The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-31

times does with the Thought which u
. best known to us by the holy maine
. God. Tie mind cannot receive all that
thought conveys, but 1t may bio filled
4 with as much OF tho glory as lis pos
slblc.
The little child plays gladly in tho
brilliant sunshine, and yet he/ know,,
nothing Of the sun us 1t is known to
the astronomer; so the heart may ri,ie
to noble emotion and bow itself down
In adorng homage to God without
compreliendng all that is involved IN
that holy and awful name.
Tho Joy Of religion is IN what s
understood; and the solemnity OF re-
ligion Is In what has yet to bic re-
vealcd.
II know that the Lord Is great"
To DO God ut all is to be great. Tie
dignity Of this idea Is In It's sim
plicity. 1t is a word Of only ono
syllable. yet no extension Of letters
could increase its scope or weight.
God must always be greater than any
conception OF greatness we have yet
formed. TO understand God would IL,
reality to be equal with God. In our,
spiritual training the sense Of wonder
must always be present. Imagination
must ever veil its face before the sud-
den blaze which would reveal God.
That is where reverence begins. With
out the sense Of Infnltude, the mind
becomes fippant and crippled in its
prayer. We are kept to the highest
level of our work by the inspiration
of our wonder.
II know, o Lord, that Thy judy
ments are right" Without this con-
seriousness there can be no enlightened
religion. A dark superstition might
be possible, but not a religion Of moral
confidence and JOY. We must know
OF surety that righteousness is ct
the heart Of all things. In other
words. whoever is the ruler of this
world, He must be irreconcllably OPP
posed to everything that is perverted,
untrue, corrupt, selfish or base. In any
degree. Conscience must never be
troubled by the character OF God.
If n soul could for moment enter
tain the thought that Gods ways are
not right, then a great and -darkeninE
cloud would settle upon tho whole
economy Of providence, and 1t would
be impossible for that soul to pray.
Who could pray to n God who might
make a mistake; or confound moral
terms; or regard the right hand as
the left; or regard no distinction be-
tween light and darkness?
But where conscience Is sound in its
persuasion, absolutely Interchangeable in
its conviction that at the centre OF ali
things there is spirit of righteous
ness and judgment, imagination and
every other gift and faculty of the
human mind may reverently await lis
closures which will but confirm our
faith and trust. 1t is this which makes
us quiet amid tumult and gives us
peace. Right alone is eternal. Virtue
alone has no painful recoil. At the
last vice biteth> like a serpent and
stngeth like an a der: at the last
virtue blooms into a larger summer
and enters into the enjoyment OF
broader heaven.
II know that tho Lord will main
tain the cause Of the afflicted" God
is pitiful and kind. Very mercIful and
gracious is His way in the dispensa-
ton Of affection. Blessed be His name!
He knows exactly what we can en-
dure. how much we need, and at what
time it should be given. II we accept
our Affections in this spirit, we shall
almost welcome them, knowing that
however bitter the process, the end
will be to consolidate our faith, to
brighten our hope, and to prepare
us for the glorious revelation God has
in store for us.
Here, then. we take our stand.
boldly and firmly, on the three great
truths which in reality are but one
God is great; God is right; God is
pitiful.