The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1905-06-21
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Right Use of Power.
All ages have tugged at the problem
of power. We touch it first in the ma
terial. 1t is in the wave, the storm,
| the volcano, the lightning, the earth
quake. But what of those restless
forces, those earthquakes of power
that burst from the mind? Gravita-
ton binds every atom and world in the
universe, but it cannot bind the mind
that solves the intricate problems, in
terprets the literature of the stars,
thinks the thoughts of God and dwells
in a sphere but little lower than the
throne of the Eternall Yet as mighty
and marvellous as is the mind, 1t Is
powerless to grapple with the problcm
of sin, The world is full of literature,
the musical thunders of Homer, the
enhancing eloquence of Demosthenes.
the inductive philosophy of Bacon, the
dramatic creations of Shakespeare, but
what power is there in literature to re-
generate the human heart? Take the
grandest man the ages has produced,
or take all the superb inteilects of the
centuries and by some power Of at
tenuation concentrate them into one in
comparable genius, holding in himself
the illimitable reservoirs of wisdom
and let him attempt to speak the word
of pardon, and what ruockery, what
| blasphemy!
God alone can forgive the sinner.
His power alone is able TO track the
secret paths of sin, pluck out its sting,
purify the heart, reconstruct mans
fallen nature, and lift him up into the
high places of power and vision. This
is the power, specified in our text, the
power Of the Holy Spirit It is n sim
gular truth. but the more carefully we
examine the faith of the ages, we see.
somehow, like a hidden star, this doc
trlne of n divine influence coming to
the heart of man, throwing its glow
over the horizon of the world. The
Pantheism of the Brahnins involves
this; it is the inspiration of Theosophy,
the light of Manicheism, the inner
radiance of platonism, the full orbed
glory of Christianity.
When Jesus Christ said to His dsci-
pies, "Tarry until We are endued with
power from on high" and interpreted
that power in the language of our
text, "Ye shall receive power after
that the Holy Ghost has come upon
you" He was bringing to light the
innermost and uttermost power Of the
gospel. Christianity is more than n
system. it is spirit and life. 1T is the
power (dynamte) of God unto salvation
to every one that believeth." Paul says,
"Our gospel came not in Il word only"
not like a Homeric song gistening with
incarnate genius, nor Il cold Platonic
speculation that chills, but never
warns the heart. 'but i'll power and
in much assurance and the Holy
Ghost"
Now that the power Of the Holy
Spirit has been given to the church, the
great problem confronting the church
is the right use of power One had
better crawl in the dust than to have
the erect body degrade the mind. Bet
ter make haste slowly" than to rush
wildly to certain ruin. Power is one
thing, the science of its application
quite another. Education brings power,
but it does not always give power over
power. The need of the church is
power to direct and apply power, to
adapt its methods to the new age of
thought and life, to bring its vast re-
sources to bear upon the problems of
the day in the practical spirit of the
day and TO keep step with the world
wide movements of civilization with
that quick response to human need.
bOill VI pllHulplco uulptSl " UNIV VI sal
conditions.
"Ye shall receive power after that
the. Holy Ghost has come upon you,
and We shall be My witnesses" saith
the Saviour. All the power of the
Spirit IS to be put forth in witnessing
for Christ. The Holy Ghost is not
promised to restore bodily health or
work dazzling miracles. Hi power is
given to be utilized in witnessing. Life
is only of value as it witnesses 20 some-
thing better, higher than itself. Mar
tin Luther was lifted into immortality
by the high tide of the Reformation.
John Wesley was enthroned by the
mighty evangelistic wave that rolled
forth from his fire crowned ministry.
Abraham Lincoln was lifted into death
less light by the divine principle of
liberty for which he stood.
1t is only as we stand for and wit
ness to some exalted principle of right
eousness that life is worth living. The
need of the world is for a witnessing
church. The need of the church is
for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. o,
that He might descend with quicken
ing, purifying, energizlng power upon
us! Then the conquest of the world
will be an easy task.-Dr. John Wesley
Hill, in the Brooklyn Eagle.