The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1904-08-27


eAjS the end Of the rain
bow, or the persist
ent effort to discover the fountain OF
perpetual youth. All, how vain and dis
appointing is much of the struggle and
search OF human kind! Much seeking,
lbut little, finding! Feverish, persistent
questfor fading joys and perishable pos
sessions, and never realization OF de-
sires or satisfaction OF soul! 1t Is be-
cause the things sought for are either
hnattainable, or, II attainable, are dis
appointing and unsatisfying when
gained. It is the search for the gilt
ltering gem, which, when within the
grasp, proves naught but the worthless
bauble of tinsel and gilt. Search for
happiness, wealth, power, business, So
cial or intellectual preferment and sue
lcess and when the prize is won at last.
after the first delightful thrill Of pos
session has passed, 1t proves unsatisfy-
ling. The ideal is never attained. 1t
Is always just beyond the reach. But
mot so the search after God. God Is the
lattainable and the satisfying reward OF
every hungry, seeking soul. He Is the
-'Findable God" But how many there are
rwho doubt this. How many believing
1T, yet grow weary in their search, and
fail to reach the goal of Gods presence.
but there are those who seek Him with
their whole desire and He is found Of
them. Many, like Job, cried out, as they
struggled through darkness and dis
,couragement and suffering: ooh that I
knew where l might find HIM" The
way seems so long Faiths eye grows
dim and the heart faint and discouraged,
but at last the soul merges into the
Hight of His presence, and Gods voice
ifs heard, even as Job came face to face
with Him in the whirlwind, and heard
Him speak His rebuke and pronounce
His blessing. The seeker after God
always comes into the Divine presence,
hf faith fail not and the heart turn not
from its purpose. Seek and we shall
FIND" was Jesus encouraging promise.
The seeker shall be rewarded, but how
much is involved in the seeking!
r HE declaration Of our text that "Ht
(God) was found Of them" has refer
ence to a spiritual apprehension and ap
probation of the Divine God-head. Mar
may and does find God in the natur,
about him. God is everywhere in Hi
universe The efforts Of the atheist
and the Darwinian scientists have neve
succeeded in eliminating God as
Factor and Conscious Presence in tn
heavens and the earth which "declar
His handiwork" and reveal His wis
dom and power. God is found in ever
starry height and every retreating an
shadowy depth. His presence is foun
upon the wide expanse of the fathomles
Sea; upon river, lake and sparkling ril
The rugged mountains mark the cours
OF His mighty tread through the eartf
and the gentle valleys display the vel
dure and beauty Of His omnipotent hant
The woods are vibrant with the If
which has been bestowed by Him. TIL
birds in joyful note; the insects wit
their busy hum or lazy swinging o
khe gentle breeze; the thrifty ant wit
hurried passage through his forest jur
gle of grass on definite business ben,
the animal creation from the little squil
rels that find their coy home In tn
friendly, hospitable heart of the grei
tree, or the sleek-coated gopher thu
burrows meath the mellow sod, or tn
rabbits that scurry away before the II
truding presence Of man, and then sto
long enough to raise their saucy, II
quisitive heads above the tall grass an
woodland flowers to watch you as 20
pass; up to the graceful, swift deer this
takes one fieeting glance at you as yo
invade his leafy arbor and then dasht
away with the speed OF the wind to som
more secluded retreat-all, all speak
God and declare His presence in tn
world which He has made.
A ND man may find God all about hin
n He may be conscious of His pre-.
ence. He may realize that God is every
where in His nature. He may be anon
those who in loving appreciation hol
communion with natures invisibl
Forms and hear her speak varying lar
guage. with God as the keynote OF
all. But such recognition of God, sue
dinding of Him. Is not the experience [
which our text has reference. God
to be found and known in deeper an
fuller and richer sense than this. Man
quickened soul finds a God to Who
the natural heart and mind of man Al
n complete stranger. "Who by searcl
Ing can find out God?" The searching
the natural man will never be rewardt
ny. that finding of God which revea
Him in His saving. cleansing, keepin
fructifying power. So the finding of &C
means more than the superficial, Il
intellectual conception OF God.
means the quickening OF the heart
the deepest sense OF the need OF God. an
the expanding and enlarging of II
heart to the realities and consciousness
of God When the whole desire goo
out after God, then is He found ,
those thus yearning for Him. Ha,
you found God. or are you still strange
ITO Him? And II a stranger to Him her
a stranger to him in the life to come