The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-12-27

requirements Of the spirit God and
the spiritual life. When the finger of
God through some stalwart Nathan Is
pointed at the sinner, it matters not
whether he is a king upon his throne,
he must listen to the "Thou art the
man. Wherefore hast thou despised
the word of the Lord to do that which
is evil in His sight" and in deep con-
triton of soul be must cry out for
mercy and confess, II have sinned
against the Lord"
Not only have men as individuals
been led to q false emphasis upon the
material, and to blindness toward the
spiritual, but the church herself has
become too material in the expression
which she has sought to give to the
religious impulse. Too much of stress
has been and is laid upon form and
organization and not enough upon the
spirit. Not until the church comes
again to the side Of Jacobs vel and
hears afresh the sweet emphasis of
the Man of Galilee upon the essential
spirituality Of God and the supremacy
and priority Of the spiritual can she
ever enter into her full heritage Of
divine power. 1t is high time that
we should have done with the be
Jogging and befooling effort to meet
the requirements of that God who is
spirit, with substitutes, that-are mere
material foibles. 1t is the inners Of
the soul that God desires and requires.
It is q damning folly to offer any sub
stitute for that self which God has
destined for eternal fellowship. with
Himself. Goodness, not goods; char
acter, not cash; piety, not p%retense;
sincerity, not sham; these are the
sacrifices acceptable to that God who
is q spirit and who would be Wor-
shipped in spirit and with reality.
Another truth is placed beyond per-
adventure by these words of Jesus.
True worship is not q matter of local.
ity or nationality or sect. Men love to
distinguish themselves by some dis
tinguishing mark and will congratulate
and fatter themselves that it in some
way makes them superior to theiT
brother man. If he is white, he con-
graduates himself that lie is not blach.
If he is black, he co~ngratulates him.
self that his eyes are more shiny and
his teeth whittier. Doubtless demon
STATIONS and sects have served some
good ends, but if men had but learned
to sweetly insist upon the truth for
truths sake, instead Of lining up
against their fellows in war paint and
with %tomahawk in hand, in utter dis
regard Of the true spirit Of The gospel,
the millennium would be much nearer
than it is to-day. Argue as best we
cay. the essence Of religion Is a spirit
in harmony with the infinite spirit; q
spirit to which reality, fact, truth, is
the supreme consideration. To truly
worship God is to pay to Him tho
homage Of reverent thought and feel
ing, and of flial trust and love. The
real temple of God is a human heart
wherein the spirit Of a man meets in
slekinah presence the Spirit OF God.
Such worship and such w~orshlpers
God seeks.
Again, true worship is the great
solvent Of life's enigmas. In one OF
the psalms credited of Asaph he seeks
to express the doubt and difficulty
that possessed his mind when ne
sought to explain the prosperity Of the
wicked. 1t is surely a source OF con-
slant question to a thoughtful MIND
that the wicked flourish while many
righteous are constrained to live III
comparative if not quite penury. The
question will arise, How is it that
Gods material good so constantly min
listers to the wicked and unworthy"
In honest doubt many hearts have
asked, why should 1 worship n God
who so unequally distributes His bless
ings?' This was the difficulty of the
psalmist. He says: "Then thought l
to understand this, but it was too hard
for me: until I went into the INK
tuary Of God, then understood I the
end. Of these men," When the psalm
ist entered into spiritual fellowship
with God and saw the glory of that
God in all His spiritual beauty there
dawned upon his soul the reality OF
the larger truth, that Gods greatest
good is not material good. His rich
est gifts arefnot houses, or lands, or
mines, or stocks. His richest gifts are
those which bring the inner spirit OF
a man into perfect harmony with di-
vine heart. No wealth OF pelf can
ease a restless conscience or lift the
burden from q bereaved heart: Only
God can fill to overfowing the human
soul with that quiet and calm. that
peacefulness which makes all life a,
song.
Does your heart cry out for God?
Would you know that peace which
passeth knowledge? Then be assured
that these blessings can come to your
life only us you recognize the eternal
reality of the spiritual and placing the
first emphasis upon the kingdom OF
God and the Spiritual life seeks to live
in perfect harmony with the divine
mind,