The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1905-09-09
A Retter Relation.

"The Lord our God is with us, as He
was with our fathers. II Kings Vlli'' ~
It is said that in the material uni
verse higher conditions are being
slowly evolved from lower conditions,
and that the earth is a better place to
live on that in the long ago.
1t is said also that this evolutionary
process Is constantly going on In hui
man society, that new forms Of gov
ernment arise from the old just as
blossom comes from seed, that laws,
customs, public morality, modes of liv-
ing, are undergoing change for the
better, and that the world is sweeter,
cleaner, purer, nobler, and kindlier
than it has ever been before.
If in all things else the good is be-
ing changed into the better, surely re-
ligion is not to be excepted. II we put
on new garments elsewhere, we ought
not to wear the same old soiled cloth
ing when we go to church. If we have
learned some of the startling secrets
of nature, we ought also to discover
new secrets in the soul. One cannot
say of religion alone that it Is fenced
within certain narrow limits, that our
fathers explored it thoroughly and
there is nothing more for their chill
dren to know.
More than this, there never has been
a time when the Bible was read with
more intense curiosity than now. 1t is
no longer read in the search for dog
ma, but as repository Of spiritual
truths which have not hitherto been
understood. We have regarded the
Book as a treatise of theology. The
Bible has been regarded with rever-
ential indifference, because it has been
misinterpreted and misrepresented,
But the hour is at hand when this Sc
verely practical age will make new
use Of 1t. The day of dogma has gone
by and the day of high and holy living
has begun to dawn.
The Christ is being revealed to us
in clearer light. Old things are
passing away and all things will be-
come new. We are getting closer to
the Lords person. and the little we
have newly learned prompts us to
kneel and kiss the hem Of His gar
ment. We see that He was the expo
nent of laws which, when fully under
stood and applied, will enable men to
live on so high a plane that only veil
Of gauze will separate them from
Heaven. He trod that eminence and
assured us that what He did we can
do also
1t is true that even Jesus vept, but
what difference between His tears
and oursl l am even inclined to think
that He wept not so much on account
of the death of His friend as because
the sufferers from this afliction took
so low and meager a view of it. What
was death TO Him? Only a transfer
from the valley to the hilltop. When
we stand where He stood and when
we see what He saw, our grief will not
be what it is now.
Yes; and when we make His out
look and uplook our own. we shall
open the souls windows for God s
streaming light to pour in. These pet
ty ambitions will dissipate themselves,
these pains and sorrows, which are so
largely created by our doubts and
fears, will subside, selfishness will
stink away. and the dear conscious
ness OF Gods presence will make us
quiet under His providence.
Then the world will indeed have a
religion and the soul will find safe
anchorage. That religion viii be like
q. current of electricity, chasing all
maladies away and giving men the
vigor and enthusiasm of eternal
youth. The eyes will behold wondrous
things and the heart will leap for JOY.
Once know God as He is, once catch
a glimpse of the real Christ, and we
shall live within stones throw of
Heaven all the time. Rev. Geo. H.
Hepworth.