The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-09-02

His fellow children; keep faith IN
the Father through storm and SUM-
shine.
When a mar sees the cursed spot
upon his soul can he remove it? "A
man." said Jesus, had two sons
One went into the far country and
painted his soul black with loose and
unworthy deeds. When his money
was gone he felt his disgrace and
shame. He did not commit suicide:
he went straight home. No sooner
had he reached the road outside the
gate when he vas hailed and his
father ran to meet him. Whatever
the spot may be upon the soul If a
mar will take his disgrace and shame
to God he will find in Him a Father.
So with social failure. Is the time
short that remains? : Waste it not
in vain regrets over it. The past is
irreparable, but the future is still
ones own. Come let us be going"
When a man dies shall he live
again? knowledge gives no better
answer than in the days of Aristotle.
What seems to be scientific proof,
when examined, turns out to be
simply mans hone expressed in scien-
tific phrases. But man has trust
worthy evidence. not in the spiri-
tualistic sense, but in the inference
as to what the other world Is like
from what we know of this, in his
hopes and faith, in the testimony Of
his poets and prophets. And of all
| such witnesses to life that desires to
be eternal stands Jesus, our Elder
| Brother. Before the gate Of death
He stands and holds the key. It is
| sight of Him, master of life and
death. that strengthens our faith in
immortality. quickens our hope for
the dead and casts about life here and
there the golden radiance which sur
passes the sunset glow.
For all these experiences of life, in
answer to all these deep q~uestionings,
faith in God as Father, in Jesus as
Elder Brother is sufficient.
In Korea the Christian Church has
learned to ask this faith of its con-
verts and no more. When will the
church at home learn this much
needed lesson? There are questions
which this simple faith does not an.
swer. Christianity NJ sooner had
reached the educated Greek than the
questions came: What is the relation
between Jesus and God? How Is the
Elder Brother related to the other
brothers? What is the true idea OF
incarnation and of atonement? Men
have a right to ask these questions.
That right was won long ago by Orr.
gen, of Alexandria. But let 1t be
clearly understood that all such mat.
tiers of speculation, while legitimate,
are not the faith once delivered"
The faith once delivered is related to
speculative faith, as 1T historically
has found expression in the creeds
and doctrines of the church, as the
tree is related to it's leaves. The
faith once delivered, trust in God as
Father, in Jesus as Elder Brother Is
the tree. The creeds and doctrines
are the leaves. From eason to sea-
son they must change as new life
pushes off old forms, because the tree
itself abides.
! wish I could persuade men who
to-day reject all creeds. and with
them the faith. to see this distinction
between faith and creeds. 1t Is posi-
Bile to reject the latter and live by
the former. I wish that I could per-
suade men who identify faith and
creeds to make this distinction. 1t
would do much to win the thinking
world to the religion of Jesus. 1t is
a real distinction. The faith once
delivered existed many generations
before the most venerable creeds of
Christendom were born. 1t will con-
tinue to inspire and strengthen men
when all our creeds shall have passed
away. The faith is once for all de-
livered.
Subtlest thought shall fail and learning
falter,
Churches change, forms perish, systems
go;
But our human needs-they will not alter,
Christ no after age shall e'er outgrow.
Yea, Amen! 0. changeless One, Thou only
Art life's guide and spiritual goal,
Thou, the light across the dark vale lonely,
Thou, the eternal heaven of the soul.