The Tupelo journal., 1904-04-08
NJ OF CHARACTER.
The Forces Of Nature, the Divine Rev
elation and Christlike Careers
Testify Of God.

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The Almighty God has not left Him
self without witness in the world. 'The
invisible things OF Him from the crea-
ton of the world"-as Paul well argues
ARE clearly seen, being understood
by the things that are made, even His
eternal power and godhead." Ever since
there has been a universe to observe n
man to scrutinize 1t, the being and will
Of a divine artifcer have been discern
ible, so that they are without excuse"
who glorify Him not as God. Thus Paul
by his rigorous logic, says the New York
Observer, throws the whole blame for
any theistic or agnostic view thai men
may hold and the odium of any declen-
sion from primeval truth, on the per-
verified wills Of the men themselves.
But the knowledge of the Deity al pri-
mevally revealed, and constantly wit
messed to by the visible creation as eter-
nal and omnipotent, is not enough.
The Greek hardly bears out the emphat-
ic declaration Of the Authorized Version
that the invisible things" OF God are
clearly" seen. What it says is merely
that they are under observation or
are "in view" The view OF the Al
mighty which the physical world affords
is but a ~shadowy and indistinct vision.
1t is an adumbration, not a clear-cut pic
ture. Still it is valuable, and they are
without excuse who neglect or reject IT..
The old argument from design may not
perhaps be stated to-day precisely as
Paley phrased it, but in its general Tea
lures it has been reinforced rather tina
undermined by modern science. HUI
man life is still to be conceived teleo-
logically. 1t is to be lived for ends, n
the chief end" of man is God.
There is one very distinct line OF wit
ness to the being and PROJECTIONS OF
God, however, which remains remark
ably influential in every age, and is It
self the product of the teaching OF a dl-
vine Revelation, and that is the testi-
mony to truth presented by a godlike hui
man character. If God reveals Himself
in nature, He also discloses the grand
eur of His being in the nobility OF a re-
deemed soul. Christian character clear
~ lCQCCIS Ilc SICIy VI III 49, 80
Man was created originally in the
mental and moral image of his Maker.
Primitive human nature in the Garden
of Eden reflected the qualities OF the
great and good Creator as the calm sur
face of a clear lake gives back the
image of the Frightening ray that falls
upon it from on high. But sin disas-
trously marred and defaced that moral
image, blurring also it's mentality, and
what is seen now, even under the best
worldly circumstances, is only a very
partial and imperfect representation OF
the Deity in the character of Christian
believers. Still such Christian charac-
ter does reflect in a considerable degree
the virtue and worth Of the Creator, and
is extremely valuable for purposes OF
testimony to the being and nature OF
God. A cody man is the best possible
word of witness to his fellowmen con-
corning the divinity that saves and
shapes human life.
A thoroughly Christian character is
like an apocalypse, opening up to the
vision of surrounding humanity vistas
of celestial perfection and glory finally
to be attained by every believing soul.
Every truly Christlike career is a con-
tinued story of divine Strengthening
amid human imperfection and frailty,
and presents a tale of heroic endeav-
or which even the most careless observ-
err cannot fail to mark with approval.
Christians are like Bibles to other men.
Many an individual e%ngrossed with the
cares and fired with the ambitions OF
this life, does not stop to study the
Scriptures, but only reads those walk
ing revelations which are constituted
by flesh and blood, furnished by the con-
sistent lives of men and women, who in
all points are tempted like unto their
fellows, and not wholly without sin, who
yet are subjects of the Divine redemp-
ton, issuing in a gradual sanctiication.
which shall have it's complete fruit in
the perfection of another world.
1t is a wonderful and SOLDERING thought
that a man may in some sense be a spon-
sor for the Almighty God. BY the life
that you live men will judge your Max
err. We say it reverently, you carry
Gods reputation in your hand. II you
are low and coarse in your tastes and
actions, men will argue that the God
YOU serve is a Dagon or a Baal. If your
walk is consistent and your habitual
frame Of mind Heavenly, men will be-
lieve that a God of grace and glory
reigns above, and will more readily bow
to His sway, and seek in their turn TIC
become Godlike. Christ makes charac-
ter. and character in turn is a witness to
Christ.