The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-09-11
Of the Spirit in the life of man Is

Of the Spirit in the life Of man Is
Strengthening and sustaining. BY
Him we are lee into the entirety of
divine s~elf-reyelation and of eternal
truth. Under the guidance of the
Spirit of the living God we may
progress from truth to truth as the
wonders Of Gods universe are re-
vealed to us and the application Of
everlasting verities brought home to
our hearts. May no man finch to
follow the Spirit withersoeyer He
may direct. AS Dante went through
hell and heaven and the intermediate
regions OF the world beyond, and told
in allegory and song the wonders that
he witnessed and the sights he saw,
so may We, with the Spirit as our
guide, be given grace to look truth
squarely in the face and portray it
faithfully to the world. And il we
as Dante, or beyond him Christ, shall
be bounded by those who fear the
light of truth we shall yet be certain
that the truth, the truth alone, Is
worth mems fealty and shall make
them free.
The Spirit as the Comforter ap-
peals to the heart of every Christian.
Who of US does not Joy in the fact
that above us and within US is this
comforting Spirit Of the Lord our
God? The human heart cries out
for comfort when distress and dan
ger and destruction come upon it.
When our hearts are bowed in an
guish and our souls are crushed with
grief, when every human tie is sew
cred and no mortal hand may avail
to dispel our utter darkness, then the
spirit Of the loving God strengthens,
sustains, sanctifies the soul. Save
me, o God, for the waters are come
into my SOUL" we cry out with the
Psalmist. In the Judah wilderness
of the world our souls thirst for Him,
our flesh longs for Him as in a dry
and thirsty land, where no water is.
Then the Spirit comes, and with His
entrance the live springs of refresh
ment minister to our couls' deep
need. The Spirit as the Comforter Is
God in His presence ministering to
the humanest of mortal needs. No
man can live happily without Him.
No man can weather the trials Of
tribulation and the temptations Of
prosperity without Him. Lending
the Borrowing light hearts He keeps
the successful level headed.
The sense of the constant presence
of the Spirit of God in the individual
and world life is the certain indica-
ton of a true religious experience.
No a who lives near to God Is
without it. 1t is elemental in Chris.
tian experience. And this conscious
ness of Gods abiding and guiding is
the mainstay of the soul. Without it
progress is impossible in the truest
sense. With 1t we may fight with
fearlessness, with hope unquench-
able, against principalities and pow
ers, against the wickedness of high
places and the sins Of mighty e
For the abiding Spirit Of the living
God is the controlling energy in the
life of humanity. Bad men may de-
feat Him temporarily; evil polici~s
may Illustrate His purposes and hurl
themselves against His plans; but the
Spirit Of God Is unconquerable. He
is the controlling. the overruling en-
ergy in the world. In this Spirit we
should find our strength. From Him
we should derive the comfort of our
souls.
Let not your heart be troubled.
Come what may, be the storms of life
what they will, God will not leave us
comfortless. He will not leave US
orphans. He is with US. He will
abide with every soul who bids Him
enter. He will constantly refresh us
all. He will give us courage and be
our strength. He will suffuse us.
He will comfort us. And He does.