New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-08-02

all Scripture about nature than that simple ana aI,
sublime passage about the snow; mantle II wraps
the earth winter time and keeps II hsselr cold
nature OF cold from the @ bepiess as they
seem. are yet the very messengers Oh
And yet again, the rain and the snow S epi fhe ~
come 1 Where er they fall
All this is but surface. and may a1L ann Vet We
feel. We watch the rain and the snow anu hre
upon it in this surface way th1t SUI ~ God
the word Of God AT this moment I mean all that
became the living the living which sealed cal, the
written the written which is still ours the nvIng
that lies behind and speaks thr3gSm II Goa in
The bistog of Il the race That has IT been? symbols
becoming substance. letters advancing 10 NE ttt
which has bestowed life everywhere So oeaut il
an illustration will surely bear closer inveSsi'om
come Closer to it, and in order that we may under
stand the value of this Word of God and learn the
true method Of appropriation OF such Iaue, lSI ~
exactly as he has stated it for US. and In order 20
phrases and consider with me. first the simarities
suggesed ed, the principles revealed and, finally tne
to follow the thought Of the similarities suggested
we will simply take this description OF the Gonl t
metb0d ana The nur0osa Of the Word of God.
viii YOU let me first tabulate the phrases that we
to consider they occur for us in this verse,
heaven; returneth not thther; watereth the earth:
maketh il bring forth and bud that II may give
seed the sower and bread to the eater. AS. so;
all that symbol suggests and substance fuldls ana
as tonight We take. not out of our imagination. gu.
from this volume of sacred inspiration ms SItdI
unfolding of the method and purpose OF the WORD
by dne M g seans no ae T s sasgestiHee and
God help us anew TO aPPTeedS tne d 'a oT5 q" Of the
letter that has given us the living Word through
whom We come by the Spirit to an appreciation OF
the value of the Word itself -
The rain and the snow, they come from heaven,
and the phrase suggests that man has nothing TO
do with the coming Of the rain ana tine Of be
Book of job when. after tho human eloquence OF
Himself begins 10 sneak 10 the suffering man. He
speaks to him in the midst of his sorrow and his
before him and in the midst Of that wonderful
fjons lust two among the rest the oniy two need
for the moment He says Hast thou entered INTO
lated from poetry into prose. means: do you UNI
derstand the snow? Do you know from whence ~
comes Can you analyze the mystery OF ~, us
crystallzat ton and deposit? Hast thou entered into
the treasures OF the snow? And then. ai1e 7. a
sentence or two this question IL Propounded aat t
the rain father Are you able to general, ~
from Job in mind let me read again this statement
Of the prophet, AS the rain and the snow cometh
OF tho Word of God The Word of God is a pes
n d " for GOD h@ no e Word az a 1se
speech Of God to men. y Is never a philosophy
iation made a something declared that man could
not by searching find out. And the supreme quality
waste their time discussing the methods by which
We nave come INTO possession or these documents.
there Is slammed upon every page OF II the sign
manual OF Jehovah.Creat dwellings of His nature
life. great Illumination Of the problems that con
front men that never we're known and could s not
God. as tho sun and the rain; comes to us from
heaven It is the gift of God and not the con-
But 1t returneth rot ,hither. Let us take these
submity Of the system Of suggestion, The SUI.
ana the rain pour I out on and I9 within
very few hours ~ the great rainfall that has sweet
again and We say. How soon the rain has passed
and very quickly after the snow has once come
to heaven, It looks Ike maSnincent waste. 1t
Wasted vast ~" to 'e S'''''e'
Tho Word Of Cod Cod has been given to mon in hsre
ana symbol I'm prophecy and song. and at last In
sition and expianatoa for centuries and an, me,
how perpetually n seems 70 us as We watch the
a. though this great outpourine OF divine rcveia.
s9led and a6s?Tssd AI was'ed. how Often have
times when we have been preaching il? Have
not looked out sometimes with almost passionate
passed away apparently to frivolity and forget
fulness and we have said. Yea. verify as the snow
serving what happens as God gives Ills word
But hasten 10 pass or. 1t watereth the earth.
II touches the dust which is characterized by ca
pacity and incap8bltty Take this dusS as ii lies
upon the highway AND over the furrowe3 field and
within the dust s tho making Of everything that IS
beautiful and fruitful But the dust does not laugh
in flowers. II Is capable and incapable. Lying
within n are al the forces Of life Just all the
physical side lies within tie dCSt at YOUR feet so
her~ IN potentalty in the dst BUT there IF is ne rl
flower ana no fruit and smile upon tho dust.
and ~ they fall upon the earth they touch the
dust which IS az once CAPABLE and incapable. char
acteTized by capacity and yet unable 10 fun the
As the rain ard the snow. SO the Word OF C;od
The Wori o. God comes 20 men In whosa nature
are poterttalitIes but not ths reallzatlons
The Word - God falls E,poa the ceap!urles. AM
We thoug;. !. t'uched tEerl but to be spoiled and
It is falling upon sill that is pcodurtiye There
There in eyery human life the otontialitie5 OF
the highest and the Hohlest and the hest on.
know the ruiz: I know it IN my own ife But
want I" remind Won. first Of 3.l, that God has not
prophets. seers ard prarnists by His SON. IN many
symbol and by many sign. in MANY dsoensa-
ton. given It 10 the hooking. laughing. soothing
crowds lie kipws that In all tho d4st ttat ucs
gives His rain and snow to smto dus, into iaush-
ter He has given His Word thar that Word
make IL capable and that the prophet now pro-
ceeds to 'Maketh II bring forth" touches the
it capable
And You know how perpetuany this is so in
snow the dull russet ground becomes beautiful
with emerald and opal and ruby and dar1ond and
you know that when God ram and snow touch this
dust they make the dust bring forth: And so with
creative forces In man move to fulhlmert All men
that ever have realized the possibilities Of their
the Word Of cod to the Word spoken to the Nv Word
written; to the Word lived. 20 the revelation
earth make the earth answer ny bringing forth So
GO that seemed to be lost that great sefrevS SLu
tion of God i'm the Word has men and pro
l H4ked INTO 'eal'A''" the dormant capacities OF
And yet another, word that have taken sepa-
rately because really II Is separate 1t stronger
fOrmNT-'maketl fOrtI