The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1904-09-30

do not believe there is one mother o.
father that has had experience, who does
not know IL is not easy 20 believe at times
that God loves the world. But u V the
gospel, the great gospel OF Jesus Christ.
The second thing Is this: God so loved
IN, world that He gave hat is the NEE
sag, OF Jesus Christ abou. God giving. i.
amply means that God does not superin:
tend the world at a distance, like the old
Greek idea of gods set up there IN Olym.
pus where The waters are cool and the arr
sweet. and there is shade from the burning
sun and all that the world needs 10 gratny
the senses. That 10 the Grecian idea OF
God. Ii is not my idea OF God at all. We
s;il think Of God on His throne. not
dwelling down here. As Tennyson says:
"A god into whose nostrils the steam OF
life hardly comes" God is not away above
the world; not experimenting the world
somewhere outside the world, but the idea
is. God is right there where HIS children
are Where they suffer, God is; where
they rejoice, God rs; where itie Is swee,,
God is; where love is, God is:: God 80
loved the world that He gave Nothing
costs like giving. A mother gives her babe
hfe. hut II costs her much. We give our
children the best We have. We give them
our pain, the result OF hours OF toll; we
give and are glad 10 give because we love
them. ] say: What VIZ -es s,ye Tor your
those things; il is saerllege: viii give all
for my SON" There is not mother IN
ths church who would not give her lie Tor
her daughter There is not decent man
in this church who would not give his lac.
dollar 10 save mis- bows life or honor-he
would give his hand, his life, 10 make the
boy what he ought 10 be. God so loved
the world that He gave How did God
give2 / do not know. How could God feel
PAM | do not know. How could He en-,
dur.? do not know. But 1t is the gospel
OF Jesus Christ: God so loved-He gave,
Then / can go out into the world, and II Is
not SO harl TO give. / do not want 10 suck
the world like an orange. l know every
now and then temptation says: Get that
sweet thing. But life is giving. not TAX.
ing" That means pain, toll, disappo'nt.
ment-it may be, death. God so loved
that He gave" Then l begin 10 under
stand. Ii the God and Father of Jesus
Christ is giving, cannot | give! Cannot
that boy, who rs thinking only OF a gooo
time, begin 10 givey ] remember, long ago.
in the old study at home making up my
mind what my life was going 10 be. l
longed to be a soldier and follow in the
footsteps of my forbears, but IL flashed
upon me that | only wanted Just 10 have D
good time. end l prayed God for grace TO
lead a useful life We have GO. TO make
choice between giving life and getting life
one A. the WORLDLY lut anu tue oinet ~ tht
Christian life. The whole purpose OF God
comes ont in giving. God Himself Is a
glver: God so loved the world that lie
gave
The third thought: First, the world is .
love world second. love rs not simply
something looking down, but something M
dwelling here with US, giving His only be-
gotten Son What is third? Love victor
Ious. The love of God is not simply beau
tiful, patient pain, a universal thing, but
an almighty thing. Back of the love OF
God is all mighty. all wisdom. all resource
God that made the world IS the God that
says, Shall not Perish" lie says whose
ever beleveth shall not perish. Not the
hero the great. the wise, the strong, but
the whole world of men. ii there Is any.
thing IN me that is worth living, God Will
keep my life; If nothing, | do not want to
be kept alive. / can 60 on working, trying
TO love. trying to be patient and true; and
at last can go to sleep, for God so loved
the world that He gave His only begotten
Son that whosoever believeth IN Him
might not perish. but have. everlasting
life" Universal life. Now, that YOU have
got. II is the church's heritage for the
world. Let US try to give 1t, for the world
wants it to-day just as badly as /. did nine
teen hundred years ago.