The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-04-23

which means steadying vision of the di-
vine unseen and the divine eternal; pro-
found consciousness from moment to mo-
ment of wha. the poet has called the deep
below the deep and the height beyond the
height" nober conviction within Us, be-
coming ever moro ineradicablc and unron-
ouerob,e. that the real value OF things IS
spiritual value. their real meaning SPIRIT
nal meaning. their real end a spiritual end.
This is the faith unon which depends u.Si-
matev cur STRENGTHENING and saw ing; the
faith which our Bibles. our churches, our
creeds. our dogmas. OR devotions. were
meant to inspire. and which. il they 10 NOT
insnire. they are hut sounding brass and
tipl;iinr cvmbal. This is the faith VIC
need 10 pray FOR. kneeiing in our pews on
Sundavs. or busy at our work on week
DAYS. increase OF vision. ot faculty. to see
and feal below the earthly deeps and be-
yond the earthly heights, and when we
pray Col 10 increase for us this tunda-
mcnta, faith. be tempted to dictate to
God how He shall answer us or when. We
may want one answer; He may know that
we need another. We may choose 10 have
our answer in full all at once: He NAV
choose to give US but the first syllable of 1T
to-day. and TO proloug the giving OF 1t
through the years OF lifetime. nerhaps
through the aeons OF eternity. We NAV
undertake in our wisdom to impose condi-
tions unnn God that we imagine He must
fulfill il He would answer our prayer: for
getting the one fundamental condition,
that We must impose upon ourselves hon
est eacerness to hear the higher voices that
NAV call to us from day to day, and to
obey them when they do: honest struggle
TO beat back the unholy temptations that
hcset rs. darkenin5 the way to our feet:
honest purpose to do the duties that
throng us hourly. momently. and in their
doing ultimately iilumine any darkness the
soul can enter!
The PRAYER OF the apostles was answered
hardly as they expected certainly it might
be- but answered nevertheless and to de-
| gree OF richness that they were not able
all A.; once to fathom: answered for them.
| az it has been through the ages for al!
their successors by right OF spiritual ,nher,
| tance: for them as for him. great and good
apostle INTO us Of our modern time. who
! walked through the fires OF sacrifice and
came in ard ont here among us for score
| OF wears. fighting his good fight. MS fight
| of good. his frht for God and man. whose
words aro vital vet within these walls. and
hevond them where men speak the Eng
lish tongue: answered. I say, that prayer
| ior them OF the earlier time. for him Of
this '&ter. not by any flashing miracle of
word n" CeeU. not DE any SElrliinS leNe"'-
ticr Of a new heavens and = new earth;
rot by nnv suddennn3s of divine destruc.
! ton ard reconstruction: nav. but Ivy and
th~ouo'l a gradual growing sympathy
with the purposes of The Redeeming Mas
ter: br and through the deepenir-. widen
inr. atoneunnt OF their souls and his; hv
md throrrh th"ir effort tn live the life
that worshiped His. and SUFFERING and cr,'-
cifyors. Il meant to them to be and do
what should bear trre witness IN Christ.
And thus only is it that God can fulfill
| for aay Of Va the nraver, Jncredse onr
faith. The eternal Father of orr spirits
rar meet their deeper yearninr for larger
faith for clearer vision. only through ard
by tho humau exper'ences He has wade
possible for us from dav 10 dav. the life OF
effort. of STRUGGLE. of heroisr. He has
made y our >rivi,egc t. live. The readiness
tn do His will reveals it: the seeking to re.
a,izc His PURPOSES interprets them. and
closer. ever closer. becomes the meeting
nont of our actual earth and our possible
hcrven. rs we resolve that orr earthliest
efforts shall be noble enough r. hespeak a
heavenly meaning. and our earthliest hopes
heroic enough to prophesy heavenly con-
| summation.