The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-06-23

L thSH SOu "lsuCS Vic WOIiu
learn that sin is put away only throug
the redemptive suffering OF holy lovd
which He Himself is gladly bearing, AMI
which Christ, His representative and ed
preston; endured before the eyes of men.'
1t IS this truth which gives to the wcr.;
OF the text their power. He who said "a
am come that We might have life" is EnI
self the ilfe which He seeks to impart. H|
and the Father are one. The words whicl
the historic Christ spoke to those jew
then are being repeated now to us by thu
lndweillng, immanent Christ. I like thai
word lmmanent. 1t is theological word
but 1T Is splendid word, pregnant will
meaning. His name shall be called Imma|
nuel, God with us, the inside God, the i'm
manent God. 1t is He who SAYS "Comd
unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy
laden and l will give you rest" 1t is I'D
VINO VINO says, i am come that We might have
iife and that ye might have it more abun|
sorrow and says, Come with your sin and
shame, come with your sadness and disapl
poIntment, come with your heavy trial and
encouragement and 1 will give you peace.
God with us! now to give us the victory]
God with US, now, to forgive our sins. God
with US! now, to give us heaven in oud
consecrated labor for Him.
L would that these words of Jesus which
we are considering might live in yourI
heaTt, as l try to have them live in mJ
heart, as words spoken now. tonight. by|
the ever living, ever-loving Father, How
common it is for us to think of God our|
Father rs far removed! 1t may be because
Of our training, but however we may ac-
count for it, the fact remains that MANY oil
us fall to realize that God is dealing with
US now just as intimately and lust as pra-|
c!ousiy as He dealt with the great prophets
OF old. How many of lis carry about with
US the sense of God? Do we have the con-
viction OF Gods abiding nearness wberever|
we are! II not, the greatest bicssiac of
life has been missed There is nothing
more needed to-day than a. truer, larger,
more Scriptural idea of God. We need to
realize His abiding nearness. But we need
to forget the old idea of an unapproach-
able God. recall the words of Henry
Drummond, that great teacher, who, DUR
ing his short life, won so many men to
Christ. Il remember very WELL" he Aye,
the awful conception of God / got when
was a boy. | was given book of
Watts hymns, which was illustrated, and,
among other hymns there was one about
Iod, and 1t represented a great black,
'cowling thunder cloud, and in the midst
)f that cloud there was a piercing eve.
That was placed before my young imagina.
ion as God, and I got the idea that God
vas a great detective, playing the spy
lpon my actions and, as the hymn saws,
writing now the story of what little cnil.
tren do. That was bad lesson. 1t has
AIKEN years, to obliterate it." And l fear
most of US have had to go through a SIM
lar experience before we have been rid of
he terrible God of childhood, the far.
way God of childhood, and come into the
plrltual conception of the everywhere
resent God of the Bible,
Now it is this everywhere present God,
ur Father, who seeks our life to save it.
le wants our life now, for without God
fe Is living death. With God life is
'owth, development - heaven now and
eaven hereafter. Without God it is de-
rloration, atrophy, death. Here are two
cts which our. own experience confirms
true. We need to realize, therefore,
at there is never time when God the
,ther IS not near us to lead lis in.o His
e: In the hour when you feel the sti. of
vlnity within You, in the hour when con-
fence speaks and says, be a nobler man,
purer man: truer man, in that hour ct
God which worketh in you." Possibly
ouI IudL yOu SPOKE the
kind word that wounded a devoted
art, or gained your point in business by
ming your fellow man, or committed a
that leaves blot on the scutcheoi, but
erward, unless your heart is already
I'D, you heard a still small voice plead
!; with you to repent your evil way and
e a better, higher life. 1t was God
lch worketh in you."
Multiplied are the experiences in which
d Is speaking to our souls, and many of
have never heard the voice. Ears have
but we hear not. We have eyes but we
to see. There are great crowds who
hple upon the beautiful violet, never
king that they have one of Gods
letest thoughts under their heel. There
lmyriads of stolid eyes which look up-
to the stars but see not Gods glory
le robed beauty of the sky. There are
itudcs who stand beneath the masnif-
blue vault of heaven, gazing upon
| gorgeous sunset, never dreaming that
lighted the fire. And beyond number
aey who fail to feel the presence of
IN the ordinary experiences of life.
lends, God wants our life Do some
with your life. Let your energy,
{alent, your service be for God your
II. Be not so concerned to save your
$, to save your life. Give God your
III He will sanctify your soul.