Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1907-03-08
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WORDS OF CHRIST.
By Rev. Andrew F. On

st. Luke 81 33.
The creative word of the Infinite
fashions the marvels of the universe,
establishes its order and ordains the
end for which 1t was spoken into being.
1t echoes in every nook and Granny OF
creation; it enters into every relation
Of matter and into every adjustment
OF circumstances and, in the end, it
must rule the whole development of
life and all life's spiritual accompani-
ments. Thus, when Christ says: "Heav
en- and earth shall pass away, not by
words shall not pass away He means
that the principles of Gods justice,
truth and right, and His, the Sons in
depreciation Of them, are the fundamen-
tai facts which must endure that,
though all we see and touch and han
die pass away, these things remain
and persist forever.
And, furthermore, He means that
the words and deeds antagonistic to
these have no permanence and abiding
quality; that they run counter to the
great active purpose of creation, the
upward trend toward the great ideal
and ensue in suffering, unhappiness,
retribution and the final sweeping away
of the men, the races and institutions
I that have given them voice and express
sion.
: Heaven and earth shall pass away,
but my words shall not pass away"
What a wealth of meaning is in the
fervent utterance of those syllables It
we give ear to and ponder and heed
them. What we need in this age of
ours is not so much a knowledge that
there is a law of sequence in life as
that there is some character whose
words and deeds illustrate that law in
it's highest manifestation whose per-
sonality and whose speech embody all
there is Of moral permanence and bene-
fit to mankind. Goodness Is a mere
sound Of syllables unless there be some
character in which it can be embodied.
But when some splendid personality
stands forth clothed in it, then it lives
and thrills us with it's compelling pow
er. Heaven and earth shall pass
away" but the idea which goodness
voices and expresses shall never pass
away.
The life of Christ is just as real to-
day as it ever was. The words He ut
tered are just as potent and wise and
true and enduring as they were the
day they were spoken. They strike the
very keynote of the whole problem of
life. And yet, in the marvel of our
material revelation, We seem to be los
ing that close personal touch with it
which is the great moral prop to sus-
tain us through our many allurements
and temptations.
Some of us pretend to understand
what goodness is, but we say the av-
live it, and we will frame our lives as
others do. We see some men dwelling
amid worldly environment who are
brave enough to refuse such standards,
and we say in pessmistic comment ::
What is their reward?' They are
not making progress with the world :;
they are missing the opportunities
| which they might SEIZE.
We forget that the word which is
true, the character which is noble, the
soul which is imbued with faith and
ideals, though crushed to earth, shall
rise again. We forget the splendid ex-
ample of the Master, and that, though
rejected of man, His character and per-
sonality have survived the scathing
hand of time and risen above all others
that mark the page of history. The life
the Redeemer lived is reality The
words of Christ are living, not dead
words. They intercept every circum-
stance of life and We're true at crea-
TONS dawn, and their verify shall
stand the test Of eternity. And Chrst's
words were the character of Christ
the Interpretation of His divine per-
sonality, not soundless meaningless
phrases.
AS we study the words of Jesus and
comprehend the word of God let us
strive to learn how priceless and en-
during they are-how their value to
live by is above all commodities, all
worldly success and honor. And so let
us strive to make our lives and char
acters speak, and bear fruition, in these
blessed words the sweetness and the
beauty and the health of which shall
bring peace and contentment and abid-
| ing strength unto our souls.
FRANCE NEEDS A WASHINGTON.
By Bishop Samuel Fallows.
We have not outgrOwn Washington
in his expressed desire that I'VE should
ever promote as an object of primary
Importance institutions for the general
diffusion of knowledge, for it is essen
tial that public opinion should be en-
lightened." Religious intolerance did
not in any particular belong to Wash
ingtons character.
What blessing to France If such a
man were to be revered as the father
of the republic!