The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-12-19
aThe FuIIness of TIme.'

Selected for The Advertiser.
 When the fullness of time was come God sent forth His Son.--GaL
 No event happens in this world un- til the fullness of time mas come. This must be so If we believe in a real Sovereign and guiding God. No winds blow. no child Is born. no man dies. no error exploded, no truth discovered, until tne fullness of It's lime Is come.
 God has His best gifts safely kept in His great treasure house, as par ent keeps rich garments or heirlooms till the child has grown worthy of them. We can thus dimiy understand what the world and the heart VIII be. ulations. "the fullness of the time shall come"
 God knows the future by knowing the present perfectly: He knows the D aitins for its full time. Whoever. then, can see the present as God sees 1t, will also see the future as 1t lies open to the eye of od.G Foresight IS insight. The two are one.
 This may sound like fatalism. Yet the truth stands as far apart as the poles. No event can take place until Its full time Is come, and this Is based the wisdom of an everything Father: who knows that any gift sent out of its true time would spoil Its character and be ruined altogether.
 
 there were several classes of men diff. ferent in many ways, but all bearing some relation to the promised Messiah. First, there were some who were dis- ss,. His appearing: They were confined to the Jews. and only to the more thoughtful and spiritually minded among them. But how few they were! like them. To these were added the converts of the Baptists. the gentle Martha and Joseph-these were all. And how blindly they were looking! looking for the Messiah, there was an immensely larger class looking for something-they knew not what. They reached their hands and strained their eyes piercing Into the darkness The whole character of that age. strongly marked everywhere, s4s sumpsd- -up ip- one word--expectatiDn:E ': Edi issatisf aetfoh. It reached everywhere. But while the spirit of unrest was abroad disappoint- ment was everywhere.
 There was yet another class. The few watching for, the Messiah, the much larger number on the lookout for something; but the great mass of the people expected nothing. They felt no need: they were satisfied. And yet there was never an age more turned to Tyranny. Patriotism had degenerated into local and envious pride. Philosophy had frittered itself away. Charity and philanthropy were not Invented. It was the eruptiest age that the world had ever seen, ana 1t was just that eruptiveness which needed charity so sorely and made the fullness of time for His coming.
 And those three classes are here with us today. Are there not here the watchers? Are there not men who know we'll enough mat salvation must that some day 1t will come to them? They are waiting year after year for their Redeemer; they are not scot- fers, but on the contrary full of rev earnest and devout, What is 1t that has kept you so long waiting? Do not reject Christ because He comes from Bethlehem, and yom expected His salvation because it may not be just what you supposed. Will you let 1t pass you by for that? How gener- gus HIS 9ner- Beioven, XHSi, @ sIana al Ii tne knock in vain?
 Then there are others. You say you are not looking for Christ. But yon are looking for something. You are be a better man. You are shining when you should be holy; you are mis- using the great powers God has given you. You look back, and the past frightens you; you look forward, and the future is dark indeed. What will you do? To do nothing is to be lost. l hold out 10 you CnrlSl, ana HIS Of- fer of pardon. If you never heard of Him before. I set Him here before you today. I entreat you do not turn away from that redeeming. soul-satis- flying Love!
 And what shall say to you who neither want Christ nor anything else? Poor souls! you ara satisfied! That is the worst of alr! You have God given powers that might serve Christ with sweet unselfishness, with loving loyalty, Epn joyous gratitude. and with a cheerful energy which would courage you and glorify Him. Will you sit idle all the day and do nothing? "The night cometh. when no man can work"
 And so with all of us. has not "the fullness of time come" indeed? Which of us can say, Tt Is not my time yet? The night is far spent, the day is at hand" :" now while we have. ct may be but a little) time left us in which to come to Christ: to come closer to Him; to be a Christian, or to be better Christian; now while the Bridegroom's feet are heard coming oh, let our lolns be girded about and our light burn ing, and we ourselves, "like unto men that wait for their Lord"
 He gives Himself so freely, He asks nothing but repentance and faith. He wants our souls. Oh. Lord, we will not keep them badV Take them and save us. and them!