The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-01-18
In Tune for Hearing.
(Rv VILLA m T Ellis l

Icy William i. ElllS.)
Terse Comments on the Topic for
II. How God speaks to Men,"
Ps. 10.
There are two ends to the wonder
full wireless teiegraphy, the sending
end and the receiving end. If the
second is out Of repair or tune. the
transmitter will in vain send forth its
invisible messages. The whole scheme
of wireless telegraphy IS based upon
the attuning of receiver to sender.
And this is not greatly dissimilar from
the intercourse of the human spirit
with the divine. Some persons say
that God does not speak-because
they cannot hear. 1t never occurs to
them to put themselves into the right
relations in order to hear. God is
forever speaking his mind to all who
have ears to hear; but these are only
they who ARE in tune with the IN
finite" We hear God when we are
in tune and listening.
An audience with an earthly ruler
is a serious matter, and a subject OF
prolonged preparation. Why then
should we expect to burst heedlessiy
and irreverently into the presence of
the Most High King and expect him
to speak to us words of familiarity and
favor?
God still speaks to men. Write that
down as one of the biggest truths that
can occupy mortal mind. There are
nyriads of persons, thoughtful, re-
served, discriminating persons, walk
ing earth's highways today who will
testify, carefully and uneQuivocally,
that they know that God has spoken
to them. They are as certain that
he has made plain his will to them
as they are of the voice of a per-
son in the next room. If ever value
may be attached to witness-bearing,
then it must be accepted as sure that
in ways various and often inexplicable,
the Lord Almighty reveals his will to
mortals.
Even God will not speak to the man
who keeps his fingers in his ears.
4
The man who works in a boiler
factory is net likely to get much
pleasure out of a symphony orchestra.
The coarser din has beaded his appre
citation of the subtler melody. No
more can a person living always amid
the racket and clamor and strife of
the worlds noises, still have his spirit
attuned to the whisperings of God.
There must be occasional Withdrawals
from men, if one is to hear the Lord.
The suggestion of the Master was that
communion with the Father should be
held in the private croset, with the
shut door.
Whoever has once heard the voice
of God cannot henceforth be greatly
moved by any lesser sounds.
when 1 am dead,
May this with truth be said,
On the rude stone that marks my
head,
That, spite of doubt and indecision.
In spite of weakness, lameness,
blindness,
Hearts treachery and rate's unkind-
Neglect of friends and scorn of foes,
Stark poverty and all it's woes,
The body's ills that cloud the mind
And the bold spirit bind,
Still through my earthly course 1
went,
Not disobedient
Unto the heavenly Vision"
The men behind the message give
meaning to the latter. Emperor WILL
lam was not the first to point out what
he called THE Yellow PERIL" yet his
We're the words that set the world to
talking. Sometimes what is said is of
less Importance than who says it. A
his friend: but it is when he hears
Christ say, Let not your heart be
troubled" that he begins to be at
peace. The weight of the word in
creaSeS manifold when 1t is COD word.
For all his personality and power are
pledged to the fulfillment of his every
utterance.
The poet declared that 1.-The whole
earths crammed with heaven" God ie
everywhere speaking through his
works. But this utterance is not equal
to the word which he speaks through
the inner voice to the listening spirit
Nor yet can this be compared with the
fulness of self-revelation which God
makes in the Son whom John calls 1.-THE
Word" The mind of God may best be
read in the face of Jesus Christ. AL
that man needs to know concerning the
Infnite-all, indeed. that it was posi-
BILE for Jehovah to reveal concerning
himself-may be dfscerned in the per-
son and acts and words of Jesus, the
Nazarene.
Lord, speak to me that I may speak
In living echoes of thy tone.
As thou hast sought, so let me seek,
Thine erring children. lost and lone. ~