The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1905-01-17


star. SO they followed it. The first
reason why I know they were truly
wise is because they had an eye for
| Gods token.
! Have We? God often sends signs
to us men. but we have not always
an eye for them We know how to
discern the face OF the heavens, but
we cannot discern the signs Of the
times. We are interested in the cas-
tern war. for example, because of its
commercial possibilities, but are blind
to the christian opportunities which
it presents. We talk about the pre-
vailing lawlessness in our country, but
| are blind to it's manifest token Of
christian indifference, for if the chris
tian citizenship Of this country were
right, then the country would be right
| from Maine to California, and in
north and south alike. To bring it
closer home-I am stricken with a
fever. The physicians battle for my
life. For weeks the issue is in doubts
and at last they win. Let us also
hope that the good God has also
heard the prayers that have been sent
up for me- I become convalescent
| I have to lie there in bed and think.
And when once begin to think about
spiritual matters as much as | think
about the weather, then see very
clearly that this sickness IS token
of God 1t is a sign that life is un-
certain but death is sure. Then the
good God makes me we'll again.
60 to my work and become too busy
to think. His tokens are forgotten
while give myself to the study Of
the stock reports.
Now let US go back to the wise men
of the east. They have come almost
to the end of their journey after per-
haps two years of wandering follow
! ing the sign in the sky. We find them
now in Jerusalem searching the Old
Testament. The star has led them
to Gods word. And this brings us
to the second reason why we may
know those men were truly wise.
They had an ear for Gods word?
Have we? Do we make it the man Of
Our council? Is the family altar erect
in Our home? Do we honor Gods
word before Our children? Do we
practice it in Our daily life? Do the
teachers really teach it in the Sunday
School, or do they play at teaching.
If we would be truly wise we must
have an ear for Gods word
Led by the star and also by the
scripture, the sages finally reached
Bethlehem, and found the child with
his mother, in certain house. Then
they spread their trophies at His feet
and worshipped him. The third rea-
soon why I know they were truly
wise is because they had a heart for
Gods Son. Have we?
How foolish it must have seemed
to the outside world to see those
wise and weary strangers bowing
down in worship to homeless little
baby! And yet they were wise. They
knew that he was king who did not
need garish hnery to make him glor-
ious or a throne to make him royal.
They worshipped him as the eter-
nal God who could we'll dispense
with Our poor human accessories OF
cplendor. The world still says, just
as it said then, that it is foolish to
give real homage to the Savior. They
dc not say that it is foolish to go to
church, or to be called christians.
These things are fashionable nova
days, but they are often something
very different from the real worship
! Of Christ. The world still says that
it is foolish to take him exactly at
his word and make the Golden rule
the rule of Our useless life and inter-
ests. But God tells US that if any
seem to be wise among you and de-
sireth to be truly wise, let him be-