The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-06-12
These Ever Living Words.

Heaven and earth shall pass away,
but My words shall not pass away
st. Luke, xxi, 33. .
The creative word of the Infinite
fashions the marvels of the universe,
establishes it's order, and ordains the
end for which 1t vas spoken into be-
Ing. 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 Accomplishments.
Thus, when Christ says, Heaven
and earth shall pass away, but Ny
words shall not pass away" He
means that the principles Of Gods
Justice, truth and right, and His,
the Sons Interpretation OF them are
the fundamental facts which must
endure; that though all we see and
touch and handle pass away these
things remain and persist forever.
And, furthermore, He means that
words and deeds antagonistic to these
have no permanence and abiding
quality, that they run counter to the
great active purpose OF creation, n
upward trend toward the great ideal
and ensue in suffering, unhappiness,
retribution and the final sweeping
away Of the men, the races and in
stitutfons that have given them voice
and expression.
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 If we give a to and ponder
and heed them! What we need IN
this age Of ours Is not so much q
knowledge that there is a law and
/ sequences In life; as that there is
some character whose words and
deeds illustrate that law in its high
est manifestation; whose personality
and whose speech embody all there
is of moral permanence and benefit to
mankind. Goodness is a mere sound
Of syllables unless there be some
character in which it can be en-
bodied.
Some of US pretend to understand
what goodness Is, but we say the
average individual Of the age does
not live it, and we will frame\ our
lives as others do. We see some men
dwelling amid a worldly environment
who are brave enough to refuse such
standards, and we say in pessiEis-
tic comment: What is their reward?
They are not making progress with
the world; they are missing the op-.
portunities which they might seize
We forget that. the word which IS
true. the character which is noble,
the soul which is embued with faith
and ideals, though it be crushed to
earth, shall rise again. We forget
he splendid example Of the Master,
and that, though rejected OF man,
His character and personality have
survived the scathing hand OF time
and risen above all others that marx
the page of history. ,
AS we study the words OF Jesus
and comprehend the Word of God let
us strive to learn how priceless and
enduring they are-how their value
to live by Is above all commodities,
all worldly success and honor. And
30 let US strive to make our lives
and characters speak, and bear frul-
ton, in these blessed words, the
sweetness and the beauty and the
health of which shall bring peace and
sontentment and abiding strength IN
to our souls.-The Rev. Andrew r.
Underhill, Rector st. Johns Church,
Yonkers, N. Y, in the Sunday Herald.