River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1910-02-10
Not Believing Because
Not Understanding
By LOUISE HAYWOOD
Ia Christian Work and Evangelist

There are those who do not believe
the Bible because they do not under
stand it-who do not believe in God
because he is yelled in mystery.
What do we understand? The small
est leaf that glistens in the sunshine
and quivers in the breeze is incom-
prehensible to us. Were we to try
millions of years, we could not make
one. The blade of grass grows si-
Iently from the tiny seed, we
know not how. Slowly, slowly the
acorn sends forth tree which defies
wind and storm in it's strength and
majesty, and Ruskin looks at it with
wonder to say, what thought 1t was
when God thought of tree!"
Look at the flowers, SO varied in
their beauty. Whence do they de-
rive their color and fragrance? How
is it possible that so much loneliness
can be centered in lily or rose?
How is it done? We are dumb before
these thoughts of God expressed in
the grass, flowers, trees, and in all
living, growing things And there are
mightier things than these. Who un-
derstands the law by which we and
all other objects on the face of the
earth are kept from being thrown off
into space in it's rapid whirl on it's own
axis, as it majestically travels on its
ceaseless journey round the sun? Look
into the heavens on clear winter
night, and comprehend, if you can.
what you behold. We do not even un-
derstand ourselves. Who can explain
the union of the soul and body during
life land the separation Of the same
at death? Who can tell when and how
the soul-life comes to us? And moth
ing can be more wonderful and mys-
terious than the reproduction of spe-
cies throughout the animal and vege-
table kingdom.
Thus we may go on from one thing
to another until we are forced to cry
out ALIAS, we know not anythingi"
and TO feel that we are tossed upon
an ocean Of uncertainty and unrest
without rudder to direct our course,
unless we look upon everything as the
work of an infinite God of Love and
in the hollow of his hand who directs
and disposes all things for our highest
good; who has created all the beauty
and lovliness of this world for our hap
piness, and without whose notice not
even sparrow falls to the ground.
Then, indeed, we can rest in him and
be satisfied, and not expect to under
stand all his wonderful works, not to
fully comprehend him or his word.
He has revealed himself to us in his
word, in nature, and in the person of
his Son so fully that we may love and
honor him, and delight to do his will,
and be at peace with him. And we
may enjoy to the utmost all the beauty
and endless mystery of nature in her
richness and profusion, recognizing in
all the handiwork of him in whose re-
gard we are SINFUL ignorant creatures,
and yet his noblest work. Perfect
manhood and perfect womanhood are
glorious. 'In the image of God Gre
ated he them" And bearing about
with us something divine, we may be
kings and queens upon the earth; but
only as we are the obedient subjects
of our heavenly King, toward whom
disloyalty is the highest treason, just
ly punishable by Punishment from his
presence forever.
What honor he bestows upon us in
calling us his children, and in making
us joint heirs with Christ in the heav-
emily inheritance; in holding us in his
great arms of love to soothe our cares
and sorrows, that we may be able to
bear that which is inevitable on ac-
count of our own sinful natures and
the sins of those with whom we come
in contact. Were we as pure as ma
ture, did we carry out the true pur-
pose of life as does a blade of grass,
what a heaven this earth would be!
But the curse of sin Is upon us all,
and the only way to struggle out of
it's chains, the only way to attain to
pure womanhood and to pure manhood,
is by the help of Jesus Christ.
He who gives to the flowers their
perfume and color, to the skies it's
blue, to the clouds their splendor, to
the forest trees their varied shades of
green and their brilliant autumnal
huS6, " IAO CAC1hChIo LACAA pOWSI LII
good and ill, to the earthsuake it's ter
ror, to the lightning its tongue of
flame and it's voice of thunder, can do
infinitely greater things than these in
cleansing our hearts in the blood of
Jesus, and restoring us to his favor,
and to piece of his kingdom. And
can we refuse to believe and accept
this most wonderful of all mysteries
because we cannot understand it?
Must we wait for clear insight into
the things of God before we believe
in them? Can we make ourselves as
gods to pry into that which is hidden
from us? Is it not absurd to expect
to know what God only knows? The
finite cannot fathom the infinite, and
who can find out God?
God is love. This one attribute of
love surrounds us, fills us, upholds us,
encircles us so that nothing can touch
us that does not come through this
circle of his love. Nothing can annoy
or vex us that he does not permit
Promotes Character Formation.