The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-05-04
THE DEvINE PART IN The
CALAMITiES OF LIFE

sermon was read by Rev. W. B. Ca
pers before the meeting Of the Pas
tors Association Monday and is pub
lished at the request of the Associa
zion.
Who is this that darkeneth counse
by words without knowledge" Job
SS-2
The book of Job has answered once
and for all time the ancient and muc1
mooted question as to whether or nc
suffering and calamity are in them
selves declarations Of Divine vista.
tons for sin. For the conclusion OF
Life, we will find there an unmis-
taxable assertion that the calamities
of life are not in themselves to be
regarded as evidences of Gods wrath.
This statement does not admit of con
| troversy, however much we might call
into question the correctness of the
authors conclusions. But that IN
wolves another question. If we ana
lyse this great epic poem of the inner
life, we will find there an unmis-
taxable revelation of the wondrous
goodness and fatherliness of God and
the ultimate and splendid triumph of
a consistent and persistent faith. But
before proceeding with an analysis of
the message Job brings to us, l must
ask you to remember that the old
Jewish theory of life was, that If you
were good you would prosper and not
be called upon to suffer either Attic
ton or adversely, but If on the other
hand, you were wicked, the walls of
Gods wrath would be poured out upon
you in judgments similar to those Wis
tied upon Job. And l might say here,
in passing, that as with many other
old Jewish superstitions and traditions,
no less an authroity than Jesus, set
this theory aside, as when time and
again He said to the Pharasees and
others: 'It hath been said unto you
by them of old time, but say unto
you" etc. And likewise, in connection
with our subject, He said of his dis
ciples, Gin the world ye shall have
tribulation, but be of good cheer for
have overcome the world And in
the book of Job it is SO definitely |
written as not to be easily misunder-
stood, that disease, pestilence and ca
lamity are not Gods methods of !
Furnishing his children nor ofreward-
ing his saints.
And now let us turn to the record |
the book presents. There we find Job
"a perfect and upright man, one who
feared God and eschewed evil" He I
was clothed with righteousness"
while Justice was his robe and dia-
DEM In the conduct of his life Job
was 'eyes to the blind, feet to the
lame "a father to the needy" "a
terror to the unrighteous," while 'he
delivered the poor when they cried
unto him, and the fatherless when
here was none to help, and caused
The widows heart to sing for joy"
Job was also a man of great posses
sions, and his seven thousand sheep,
hree thousand camels, five hundred
yoke of oxen and cattle without num-
Der, feeding upon a thousand hills,
made him the first and most powerful
citizen of the land of Uz. We read of
him that great men gave ear, and
waited and kept silent for his coun-
sci. That after his words they spake
lot again. And when he went forth
nto the city the young men who saw
lin, in their tinidity, hid themselves.
That the aged rose up and stood for
lin to pass by while the princes
from talking and laid their
lands upon their mouths and the voice
If the mobiles was hushed. Such, my
riends, was Job before the hand Of
and calamity had smitten
lin into the dust. But after the
waters of sorrow had passed over his ,
oul he presents deplorable picture.
Nj his great possessions taken from
lin, his servants slain with the edge
# the sword, his children all perish
n a violent storm, and finally. he him
ell is smitten with the black leprosy, ;
loathsome and horrible disease,
hen universally looked upon and &C :
erted as an evidence Of sin, and ,
we of its corrapt and deadly nature. !
low low had Job fallen. No wonder ;
hat with property, health and friends +
II gone, Job soon became "a song ;
nd a byword' among those who had
0 recently regarded him with great
st reverence and stood in awe of him
tut row they abhored him and stood ,
loot from him, and even his wife, :
him to curse God and y
ie," and deserted him. And to add
D his misery and the utter bewilder- 4
.oa& oF bia oopdifian Lob he'd hpan