were taught nos % hate theT brethren.
nor 60 bear crudce against the cnudrcn OF
their rcop,e but 20 love thcir ncighbor as
themselves: and they may have teit tnnt
there was no need Tor them 60 Dcar TINS
Old teaching over a~ain from tnc hips Of
The Master. that Tie was hut wasting
time In telling them what they already
knew 50 well.
So their request. increase our faith may
have meant. Tel IA something that we 90
not already l,now-scmcthiug hid from the
L
MS something. snow IA something. DO some
thing which VIII make us surCr that yoG
are indeed the Messiah we and our fathers
have looked for. that our hope lu Ou is
no. misn'accd; that Nou are truly tho
promised Dc,ivercr Make us more certain
T that we were justified IN hreakinE away
I from the authority Ci the Scvibcs and
I Phavisees. IN forsaking all % follow y on.
7 Do not be simply repeating 20 us what We
: may read ourselves m an ancient book
4 say something. DO something. reveal some
/ thing which VIII certify our faith IN You
7 as the Messiah
Or the request may have had A profound
| or import and been uttered IN n tone OF
/ self-distrust of unicigncd humility and
/ supphcation. Suddenly while Jesus was
I speaking there may have awakened In the
sous of HIS hearers the accusing conscious
ness THAT. though they had known for so
long She divine law of drty toward their
/ ncichhors. vet never had they or their
fathers been able 60 live un 20 o.. 90 real
ize IN their human life the divine deal. and
I acromnanvinr the consciousness of past
failure may have been the reflection that
rover should they be able 90 realize that
/ divine ideal. o. cvuc. from their human
/ hearts al hatreds. a,l resent ucnt~. all con
/ tcr'u-e. 0ll unio~Evlrgucs- and look upon
( their fcllow-mcn with ths steady CHRIST
/ vision OF rc1Cmptvc charity
/ And 50 fheir request may have meant
/ "Onen wider onr spiritual ewes. that WI
Z may see with You. lead us. draw as zap to
I Your spiritual height. Jet us share WITH
I You our vision OF God and man. let u'
I drink from the invisible fountain Of Y oul
. vast strength and goodness. let us know
the secret of Nour Ohr.Stlinc=s. that W.
NAV rise 60 fun sympathy with y our Oh
! vine purpose and build with \ ou tuc KING
dom Of God among men as You wou-,
have Il huiidcd" But whatcv.r NAV hav'
been the character of che Disciples re-
quest. whether OF impatient criticism 81
! humble speculation IN the words that can't
from their bps Increase our faith. W
may all utter the deepest aud dcvoutcs
/ PRAYER 81 the most uCedful moments q
/ our human HE. Increase our laltn.' How
/ inevitably that becomes tnc PRAYER OF on
: souls no times when the infinite problem
. I and rcrplcXfies Of this predetermined, pen
4 picking world hear down uuon us ans
/ threaten 60 weigh us down; when We az
/ forced Go rivc ourSclvns Co reelection mo
1 the long and cruel and apparently. uncnd
I ing sufcrin- OF good and evil, the suferin
/ Of uunumbcrei millions. the vast failure
/ OF justice and triumnhs OF injustice, Oh
tragic defeat OF right and victories q
wrong. thc BITTER battles OF uplifting trut
Tor recognition 10y the mind and hcart q
/ humanity the painful questionable pro
gross OF indubitahie good everywhere uno
earth. and. 50 rejecting, are tempted {
crv out in loud DESPAIR. or i'm danger ,
being mastered by that deen hope'essne.
which utters no sound and shows itself D
70 outward sign; hopciessness. that
dcath,css heart Of good does. indeed. thro
on Il NlEtN-N AN fNfflN~ NNlls lthNtat~~i't~
/ that the to-morrows 90 humanity VIII /
/ gladlcr and nohler than its yesterday.
4 hopcleSsness. that the wronCs we know vi
be done away. and the good we dream en-
I body itseu IN fact, honelessncss. that on
individual efforts, an that we can say. a
that we can do. arc not mere VAIN. tral
| slent strlvings against eternal tate. powe
I less. as the wings of insects huttering
I the storm. 20 effect any hctterment
! things that arci How much that pray,
Z Of the apostles. Increase our faith, ms
mean. then. 10 our indiyidual souls! y
lent. unsyllabled cry for rescue 90 the I
visible Power that made Us and the wOrl,
pleading with that Power invisibl
whose name we cannot then utter. who
attributes we hesitate then TO declare. TN
again We may be privileged 70 pray. 90
Father that AGAIN we may feel Ourse,v
His children; that real enough may j
come His presence in our lives 20 harl
from us all doubt that the world intelh.
", ~ 'lqSW 40 NIUp 'sf0l5WIaluIun TO .
4 His keeping; all susDicion that anv 60,
| dies. that any right fails that any throne
| / a~t crowned power of ini0uitv can swi'
| this earth outside the circle of Has Fat
| er's purpose and His Fathers love.
| But IL Is not only in times of sorrow. 81
| ness, perpexity that the request of q
| apostles should be our prayer. for that /
! / quest of theirs points TO an eternal al
| universal need of the human soul. the ne
| / to-day, tomorrow and forever Of firm
4 / grasp OF God. a clearer vision of HIS pJ
/ / poses. a deeper reading OF His will, IN {
! der that We may hive and save ourselves
| / the way divine. Perhaps from the stan
| / point of the need of some OF ms IL j. mo
II [ necessary for Us TO pray fervent'y III
| / prayer. Increase oUr faith" IN the -
Il sons OF our greatest JOY than IN the days
! our deepest anguish; more necessary
| times when the world shines bright abo
a Al.