The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1905-05-24
The Humility of FnIth.

The Humility of Faith.
Lord. | am not worthy that Thou
shouldest come under my roof; but
only say the word, and my servant
shall be healed"
The faith of which these words are
the utterance was so great that the
Lord wondered at ii, and exclaimed:
81 have not found so great faith, no
not in Israel" II may be of service
to those who desire to come to faith,
or who long for Il stronger faith than
they have hitherto had. to examine
carefully the faith of the centurion,
and to observe the soil in which that
great faith struck its roots. The soil
is-deep humility. This man who, al
though he belonged TO the Gentiles,
was praised by the Jewish elders as
worthy of the Lords favor, and whose
faith surpassed all that the Lord had
found in Israel-this eminent man is
the only one of whom we read, dur
ing Jesus sojourn on earth, that he
did not consider himself worthy that
Jesus should enter his house. Won
derful humility in such hero of
faith. We learn from this the most
mOmentous lesson-that deep humility
and strong faith are knit to one an
Olltl Dl lHt tlONtSl JULIUS.
Out of humility springs faith. Then
first, when the soul fully acknowledges
that it has nothing, and is also con-
tent to receive favor as one that pos
sesses nothing, does it cast itself on
the free grace of God, and receive 1t
as one that believeth. In the acknowl-
edgement of its nothingncss it does
not dare to contradict God with its
thoughts of unworthiness, with its de-
sire still further to bring this or that
to perfection. 1t feels that, since 1t
has pleased such a great God to say
that He is prepared to show compass
sion to the poorest and most wretched,
then nothing becomes ii better than
to be silent and suffer Him to manifest
His love. 1t knows, moreover that
it is so deeply corrupt that 1t can
never of itself become better, and on
| this account its faith is just the best
proof of its humility; it is from the
| recognition of its utter helplessness,
| from its knowledge of the fact that 1t
| can never become better. that it casts
itself Oh the will of God.
This is an entirely different state of
| mind from that of all such as imagine
| that humility comes out in not bellev-
| ing; as if there could be humility in
waiting till something has been found
in us that could make us more accept
able to the Lord than we really are;
| as if there could be humility in giving
no obedience to the command of God
| actually to believe. Nay, verify.
And just as perverse is the idea that
faith will at any later period lead to
| pride. No; faith, as it springs from
| humility. will In turn only increase
| httrtfIftV hpQntten ha tt1p
ion by faith recognized Jesus as WELD
ing over nature Il power which could
not by any circumstance be prevented
from healing the sick by His mere
word, that he felt himself to be un-
worthy of having Him in his house.
The more glorious the revelation and
experience of the Lords greatness and
goodness which faith enjoys, the more
deeply does it sink in reimbursement
! and In lowly acknowledgment of the
| cOndcscension by which such God un-
wells Himself to such Il sinner. And
thus it always continues to be; the
deeper humility the more faith. and
again, the stronger faith the deeper
humility.
May the Lord teach us these truths
| that there Is no stronger proof of hu-
millty, and also no better means of
increasing 1t, than just faith; and that,
whether we feel ourselves deeply hum
bled or still desire to come to n deeper
humility, the one as well as the other
should only shut us up to faith.
And now soul why do you not be-
lieve? Are you still too unworthy E?
You dare not say so. The deeper your
humility the stronger your reason and
right for believing. Are you still too
proud? All let it not be longer so.
Only bring yourself to the acknowledge
ment of your entire weakness, and
confess that you are wholly lost; in
the depths of your wretchedness you
will see that there is no other remedy
than TO let the Lord help you, and to
commit yourself trustfully to the word
of His grace.-The Rev Andrew Muir
ray, in Consccrnted Life.