Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-10-14
WHERE Is OUR GoD2
BY Rev. 4. ". N. Holder.

Lne TACT mat we all DelieNe III PASS
ent and not an absent God
1t is this which brings comfort to
our hearts. which gives us security IN
the promise of eternal redemption, and
places before us the loving side OF
''our Fathers character.
BY virtue Of this declaration we can
more fully realize God with and with
in the souls of men. Not with us mere
ly in loving mercy, or care, or provi-
dence, or protection, but with us as one
of us. The delight in thinking of what
has been done for us in the ages past,
for "even from everlasting to everlast-
ing thou hast been our dwelling place
in all genera tons" is enhanced by the
thought of what God is now doing.
That he still lives and rules and dwells
among meE. bringing all things to pass
for the uplifting of his children TO him
self
Moreover, we are led to rejoice in the
larger revelation of God. for each foot
print grows more distinct as it follows
one the other. AS there have been al
ways in existence the electrical powers
of nature. but not revealed fully until
man reached intellectual strength suf-
flcient to lay bold upon their energy
and utilize them for his best interests,
so God has revealed himself as men
grew into larger life and light. More
and more God has made h 1self
known through prophets of old,
through the life and words and cath
of Christ. through saints and martyrs
to the cause of righteousness and
truth We rejoice in the fact Of
Emanuel-God with u.s." written on
the page of history and in the hearts
of men Our God lives and dwells
among us now.
The thought of Emanuel ought to
make us brave. The abiding presence
of God should give us courage, faith
and hope, for ''if God be Tor u.s." and
with us, "who can be against us?'
No temptation need be too strong to
be conquered, no difficulty need be %
hard to be surmounted, no sorrow need
cause us to bury our hearts and lives
In the graves Of our loved ones, for it
will eventually be, with us as with
them. From grief and groan, with a
golden crown close by the throne of
God" God in us will graduate our
strength for every experience Of life
through which we shall pass, and ON
nipotent power will be under every
care and burden. Thus we may brave
~ go into lifes work as warriors to
battle Our Father, having taken our
cause to his heart, ought TO bring a
similar action from us in his behalf.
For there is a great battle on between
righteousness and unrighteousness.
The trumpet which musters the war
riors |soundeth loud and long, and the
fight will be stern and desperate be
tween truth and sin. We must take
our post, everyone, on one side or the
other, for "if fhe Lord be God. follow
him; but if Baal, then follow him"
No touch or thought of compromise;
no division of the living child, as In the
days of solomon, by wicked woman;
no acceptance of a particle Of error,
for ''if God be for US, who can be
against U.s." Thus be brave in the
word "Emanuel-God with u.s.
The thought of Emanuel ought TO
make us good and true to each other.
The human family is bound together in
him, who gives us our daily bread, not
only for the body. but for the soul
also, and bids us be breakers of bread
with our fellow man, helping those
who have need to share our blessings.
There is noble family in Italy whose
name of Frangipanni means breakers
of bread-that is, for the poor So
ought we by the God dwelling nature.
if not by name. break bread unto those
who are poor in spirit if not poor in
body. For thus alone can we give
something to him who freely giveth
us all things"
In this world of sorrow there are
some who know not the sweet grace
of the indwelllng prisoner Of God.
Their eyes have become blind by the
glare of temporal things; their lives
are filed with the husks of this world.
Here in this wide world of sln-sick
souls the God in us should go out to
them. Our Father would dwell in their
hearts and lives as in ours He would
have them be sons of Cod But do
they see the revelation of Cod in US
Are our bodies. our commercial trans
actions, our social circle, such that
men see the dwelling place of the most
high and covet the blessing we hold ?
God shows himself in a multitude of
ways, and yet is always the self-same
Father So will he r-anifest himself
in the varied ways of men, through a
wide range of activities from the cup
of cold water given Fin his name" up
to the accomplishment of larger things
for men. God revealed in us ito win
and do of his good pleasure" is to
bring men back to their largest por-
ton. This revelation is an earthen
vessel through whom God aforetime
Gpoke" and speaks to-day. If the night
is dark. our Gods abiding light viii
enable US 20 scatter it. If the road be
cough and dreary, our God. who dwell
eth in Us, viii assist "a to make it
smooth and plain. If sil has pressed
our brother hard, our God will provide
n way Of escape and eternal redemp-
ton.
So we need never say where is our
God? for we live in the comforting as
surance of the word "Emanuel-God
with US"