Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1904-12-15


in the inspiration of Christ within, IN tSar
power of Christ raising him from sin a~
Righteousness, making him a partalses. et&
His own life, so that he could say: "I l1se~
yet not /, but Christ liveth in me-
We may not follow Paul's inteilectraT
flights, nor gaze with his vision at the myx-
teries which are unveiled. But may
know the purpose of God for us. which -
that we shall seek the truth of life. T'hss
is found in Christ. To know Him IS thu
class Of rich or poor, but the knowledge is
open to all who are willing to take 1t as 1E
can be taught, and are willing to pay zssn
price.
This knowledge of Christ can be knowM
but partially through reading of the st<sens
above or the Scriptures beneath. Nanr
through these come to knowledge cf Cod.
But such study Is too easy school fer
character, as we strive to know the living,
loving God
One has told Of the search for the enou.
white bird of truth. How. after weary
at last in the hour of death q glimpse af
the passing creature is given, and a feather
dropped from its wing is gra.ped by 1fas
dying man. No such cold truth as ths4s
do we seek. It is the knowledge Of the Hss
ing person, Christ Jesrs, our Lord HA
thy, kindness Of mind and heart aad Eses
through personal experience.
For success in any pursuit Of tru'', tlc7ue
must be desire, concentration. work and
patience. There must be the desire impek-
ling the searcher; the concentration of em>
ergies on the pursuit: study Of tie Jaws cf
| the subject; willingness to serve in the l,a3
| of patience ere passing into the palace or
| wisdom. 1t is unreasonable to expect ti,sA.
the highest knowledge Of man, the k.1oyEk--
edge of life, can be secured without paying
| the price.
For it there is needed desire wIsseM
| all overcome all other desires. The1u
| III ,st be purpose Of the will, the lifelOAx
en- ,eavor to attain. Paul counted not him
| self to have attained. but he pressed orx
ton of life for God is known through I'm
spiritual rather than the intellectual pa1.
| of man. Those who love sin do not know
Him, in this sense; they havt no sympathy
with HIN, they know not His mind. thals
love not His things, and without this synn.-
| pathy there cannot be the knowledge e&
person to person. Because Of this neces~
ness of desire, the bending Of our will. tim
obedience of our life, there comes tRr
struggle in mans life with trial, temptar~
ton. suffering. For if it be the life II
Christ we are to know, then it is life sf
{ truth, Of holiness, of love, of self-sacrifex,.
man can know that life in its funess savx-
as he experiences it. He may discuss il,
and compare it with others, but only ha-
who lives it know. what it is. Two OF the
disciples asked the Lord for the chick
places in the kingdom. He told them thaA
they. knew not what II asked. Can W
drink the cup that I drink. be baptsseA
with the baptism that am: They though4
they could, Later, in a measure they di4s
But the places are reserved for thoss
to whom it is appointed, for those wkT
are fitted for it., It is the. inner prize s4F
character, Of Holiness, Of love, of truth,
after. the likeness of Jesus Christ wlliel
I entities one TO stand near Him in spiritun&
power aud dominion. This. is not alvarA
easy. Christ had His struggles. His agcmye
His cross; The disciple is not above iii
Master. 1t may not mean the giving sas
of life. 1t does at times in mission 1and@
But to gain that knowledge of Christ wla
cost. Is righteousness gained without e&
fort? Is forgiveness of one who has sn.-
juredd us mere bagatelle? Do all the ss.-
pied in politics? Is truth in business al
ways at premism? In the presence M
the pleasure and the business Of the dry
is it a simple matter to keep ones fr.aM
erect, and work as son of God, and tf,,sx
acting. know Christ in truth and love-
Does it demand much Of us that we SHAH
give ourselves up for those who may scygzr
or hate us, SO following the examine 81
Christ. who gave Himself for us? An ss.
! know in our daily life how great the tas4
is set for us in the school of character sI,.se
we may know Christ; that we may bss Ike
Him = that we may grow in the knowledge.
of human truth and love as we not olak~
see it in Him, but know it in ourselves
It costs much because it is life: and fr-
cause it is life, it pays. For chief in shs-
joys and glories of truth, there stands tIns
excellency Of the knowledge of Christ sex
apprehended by man: it is the truth Of i1Es-
the life OF God, the life Of man, who is Tire
child Of God.
Read through the history Of the past Of
those nob.e ones who have aided the moral
uplift Of the world through this PERSONAL
living knowledge Of Christ. They know
truth and love, because they have hsevs
truth and love. They paid the price. IL
might be>poverty, persecution, martyraoys;s::
struggles within and trials without. sss
the power of Christ's Strengthening tlseaf
to do the things which were right. IN tfssp
suffering for others that they might OR
) drawn unto God, thez came into possesslont
the knowledge of Christ. through expe1--
: ience. With one accord that noble r1EaisT-
tude which no man can number, OF APPS
ties, prophets, martyrs, known and u.f-
known, giving thanks unto God for HIS
goodness, ascribes to this knowledge DIR
ep,inence and SURPRISING glorv above NJ
| others, crying out with Paul. We court tlS
things but loss for the exeellency. o. tue
| knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord.