Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1910-08-25

cepted! The answer il cverv n.n !.
born capable of appreciatinp +basa
values. but he may lose thasfac,1l+v
and, having lost it, he finds If dini,
cult to regain.
1 thank Thee that Thou hast 70
vealed them to babes" What zoos
q mean? and why thankfnl that
lnese things were revealed To baheso
q answer is plain. He was thank
Iul that His message could be under.
stood by anyone possessing the ordi-
nary, human receptive faculties. r.
the message could be understood only
oy men OF surprising intellectual
sllts, It could never be a general Cos
pei, because few would be wise
enough to understand it: but. the
gospel Is not q riddle to be solved and
need1ng great mental gifts in order
10 solve 1t. but a revelation to the
neart OF the world. The word "babes"
N THIS connection means our common
humanity, to which everything that
relates to humanity appeals. 1t is the
great common world interest. It ia
mat. TO which classic literature an
peals. suppose that much OF the in
terest that we have in the old world
literature Is that we are reading
ABOUT the sorrows and the JOYS %
men like unto ourselves, who lived
OF years ago. We speak
OF burns poetry as something that
appeals to the heart of the world. We
mean that it appeals to everybody,
that 1t touches u common human
lty, that it is something which every-
n can appreciate. This is the pow
er OF h universal language like
music Or art. everybody of every age.
OF every nation understands.A
NOW Christianity appeals to this
common humanity because It is
founded upon the great fact of a COM
mon need. Human nature says a re-
cent writer, moves out toward God"
Ihls is true, because as soon as hui
man nature begins to wonder about
Things, there is a demand for s~atisfac-
tlon concerning the mysteries. AS
soon as a man begins to appreciate
the fact OF Gods existence, he begins
TO know that God is good, and he be-
gins to have a n of sin. AS soon
as ne becomes conscious OF sin he is
ANXIOUS to obtain pardon; therefore,
II Is that Christianity which meets
the man with an answer to all his
Questions about God, and with for
g.Teness for his sin and pardon for
his wrongdcing, and reconciliation to
God satisfies his innost being.
Christianity, then, is the perma-
nent answer to a permanent need.
that is the S%aviour's estimate of it,
bit enc asks, if that is the case, why
Is it not universally accepted? Jesus
Himself tells US, because it makes it's
appeal to tle heart, and not the intel
lect; which means that it appeals to
the whole personality of our sane,
calm and serene manhood, and not
to the intellect of the emotions alone.
Jesus offered His gospel to the
Scribes and Pharisees, and it was re-
jected; the "wise and prudent" were
offended by it.. HE found His dis
ciples among men who had neither
been tempted by wealth nor corrupt
ed by poverty, men who could pray
Give us this day u daily bread
with earnestness because their daily
bread depended upon their daily toll;
men of no great learning, but practi-
cal, cOmmonsense. hard-headed men
Of the world, and let us remember
Jesus gives thanks that it is so. He
does not accept it as one of the condi-
lions Of His work and make excuses
I for It, sui says that it is the strength
land power OF His message that ii
makes It's appeal to the average mar
with his average intelligence, an6
average human wants." and not pri
marily to the scholars Of the day.
Let us never forget that great fact
which is fundamental to the success:
of Christianity, that it Is message
and not an argument, and IL a mar
shall ask How do / know the mes
sage to be from G~od2-4he answer is
the message contains the proof OF 1T
own truth. It proves itself to be true
when It has satisfied my need. Tn
father gives bread to the child ant
says take and eat. The child ma.
question the value of the food, ant
yet he has faith enough to eat. an
after he has eaten there is no roon
for argument, for his hunger is salts
), fed. The Father in heaven has don,
the same thing. He has seen the hun
, ger of the world and He has said
{ Take and eat. If the child has faitl
, enough to accept the bread of tn
world, there is afterward no room TO
: argument, for his hunger is satisfied
= and a new vigor and power hav
2 come into his life. 1t is only tn
1 wise and prudent who refrain fror
t eating the bread of life which Chris
4 offers, and because Of their refuss
ere still wondering over the grea
D problems of sin and sorrow and deatl
and are not satisfied because they &c
s no answer.
::
. Explanation Of Life's Mysteries.