The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-03-13
Mans Relation to- God.

FOR IT, to- be, N! 1.
ssI{ig----------------
Mans Relation to God.
Selected d FOR ,rhe Times-D ispntcl,.) s3s.
1, .ISnow,. therefore, this day, and consid-
efbit$in5 tl,ine heart, that the LORD. ne y
God i,sSl1eaven above, and Upon the. ea Gu.
beneath; there's none else lV IS.
81. some nay d; ii .ask: Nov Is IL that COD
does 4 81 81 show Himself more clearly,
and So put an end to all uncertainty rf
concerning sHimsolf?" TO 4 this Is make IKE
answer. Are ca pable Of derstta i
what Is and what IS no lot proopeiri
method or diyine manifestation Are ~,
we able to Judge how far God has n an a
tested himself, orr how much NJ more ore
sto,ild Sbe done Is It decent hat we
take upon, ourselves this high task * Or
dIctation 1t becoming II. q man nan
who what will harper II = tn the
very next hour to write out e progra7
for Sod, 81 appoint the waysof the A. 4
mighty? Il sl5 81. 4.
All religious questions, Il profitably5
considered at all, are to be; met IN a
deeply religious spirit. You4can make max,
no progress in thus learning unless you gu
bring a fright heart with you That Is the
foundation. II this DO not the case you
will hopelessly founder through all all.
the rest #, the lesson on IN
What is your sincere desire7 What IS
the condition :,of your Heart ?A5 Are you ,,ll
L ~
strength Or are you reverent and 4 hum
Bile. meek and wishful to learn
I'VE stand to God in the relation Of
dependents That is our actual position
| IL life .'.What hast thou that thou didst
mot receiver Let a man begin his.
studies at this point, and he will become
correspondlngly reverent and humble
Have you genlus7 Il Who llghteth the
| lamp? Have you health? Who gave you
your constitution? Have you wealth?
TO whom do the riches OF the world be-
long? Do You find your farm produce
tive? Who made 1t so? Will you answer.
| II did,? till 1t. supply all the ele-
| ments OF nourishmcnt needed. Do you?
j Can you make 1t rain? Can you make The
sun shine? Can you change the Quarter
OF the wind? 5
Where would be all your filling and
maEurlng and subsoilins and narrowing
and rolling. and what would they come
to IL God were to say to the wind, Stay
1 In tho east alwayst'''t or Il God were to
say to the sun, do not show thyself
for a year?'' There Is a point at
! which We must give up, stand still, and
say II can do no more, Let man
DO once started IL this course OF re-
4 Election, and tho probability is that he
4 who began as a reyerent inquirer will
end devout worshipper.
4 n Tho very fact that we arc thus depen-
4 dent should lead US to &be very careful
q how we measure the government Of,
4 lGod, lie has made us servants. not
4 masters. We are but little children, rot
/ old wise beings In His household and
I universe. We are mysteries to- ourselves.
/. oh, man! thou are myself a riddle but
4 half answered /! Explain the secret Of thy
\ desires, thy restlessness, thy ambition,
i thy hunger which cannot be appeased
y by the stones ard dust of this world!
Hast thou seen thy own soul Where Is
!, 1t? What is its image and what Its ma
+ ture. The heart which has stopped ., canst
thou start 1t again? You can touch IT;
you can put your finger and thumb on 4 t
4 but can you start 1t with action again!
y You are very clever; you have turned
3 your back upon the Almighty because
q your little questions are not answered
Z Why not take hold Of that little slleEt
heart and say, Begin again
Here is. a man with a bllghted reason
Why do you rot go and breathe new
powers into that poor brain Here u
n mind where reason has lost Its way
{, Why do you not set 1t In the right
!, course once more2 II you cannot, who
arc you. ask, that you should pro
nounce your dogmatc opinions on thu
sovereignty and government OF God
Tho fact OF the mystery Of our owl
life should DO the beginning and tn
defense of our faith in God Reason
from yourself upwards, That IL, tho wa!
out OF tho human into the divine, i
III not the maker greater than the thsnt
made? The artist Is greater thar hi
picture, tho engineer greater than hi:
/, steam engine. 1t is 80 In our own life.
Remember, our little day is too shor
for us TO know the full mystery OF God
When your little ofild has gone to schoo
for the first day, do you expect hin
10 return at l2Fo'clock and DO able L
read you chapter eyei, fr.,m the sim
plest bookg After two hoprs' teaching
4. for YOUR sjx-yea r-old boy. k. Ills arith