The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-03-24
| The puL1If
A SERMON ASGS&
81 THE REV. MASK
fMWHENDEe3oN~%
Subject: The Nearness of God.

The consciousness of the reality of
q power outside ourselves Is a funda-
mental in the religious experience OF
the race. The understanding that
the inexplicable and universal eXter-
nal potency is Deity marks an ad-
vanced step in the spiritual intell1-
gence of humanity. The sense Of the
proximity of divinity is characteristic
of the most advanced explanations OF
the religious experiences Of men That
religion offers the most satisfactory
practicalities and theology which is
possessed of the clearest comprehen-
sion of the reality and presence OF
the God in whom we live, as Paul
says, and move and have our being.
A mighty reason for asserting the
supremacy Of that religious system
that we call Christian lies In the fact
that in it we have the eflorescence OF
the thought that u God is not an
absentee but near. The God and
Father of US and Of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ is not far from
any one of US who knows Him and
endeavors to keep His command
ments, neither do we postulate Him
as far from those who, out in the far
country Of iniQuity and folly and de-
ceitfulness, are feeding their souls
on food unfit for swine.
The God of Christ is as near as
ever His Spirit is with US and with
in us. His presence is a feature and
a force, and may be If WI will a con-
sciously accepted fact and power in
our. lives.
In the consciousness Of the lear
ness of God there is to be found the
power, the peace and the inspiration
beyond compare. And in the sense
of the all presence Of Jehovah there
lies the alone hope for the spiritual
regeneration and the moral reforma-
ton of the race. For the sense Of
the nearness Of God, moulding force
in the moral life of man and intens1-
fer of spiritual vigor as 1t Is, Is pre-
requisite that we may have b a re-
vival Of religion for which we hope
and pray. 1t is impossible to teach
q man anything about the supernal
God or to make him understand his
hottest obligations to God and the
children of God until he has a lively
consciousness of the reality and near
ness Of God.
The sense of the nearness Of God
makes for power. 1t strengthens the
arm Of man and stoutens the heart
of man for Christian service. 1t am
pliies the moral faculties Of men.
Just in proportion that a man is con-
scious Of the nearness Of God Is he
| doughty in the service Of God and
careful of the moral integrity Of his
life. The man who has little sense
Of the proximity of God does little fol
Him and lives little like Him. This
man who habitually practices the
presence of God, having an ever pres
ent measure of and incentive to right
eousness, endeavors constantly to be
well-pleasing to God and worthy OF
His appreciation. The man who
doesn't have thought of the nearness
of God never feels the need to hYe
as God would desire him to live.
The sense of the nearness of God
makes for power not only in the Or
dering of the internal moral life OF
man, but 1t makes for valor in the
warfare against sin. No careful stu
dent of history can be cheerful as he
| contemplates the morality Of the
world to-day from the standpoint OF
one who would transform morals by
the power of the will Of men. Not
more can we hope to transform the
world by the energies of man than we
are able to rid ourselves unaided OF
the grace and empowering of God
from sin. But when a man under
stands that the God of the world Is
in the world, and that the God who
has commanded that we shall rebuke
, sin stands with us and abides within
us then the mass Of sin loses its In
surmountable aspect and the on
slaught of Satan becomes correspond
ingly less terrific.
The sense of the nearness of God
makes for peace. 1t ministers not
the a and comfort Of material
things, though we should never for
get that by seeking the kingdom of
God first we shall soonest enjoy that
blessed life when all men shall en-
Joy the material comforts Of the
world, but it gives to US the spiritual
peace Of God incorruptible, undeiled
and fadeless, which is the gift Of
God to those who in sincerity and
truth try to do His will. 1t ministers
not the peace of satisfaction with
things as they are. But it does give
us peace ineffable in that 1t assures
us that though we may be unable to
rectify the evils of the day and age,
though we have neither time nor
strength moi opportunity successfully
to overthrow many a mighty wrong,
Sod will labor where we may not,
He will be here when we are gone, He
ill o,1a11l ryhnrn MO Yot1Cf nnQGp
He will accomplish in His time what
we cannot achieve in ours.
The sense of the nearness of God
makes for inspiration. The nearer
we conceive God to be, the nearer we
are sure He is, the more are we in
spired to do our work in u own
time under His direction, to sacrifice,
to suffer, to be patient, ~forbearing,
obedient. There 10 nothing more
disheartening than to attempt to
carry on the fight against sin
unaided by the help Of the
ever-present God. Nor is there
anything more inspiring than to I'M
dertake the positive and progressive
program Of righteousness that looks
toward the kingdom Of God rs an
ultimate and ideal, possessed OF the
assurance that the Coo who was near
His people in the past is near to them
to-day. The Gense of the nearness of
God gave Abraham hope and Jacob
spiritual vitality. 1t warmed the
zeal of the prophet and %quickened
the pulses of the priests and kings
whose names Israel reveres. 1t aug
mented the spiritual capacities of the
apostles, produced Pentecost, COM
forted Stephen, surcharged Paul, en-
ereized the forces which in the name