The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1905-02-17

This certainty concerning the no,ror
ne Christ life can be attained l,v I'll 49,.
slli iu.1ll tfe conditions. There nnst ~,
surrender TO Christ aad trust In CbriAf
on caunot have the sunbeam W;tEo,t a.,
sun; Gu cannot have the power of Christ
WlthouG the Chilst Himself. The apostle
says: Christ IS IN you the hope AZ plorv .
and it Is certainly true that Christ ,ny,,st
he in us the power for glory. Thus ia
centre OF our gertrude is Christ ITi,,aaIe
We know Him. We know His no,ver +
has been exercised upon us and in us Isi1s
the once blind beggar, we exc,nim: cone
thing know, whereas, | was blind noIv
see" There. was no note of uncertnintv
about this; there should be no note Of NJ.
certainty about our utterances concernins
our faith or concerning our own position
But in this age of uoubt many Christians
are so frightened out of sanity that tbe,,
are afraid to say even of the deepest ex.
perenees of the soul, Il know" Not SO
Paul, facing death: Il know whom | have
believed" Not so John, the beloved dis
cple, declaring, ''We know that we have
passed from death unto life We know
that when He shall appear we shall be like
Him" 1t is not modesty, but lack of faith
which prompts Christians to say, IL hone
know it and should not be ashamed to saw
so. IT we have not the life then by all the
Importance of eternity make sure of OBJ
tanning it. 1t is possible to have a living
experience of Jesus Christ To have such
an experience that we may say: II live,
yet not |, but Christ, liveth in me-" Be
lief may be glorihed into this experience If
we yield ourselves completely and unre-
servedly to Him who is able to keep that
which Iye hGva Dammit rod Him
that day"
The effect of this certainty is in every
way most precious and helpful. Consider
for moment what this gertrude means III
the presence of the awful calamity which
last summer sent a thrill of horror
around the globe. True, indeed. is the
Scripture declaration IF in this life only
we have hope in Christ we are of all men
most miserable II death were the end OF
all then we might well believe that cruelty
sat in the throne of the universe. But,
staggered as all are by the unutterable sor-
row, yet God rules and overrules, and
though we cannot see it now, yet in eter-
nifty we shall know that the carelessness--
or worse-of man has bee overruled to
eternal good. Because we know that God
is love. and because we know Jesus still
lives and il the same to-day as when lie
shed tears at the grave of Lazarus, we dare
to 60 into bereaved homes and speak OF
the reunion at the right haI of the throne
OF God. | went over to the pier where lay
hundreds of the unclaimed bodies, and l
would not have dared 10 do it, but that l.
might comfort some heal tbroken one viii,
the assurance that God cared, God loved
and in eternity God would make this un
speakable sadness a source of perpetual
not preach. l could not hold up my head
as a Christian if | did not believe; yea, if
did not know. that somehow, some time
the curse shall be changed into a blessing
This is the privilege of Christians to saw
even now: eve know that all things work
together for good to them that love God
Why is it that all do not know these
things? Partly because OF their condition.
There are to-day those who "having eyes
see not, and having ears hear not" The
influence of training Is not easily overcome.
Trained only to consider as real chat which
can be analysed by scientific implements.
men refuse TO admit the reality Of things
which they cannot weigh in their scales or
measure by their rules. They are honest
So is the blind man honest who says color
does not exist So is the deaf man
honest whose soul cannot he moved by the
concord of sweet sounds. It is not ques-
ton of honesty, but of fact God is, even
though the unbelieving eye may sweep the
heavens with the telescope and assert !
cannot see God But trusting hearts will
say with ever increasing gertrude: Il
know whom | believe" This gives rs com
'ort in such time as this 1t is the only
thing which can give comfort. So, breth
zen, let us place ourselves in the hands OF
, loving God. Let us lean on the divine
power. Let us trust the divine wisdom
Let us assure ourselves of the divine home
n those mansions which divine love has.
prepared for us. and let us be confident
hat
Trial works for ends
Too high for some to trace.
That oft in dark attire He sepds
Some embassy Of grace"