The Farmington times and herald. (Farmington, St. Francois Co., Mo.) 1902-1905, 1904-08-12

only people have committed two evils
they have forsaken Me, the fountain o
living water, and hewci them cisterns
broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
--Jer. 2:I3.
The old Greek philosopher,
Thales, taught that water was the
first cause of all things that exist
He saw that nothing grew without
moisture, therefore concluded that
the whole world owed its very life
and existence to water. And when
we travel to the West in our great
country aud see the vast plains
stretch out, all parChed and barren,
we begin at least to sympathize
with the old Greek in his false phil
osophy. For how essential is water
to the world of natnrel Surely
water would solve all the desert
problems OF earth. When think
ing of all this, it strikes MS with
force that God, III His Word, is
pleased to call Himself the foun
tain Of living water What water
is to the thirsty earth, God would
be to the furnishing sons Of men.
Therefore, God calls upon the
heavens to express their astonish-
ment that men should fOrsake Him,
the fountain of living water, and
hew out broken cisterns that eau
contain no water. And well may
there be universal astonishment
when men forsakc God, expecting
to drink the water of life from els.
terms OF their own device, aud hop.
ing to find the paths of life in the
ways of their own choosing. For
instance, how thoughtless it is in
men to expect to find their highest
good aud satisfy their highest want
simply by heaping mp possessions
and storing away riches. One may
have all good things that riches
can buy and not have peace; one
may drink all the drinks that gold
can buy and still be thirsty aud
for the water of immor.
tality. Riches are good, but re-
member it is God, not gold, who
can give the water of life.
Others, all thoughtlesSly, expect
to find their highest good by de.
lighting the five senses. They
crown their five senses ms so many
kings aud serve them diligently,
vainly expecting peace therefrom.
But served thus, the senses ARE
neither II source OF peace nor foun.
tain of life Or they make of their
an instrument of five strings,
for all time to sOOthe
themselves with sweetest music.
forgetting that the strings of their
instrument will too soon be wasted
aud broken. They who look tot
the senses for their highest good
are drinking from broken cisterns.
Still others look not TO God for
the water of life, but to their own
good deeds They expect to drink
he water of life eternal from n lit
lie broken cistrrn of sclfrightcous-
ness. Alas how few good deeds
We do, and how full of sclhshness
md pride are they M best. Indeed
I would be poor life that one could
rink from such n cistern. Let
not your hand be slow to do good
leeds, but look to God, and not to
be work OF your own hand, for the |
water Of lie. Beware of this bro
zen ciStern.
Still others ask, shall not we find |
Jur highest good by cultivating
ourselves and exercising ourselves
n such studies ms Art and Music
md Poetry Retirement is truly !
desirable, but it is n broken cistcrn;
or one may have polished intel.
ect while his soul is all unkept |
md full of foulncss.
But what think you of the man
ThO forsakes the fountain of living
waters and blatautly declares that
Ill religion is vain and useless! |
rhe man without a religion. do YOU |
,nvy him, admire him, and think /.
lin n kind Of Il brave genius? .
Envy him not, for in spite of his
pretended peace he is to be pittied.
lie is lacking-blind, lame, dis.
,ased. God made him, clothes
hin, feeds him, speaks to him and
provides for him a place in the
homeland of the soul, and yet he in
'eturn shuts God out of all his
He is n soul without a
country, IA spirit without n home. |
Only his body has n home, his spir.
t has no place; and while his body |
leeds and drinks, his soul goes for.
ever hungry.
But return with me a moment to
Mediate upon what men have for
'aken for the sake of their broken
,isterns. They have left natural
source of life for an artificial one;
hey have left the Father of souls,
who alone can nourish the inner
life. For who but God can prop
,rly feed and fill the affectionsf
Your affections are too noble to be
wasted on things that decay and
PASS away so soon. Shall you who
we're made to live forever be salts |