The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-01-14
,nenorv Of William Wordsworth. true"

lnemOfv or Nliilam WORDSWORTH. uuI
philosopher and poet. who, by, SPECIAL
he discourSed on man or nature. taIed not
to lift up the heart to holy things, tired
not of maintaining the cause OF the poor
and simple and So in perllous times was
raised up to the chief minister, rot on!y
OF noblcst ooesy, but of high and sacred
truth. :.
Before YOU seek any further for the dis
estly the question:: "Am unalterably
given over to right doing? Am ! ready to
obey the voice within me as steadfastiy
as Socrates obeyed his daemon,' even
though it should cross my purposes and
bring bitter losses">
1t will be easy 20 believe in immortality
when we try to live life that is, good
enough to last forever. We shall not
doubt the iatherhood OF God when we
give ourselves to the practice OF the broth
erhood of man.
Our doubts trouble ns snd thereby prove
that doubt is not a state Of equilibrium;
we must move on toward the light Action
is the nanacea for doubt. If any man will
do Gods will he shall know; His doctrine.
Do YOU doubt the power Of: prayer? 10
whom do you think the reality Of that
matter is revealed? Certainlr not the man
who never. prays. Put yourself az best
you can in the attitude Of urayer an. his
ten; You will then be able to knoT wheth, ". tn
pew for years and you have heard sermons
without number on the great Fundamentals
Of the Christian faith. 10 some OF them
YOU have given intellectual assent. and vet
YOU find Yourself in doubt and uncertain
tv. Why is it thus with you? There can
be but one answer. You have thrown
yourself in holy surrender at the feet OF
t e truth YOU have known. 1t costs some,
thing to do that. I pity the man who had
no Bethel in his life; no place where ne ne
w;jln vii TO to the divine "you ought" Paul
had his Damascus. Luther his Erfurt. Wes-
lev his Aldersgate. and B"shneM. lectur'
ING to the students of Yale, SAID: There
is a story lodged in the little bedroom OF
c.,e of these dormitories which Or: God
His recording angel may note, allowing It
never to be lost" >,
Do not be impatient with your doubt;
only he sure that YOU are moving toward
the ligh you do see. Not what we are,
but what we are becoming; not where we
stand. but whence we come and whlther
we eo-these are the great things about
which we should be concerned.
The fruit of the tree of faith may be
plucked too soon and it is then vaiueless::
It takes full season to ripen the best OF
natures products and there ere. some
things in faith which only years and frost
and storm will bring to maturity.
It has been said that one OF the greateSe
ing how to hang up questions without be-
ing anxious about them. Look a5 them
now and then as they hang and by and bF.
when YOU turn some .orne: OF thought
YOU will be delighted and astonished to see
how quietly and easily they open their Sc
cret and let you in. know a great teach
er OF mathematics who always kept some
hard problems by him. He would. WORK
on one awhile and put it back n ms
pocket still incomplete. After weeks OF
months the problem would be solved ana
another take its place IN his thousns.
There are manv who say with easy assur-
ance: 'Iord. I believe" but they have
never thought enough to have any doubts.
They have no sympathy with those VINO
die fc- a man or a cause. They could be-
lieye ANYTHING that seemed to be necessary
.-r q good position in society. and com.
Portable income. The man who is honest
must adjourn some of his questions ana
NOT be impatient. | expect to carry some
of nv questions with me into that larger
life toward which all mea move, but that
fact does not trouble me-, Some thinss.
have settled and others can wait until tue
dav when all mystery shall be made clear.
One cs my parshioners some years ago
taught me a great lesson. She was iady
of. Culture and refinement. She had been
at the head of a great school tor many
wears. Her eyesight at last failed her ana
she became totally blind. I saw her at the
close of service, feeling her way up tne
aisle from pew to pew. that sne mlgns
shake hands with me- The thought OF nsr
ereat suffering and, loss, finally over
wShel,ned me and I said with deep emotion
sc clasped her hand: cit will he light up
Wonder and YOU will know why God has
nerrnitted this great affiiction to enter
Your life.' She lifted face transtigured
hv ineffable peace and said: IF | am so
hanny as to get to heaven, [ shall let Dy'
cones he bvgones and shall not trouble the
lord for anv explanations" Il one has
spirit like that, whatever doubts ne mas
can wait. .,,t
few things that are absolutely necessary 70
Christian faith Be sure tnat you, nave
them. whatever the price demanded may
be. Do not try to make r., bargain 'oa 10.
safe and pleasant course. Ihat is an aW'
ful mocking of the truth. But having set.
tled the great problems be assured thae
Won need not be greatly troubled ABOUT r6e
Iesser ones. Men have set up stanoaEos
which God never ordained.
We have multiplied dognas ana ooG
trines to the confusion OF the mind ana i
fear to the loss of the soul. Worse tnan
ali men have forgotten that rlgnt hVlnng
more N, re- important than right views Ihey
have burned heretics to get rid OF tneat
heresv. and have banished, good I men De-
cause they disagreed with them. have pa,
tienee @ with other men that they may have nave
nat;ence with you. Let your l'te recon-
mend your creed. Right opiInons VII ~l;i
avail sI us no more than they avail the aeyl. Sa
and d his angels unless we hold them IN N me
Golden chalice of pure and honesI ne:
The i, preat truths of life are not simply IN,
teIeefual IL truths and the method by Th,eh nea
tbsv are revealed are not chiefly lnteliect,
nal With the heart man oelevetn "n'o
'iT1yehi ponbt Which is in moral earnest is
servant Of God to bring the truth. IL mas
sS, nreceded ali great reforms in the ,nd,vad si
ppaI and in the community. 4 faith whie9
has been forged out through tne a"Lui
heat bes Of Of doubt IS the only kind that BE-,
comes come " an anchor to the soul. 1t IS Worta
so;ng through the fiery. furnace 10 nno
sthe form of the Fourth; ,oa.
The conviction which honest dount leabs
to is the conviction which has shaken s tneS
o-1J Oo not scorn any man. ana ieas1