Arizona republican., 1909-03-29
THE PRESENCE OF GOD
FELT BY FOLLOWERS
The Power Which It sestows Upon
Them.

Rev. Henry Martyr Campbell. pastor
Of the Presbyterian church, took as his
theme yesterday morning THE Secret
Of a Righteous Life using as his text
the expression, As the Lord Cod Of
Israel liveth. before whom l stand"
from the first verse Of the seventeenth
chapter of First Kings. Following are
some Of the thoughts taken from the
sermon:
1t is in the days Of Ahab. that wick
ed. thoughtless, goddess king OF Israel,
who seemed To oppose everything good.
Suddenly Elijah appears on the scene;
he is ready to do ANYTHING that God
wants him to, and so has no difficulty
in inspiring the people. l dare say
that lou will find the secret Of that
determination To do the viii of God
and the secret of that power in the
words Of the text Show me a man
that has a conception Of the power Of
God and who considers himself respon-
sible 20 Cod, and l will point out to
you man who does things ana who,
in large measure, does things rightly
What is the main lesson of the text
] am sure that the man who spoke
these words felt the truth Of the be-
lief in Almighty God. AS a man he
had not a single doubt His very
name indicates that belief. Elijah
means Jehovah is M Cod We all
believe in God as Elijah did. but our
belief is not constant enough. We be-
lieve that God is, but when we intro
duce that thought into our private
lives, we forget about it oftentimes. /
do not believe that we can answer
more important question for each one
Of US this morning than How can l
come into possession Of a realizing
sense Of Almighty God?' This is the
answer that | think is the most cor
rect one, Practice the presence Of God
Chapman says that he has never been
able to increase his faith in any way
more than by practicing the presence
Of God. going into his room and talk
ing to Cod as though He were sitting
in the chair before him. You viii
never dissolve your doubt as to your
ability to do a task until you attempt
it. then by practicing the presence OF
God, you Will come into realizing
sense Of Him.
Elijah felt his responsibility to God
in a wonderful way. He was respon-
sible to Him for his ever act. Could
we but realize this, it would bear us
I'D and help us in the midst Of tempta-
ton. It is hard to get this feeling, for
we do not have the feeling of immi-
nencv Of Cod as we should. Let us
meet the feeling Of our lack Of respon-
sibiity by the thought, AS the Loru
God Of Israel liveth, before whom |
stand. cannot shirk this This thought
kept in our minds will keep US from
sin. in q large measure, and make us
able to master it. Elijah was made
powerful by the thought contained IN
the words % the text An ordinary
man would have been cOwed before
Ahab. but Elijah believed that what
he stood for was right; standing in the
presence Of God. he knew that a great
er than Ahab was there. Dwight /.
Moody said to a band Of his converts
once. If. when you feel yourselves
tempted To sin. you fall down and pray
wheresoever you be. God will deliver
YOU. know what / am talking about,
for 7 have tried it On that principle,
the mighty ones Of the earth have sue
ceeded against overwhelming odds.
THE man who stands before God
and gives evidence that he is ruled by
his consciousness Of his responsibility
to God, will be able to put to- flight the
opposition. What badge Of authority
did Elijah have? No one vouched Tor