Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1906-09-13
BID THEM FAREWELL
NJ. w. Hicks, Acting Rector OF Episco-

~ oQSilSb iHo tet Wi oSiiiS
Sunday morning and left Tuesday for his
home in Hastings from there he will 60 to
Middleton, Conn to attend the Berkely
Theological Seminary. Mr.. Hicks. who is
graduate of St. Stephens College,
Annandale, New York, is a very bright
young man and has done excellent work
for the mission during his short stay here.
he stated that he had enjoyed his work
here and was much pleased with the re-
ception and support accorded him by his
people.
His text was, | Samuel, $40. Speak.
Lord for thy Servant Heareth, and in
part he said:
The child Samuel was laid down to
sleep when God called HIM and he knew
not that 1t was the voice OF God.
so God often speaks to US. sometimes
in the dead unhappy night when the rain
is on the roof, and when we lie asleep on
our beds; sometimes in the midst OF our,
wor. and our abors; sometimes when we
are going into some great changes, or fall
ling into some grevlous sin, and very often
we do not know that the voice which
speaks TO us is the voice OF God. For
God speak S to us in many different ways,
and in many different tones, He that hath
ears to hear let him hear
| God speakes to US by the works Of
ma ure. ! cannot imagine a man looking
at this beautiful world and disbellevng in
God. | can scarcely fancy man living
amid fair scenery and being without re-
llgion. Yet we know that men lie steal
and curse and are drunken and impure
in the midst of the loveliest scenes of
nature. They may dwell in Eden but the
serpent has crept in, the trail OF the
serpent is over them ALL
And as they do not hear the voice of
God speaking TO them, nor can they see
God walking through the garden of the
world and making everything beautiful
in his time. Yet there are voices in the
world of nature which are of God, voices
which speak TO US in the winds and IN the
sea, in winter tempest and summer
breeze, in budding flowers and ripened
grain, in the black fields of November and
the golden harvests of July, in the SHOWS
of January and the showers of April.
The men whose eyes are open and whose
ears are attentive TO God will see His
hand and hear His voice all around him.
He will see Him who stretches out the
Heavens like curtain, and makes the
cloud his chariot and walks upon the
wings OF the wind; who maketh the out
goings of the morning and evening to
praise him and hath appointed the moon
for certain seasons and the sun which
knoweth his going down. The stars shin
ing cold and clear at night should remind
US of Him who rules Arotum and Orion
and controls the sweet influences of the
| -
glory of God and the armament showeth
1s handiwork. BY wind and storm full
filling His word, by seedtlme and har-
vest, by summer and winter, by creeping
things and feathered fowls. by the eagle
soaring on high. and the sparrow sitting
alone on the house top, by the lilies of the
field, fairer than Soloman in all his glory,
by ali these God speaks to US; may we
then learn to praise the Lord for His
goodness and declare the wonders that he
doeth for the children of men. As we
gaze on the blessings which God strews
everywhere about US in beautiful world
may we learn to say, Speak Lord for thy
| servant heareth.
Again God speaks to US by the dis
pensation of His Providence We often
speak Of Providence beng good to US or
the like, but we should rather speak of
God, since Providence is not person but
Gods care for US. God speaks to us by
the measures Of prosperity or adversely
which he sends to US as nation, and as
individuals He is always speaking to US,
70 encourage, to warn, and to reprove;
now with rains and fruitful seasons, fill
ling our hearts with JOY and gladness;
now with famine and pestllence and dis
may Of nations, God speaks to US as
nation and he speaks to US aslo as indl
yiduals. In our success or our failure, in
our taade or calling, in our happy days
and our times OF sickness and sorrow, in
the marriage feast and the funeral dole,
in the time of laughter and the time OF
tears; in all these God speakes to US.
When you had that piece Of good fortune,
beloved, you thought perhaps that your
wisdom and your strength had gained it
for you, you said in your heart, See what
| have done myself. Then God was
speaking to you, though, perhaps you did
not hear Him. He spoke to you and said,
| ! have done all this for thee, what hast
thou done for Me? How much owest thou
unto thy Lord? What hast thou given to
| Me who giyeth alp have filled thee with
good things and hast thou been thankful?'
When that great sorrow fell upon you, be
sure God was speaking to you then. You
only saw the dark shadow Of trouble in
the house, you did not see the shining Of
angels wings; you only heard the sound
OF your own bitter crying, not the voice Of
God speaking to you and telling you how
THAT sorrow was sent to you in love to
bring you to better mind, to humble your
pride, or to check your sefishness, or to
lift your thoughts up to heaven. Believe
me brethren, the right thing to do, in
prosperity and in adversely, is to listen to
Gods voice and hear what he has to say
TO us.
Again, God speaks to US by the voice OF
conscience as he spake to Adam and
made him afraid to meet God. as he spake
to Ahab and made him afraid to meet
Elijah; so he speaks to US. He has
given TO each Of US Friend who never
fails to tell us when we incline to wrong.
The voice which speaks to US Is only a
still small voice and it is often drowned
by the noise Of other voices.
God is speaking to you very plainly
even now, telling you Of your sins. warn
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