The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1904-11-25

how 70 reach the massee-whlle i want
TO hear land never do hear)-ebout the
fundamental, elementary principles OF re
ligion. ls man inmortalg Ia there God,
and II 50, why does He leave Us IN doubt!
What is the Christian religion reduced 20
It's simplest expression | am sick Of plata.
tudes, eyasions and glittering generalltles.
i want 10 be treated with sincerity. i
want 20 hear the simple truth, not as 10
little child but as 20 a grown man, who
has sinned and suffered aud now fam
would ind safe anchorage for his soul
IN this sea OF doubt and trouble
The editorial article written IN answer
"a this communication breathes the spirit
Of Him who wr~l 20 His disciples in the
storm with which they were battling on
Galilee. IL says very little about the
troublesome questions the man has raised.
liz takes God and the soul for granted. Ii
reduces religion 10 its simplest terms and
lets i 60 at that for the present. Whether
.t has accomplished anything for the
storm tossed correspondent l do not know.
But | do know some whom u has helped
and Others whom u Is likely 10 help. Men
Of whose spiritual vicissitudes ! have some
knowledge have spoken OF II with gratl-
iude.
The narrower method OF sectarian. dog
matte iDsistence Is perilous. The existence
OF a denomination may depend upon the
Observance OF the seventh day Of the week
as the Sabbath. But II is a ruinous thing
for young person 10 get the idea that the
existence Of God is wrapped up in that
dogma and that he might as well abandon
the religious life altogether as 20 let that
dogma 90. Ii has been an element OF de.
nominational strength 20 have certain fixed
ideas with reference 10 the proper mode
and subjects of baptism. But il is a spirit-
uai misfortune II young baptist has not
a pastor wise enough TO tell him, If he lets
60 this doctrine. that religious life is quite
possible without il. Ii is possible To cher
ish and TO insist on views OF the Bible, the
modification of which seems 10 some when
they find II necessary, 90 threaten the very
foundations Of their faith in God.
Religion is an affair OF the soul and God.
The Bible, the church, the creeds, the sac
raments are designed to serve the soul and
God in this high and holy relationship.
God has life in the souls Of men which
these means are meant TO promote and
never TO hinder. They do not come be-
tween the soul and God. Some sweet old
mystic has said "The eve by which | see
God Is the same eye by which lie sees me"
And We may say, also: The longing with
which we long for God is the longing with
which He longs for Us. The love with
which We love Him is from the fountain Of
| His love for US In a relationship which
is the sharing, the identity of life, what
room = there for intermediary means and
ministeries? We have precious documents,
| precious doctrines, precious sacraments and
| ordinances. But it is not they that give
| life 20 the soul. They do minister richly
| to that hic. but 1t IT, as lt were, from
! without that they minister. II the soul
ever really knows God at all, IL knows Him
as it knows itself The soul is sure OF it.
| self. BY the same sort of certitude 1t is
sure of God.
Don't get the idea that You can prove
| the existence of God. Some day YOU may
| fall in with man who is a better reasoner
| who viii take the other side Then, II you
really think you believe in God because
YOU can prove that lie exists, you may hnd
your faith badly shaken. Every one that
| loveth is begotten of God and knoweth
| God. He that loVeth not, knoweth not
| God; for God is love" We know God with
| that immediate kind of knowledge with
which we know the feelings of our own
| hearts. IL 1t is possible for MS to love. it is
| possible for rs TO know God and 10 know
| that We know Him. And John tells us
| that the proof there is n God and TO be
| known and that We know Him, is the same
| kind Of proof. the very same proof, that
we must give, If we say that we love.
Luke tells us how Jesus sent out seventy
| Of His disciples to do in all the towns of
Galilce as they had seen Him do. They
| Ufdltu bilt Nlths utN Iitd1h''l AHt toSp'i
| Of the kingdom. Men and devils gave heed
to them. They returned TO Him with
| great Joy to tell Him all. AS He listened
| to them, rs lie looked into their faces, lie
| rejolced. They had understood Him. 1t
was then that He said: II thank Thee. o
| Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth. that
| Thou didst hide these things from the
! wise and prudent and didst reveal them
unto babes" He has succeeded. Plain
men, seventy of them, had come to know
| God through Him.
To every minister Of His. to every fol.
| lower Jesus il saving: Enter into this su.
prcme 10Y Of thy Lord. This is the Joy for
| YOU 10 seek: this is the success for which
YOU should work and pray; that through
| YOU men may come 10 know God" 1t was
| for this very thing that He gave thanks
| the night before He died. To some lie
! knew lie had given eternal life. And what
| could lie say in His thanksgiving that
| would pe more pleasing 10 His Father than
| what He did saw And this is life oter-
nal. that they might know Thee, the only
| true God aud Jesus Christ. whom Thou
| hast sent
| As we begin our work, the words OF the
! beautiful old prayer ring IN my ears: 20
| God. from whom all holy desires, all good
J couusels and all Just works do proceed
| We want our fellowship in service 10 be
! promr.,d and accompanied by holy desires,
! guided uv good counsels and abOunding IN
! inst wosAs The desire 10 know God IL
| the hl .C-t oi all desires, the deepest foun-
| tain o. good counsel, the most effective IN
! spirati0n of Iust works. Nav 1t be the
! homes and the constant desire OF oar
| heart ~