Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1904-01-14

nothing but an unfathomable sea could
cover the putrefaetion of his life? When
man has made up his mind to give him
self to the sensual and the material, it is
hollow mockery for him to profess de-
sire to know the truth. The truth abides
with no man who will not use it. and on
the other hand, if he be, like Romanes,
pure of heart and purpose, he will think
his way out of the darkness into the full
light Of revealed religion and pillow his
dying head upon certain faith. Know
ing the life Of Shelly we would expect him
to be proud to write himself down IAN
atheist" knowing the life of Wordsworth,
we would expect the epitaph in Grass
mere Church to read as it does, "To the
memorv of William Wordsworth, true
philosopher and poet, who, by. a special
he diseoursed on man or nature, failed not
to lift up the heart to holy things, tired
| not of maintaining the cause of the poor
and simple and in perilous times was
raised up to the chief minister, not Only
| of noblest poesy, but of high and sacred
! truth. ~
Our doubts trouble us and thereby prove
| that doubt is not a state of equilibrium;
we must move on toward the light Action
is the panacea for doubt. If any man will
Do you doubt the power of prayer? 70
whom do you think the reality of that
matter is revealed? Certainlv not the man
who never prays. Put yourself as best
ten. You will then be able to know wheth-
! er God talks back You have sat in the
pew for years and you have heard sermons
without number on the great fundamentals
of the Christian faith. 70 some of them
you have given intellectual assent, and yet
! you find yourself in doubt and uncertain
ty Why is it thus with you? There can
be but one answer. You have thrown
II yourself in holy surrender at the feet OF
t truth you have known: It costs some.
| IA do fhof 7 nit ha VIII n "a
no Bethel in his Gfe; no place where he
has faced God and duty and said: Il
will, to the divine .,,you, ought" Paul
had his Damascus, Luther his Erfurt, Wes-
, ing to the students of Yale, said: "There
, is story lodged in the little bedroom of
one Of these dormitories which pr; GOD
| never to be lost"
Do not be impatient with your doubt,
t only be sure that you are moving toward
e the ligh. you do see. Not what we are,
G but what we are becoming; not where we
e stand, but whence we come and whittier
/. we go-these are the great things about
n which we should be concerned.
e The fruit Of the tree of faith may be
o plucked too soon and it is then valueless:
It It takes full season to ripen the best OF
a natures products and there are, some
r things in faith which only years and frost
@ and storm will bring to maturity
r It has been said that one Of the grea test
h talents in religious discovery is the find
u ing how to hang up questions without, be-
lie ing anxious about them. Look a1 them
a now and then as they hang and by and by.
" you will be delighted and astonished to see
lis how quietly and easily they open their Sc
I'd cret and let you in. | know great teach
US er Of mathematics Whe always kept SOM. some
on one awhile and put it back in his
II pocket still incomplete After weeks OF
months the problem would be solved and
to another take it's place in his thought
There aFe wla bua they haVe
- never thought enough to have any doubts
w. ~, They have no sympathy with those Whe
ow die for a man or cause They could be
lieve anything that seemed to be necessary
~ Or a good position in society and com
u must adjourn some of his questions ant
-. ~ not be impatient. / expect to carry som'
o oul of my questions with me into that large
az of life toward which all men move, but tina
W VI fact does not trouble me. Some things
sts have settled and others can wait until tn
~ day when all mystery shall be made clear.
.ht lhu One of my parishioners some years ag
aoe taught me a great lesson. She was lad
rod of culture and refinement. She had pee
req at the head of great school for man
ny: wears. Her eyesight at last failed her an
OK She became totally blind. I saw her at tn
ing close of service feeling her way up tn
,e hed aisle from, pew to pew; that she m mgn En-
shake hands with me me Lhs oas t94ugH5 nsv OF
ng;; sn!; Swhelmed me and said with deep emotio
and as I clasped her hand "Iv will be light Il
Wonder and you will know why God hi
one one permitted this great, affiiction to ente
4bo 4ho your life" She lifted face TT tTanshgure
the by ineffable peace and said: "If | am
ne bappy as to get to heaven, shall let b
, OF cones be bygones and shall not trouble II
owl ford for any explanations" If one has
peo- shirt like that, whatever doubts he nj
49, can wait. 1,+
,dge few things that are absolutely necessary
nem Christian faith. Be sure That you ma
nor them. whatever the price demanded mi
wer, he Do not Try to make bargain Tor
safe and pleasant mt frth Bnt having
anst tna lied the great problems be assured tn
ITS, Won need not be greatly troubled about 7
rev: lesser ones Men have set up stanoar
Inc which God never ordained ).
lo;,n Dlr We have multiplied dogmas & ian ana and "a
iahh trines to the confusion OF the mlhu any
over fear to the loss of the soul. Worse TN
estly ali men have forgotten that right lvimg 1IgR
ing: m more important than right views. In
lleth have burned heretics to get r1d OF tn
Ia: tnas heresy, and have ban1sned sooo 1len
# it's cause ~ :!y1 a+Ler men that they may ha
tons nat;ence with you. Let your llfe reco
le OF mend your creed. Right opI opinions =,
1nan avail us no more than thfy yd a'd ahen, un in
pera- on,t i.' ha7;ce of pure and honest Il
some goiuon 70 4,,+hc of fife are not simply
verv telectual truths and the meth3d bss1 iy yyee
be nal With the heart man beheveth III
n an Doubt which is in moral earnest Is
t ray t Do0 If Cod tn bring the truth. 1t
gious preceu11u n a" 4he g community. A faith VIII
hing. has has bee been forged out through the t, aw
being 1aas+ Las Of donbt IS the only kind that
pecg- comes come "a an anchor to the soul 1t is wo
"a IS song through d the FonIfb fiery furnace to
plaus- The conviction which honest doubt lei
es con. 1e to is the conviction which has shaken axe
CONN., world Do not scorn any man, am ana ;n y
-. .f rity " Of your mind. Think honestly, Tn tn
II s1f ~ seriously, for lfes questions are sole
n,avI questions. - an,
IS the tne new truth which contradicts some posi-
IN "to to YOU once held. Above all things Ire rea