The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-09-21

in the street, Now has God beer
manifestly sending out His light ano
His TRUTH" and now has Satan beer
no less manifestly casting dOwr
truth to the earth" Consequently
there have always been some men to
say that the world is growing better
and some to say that the world is
growing worse. On no question that
has ever been debated is there greater
need OF age-lOng perspective, and
worldwide vision. In one locality
truth may be triumphing in another
locality, falSehoOd. In our generation
falsehOOd may win more successes
than truth; in the next generation
truth may win more successes than
falsehood. How difficult is it to judge
the fortunes of a war when the line OF
battle extends over hundreds of miles
and the campaign over months OF
time
No doubt it seemed to Elijah that
pure religion was verify moribund,
when only four hundred remained who
had not bowed the knee to Baal: and
certainly it must have seemed to the
twelve disciples as though the very
source of all light had been forever
quenched in blood, when the Sun of
Righteousness set on Calvary. On the
other hand, the Christian Church as
such thought the Millennium had
actually come when a Christian en-
peror first ruled the Roman Empire :
and many men imagined they had
heard the death-knell of human op-
preston when emancipation became
an established fact in these United
States. So, as the tide of war has
ebbed and flowed, mems hopes have
struggled with their fears. Yester-
day our hearts glowed with optimism,
to-day they are dull with despair.
! 3. But there is abundant reason for
believing that the ultimate result OF
this conflict between truth and false
hood will be the triumph of the truth.
Three positive factors may be counted
upOn First, there is the cOnScien-
tiousnesS of men. The truth, clearly
and persiStently exhibited, always
commends itself to the human con-
science, and that something we call
/ conscience is an almost ineXtinguiSha-
BILE power impeding the march of false
hood at every step. Very seldom do
men individually seldom still
do men collectively-throw off all re-
straint of conscience, and abandon
themselves finally and permanently to
believe and obey a lie. Jesus said that
even SodOm and Gomorrah, cities
that were very synonyms for immor-
ality and irreligiOn, were at their
worst still salvable-needing only such
fullnesS of light and opportunity as he
| gave to Capernaum in order TO have
repented in sackcloth and ashes. Had
! Lot, instead of yexing his soul at their
n 1n Ia ci xrn
and dynamic in his Righteousness, he
might have awakened his fellow eiti
zenS to degree far exceeding The eff
feet of Jonah's preaching upon Nine
veh. This conscience of men, SO near
ly indestructible. is an Incompatible
asset in the cause of truth.
Secondly, we may count upon the ir
represSi bleness of the truth itself.
Paul, in his letter to the Romans per-
Sonities sin. To him it is a fact in
life so powerful and persistent that he
thinks of it as having a separate per-
sonal existence. So does the Scrip
ture appear sometimes to perSonify
truth, and, indeed, as we review the
worlds history we can scarcely help
thinking of Truth as kind Of Divini-
ty, whom no Vaccinations of men can
defeat. but who like the bowman on
the white horse of Revelation goes
forth conQuering and to conquer.
Even at the times when error has
seemed most likely to sweep all before
it, there have not failed some men of
prophetic insight, amounted dS though
by the hand of Truth herself, who
have been mighty leaders in arousing
and directing mems thoughts giving
them elevation, clarity, heat and pro-
pulSive power. So, ever and anon, a
new, fresh, and pure stream OF life has
flowed out into the world.
Thirdly, we may depend upon the
character and conStancy of God. 1t is
not impossible to believe that God
should have made the world with the
intent that falsehold shall at last sit
supreme? Are we not rather COM
PEELED to believe the very contrary :?
But if God has once willed that truth
should triumph, it shall be so. With
him Is no repentance nor shadow OF
turning. :" His truth endureth to all
generations, because he vltallzeS it
with his own Spirit-makes 1t a very
sword TO cleave through falsehood and
error.
A birds eye glance over all past his
tory certainly shows truth to have
been steadily advancing. There is in
the world to-day immeasurably more
pure religion and true righteousness,
by absolute bulk (if one may conceive
it that way, than ia the days OF Abra-
ham or Paul. But what is better
than all, the outlook for the future
complete triumph Of truth is brighter
at this moment than ever before. The
facilities for communication between
the very ends of the earth, the wide
| lysread diffusion of intelligence, and
the ever-growing host of men and wo-
men consumed by passion to know
and to establish whatever is good
these are factors having within them
undreamed of possibilities. Truth
has in her hands to-day such instru-
ments and weapons for the conquest
of the world as she never before pos
sessed, and we may believe that under
the good providence OF God yet other
and mightier Instruments will be
added to her equipment in the days
to come.
A. Every individual who hopes for
this triumph of the truth should set
himself to its dissemination and eS-
Establishment by every possible means
in his own generation. Truth has
still to fight it's way, as always hither-
to, both in the ideas and practices OF
men. Are you going to be to it an
antagonist, dead drag, or an ally
The Scriptures intimate variety
! of relationships that men may bear