The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-04-16

isty them. John came In the garb Of
IN ascetic, and instead Of repenting,
a. they should have done. they met his
words with q sheer: "Oh, he II de-
moniaci" On tho other hand, he--
Jesus--came acting 40 an ordinary
tossed their heads and exclaimed: @Oh,
look 1t that giutton!" They did not
propose to repent: It was easier to
and fault And 20 Il was. alas! all
over the country: even Ia those COM
munities where his greatest works had
been done they had refused to repent.
Heart ~ the Lsssen.
TELL John what things - have seen
and heard" This IL our Lords answer
about me-" he says to his disciples
and you and are his disciples--'tsil
him the things you have seen and
heerd."
It was our Lords method, and It :
scarcely to be expected that man with
md q better. II We had no way to
settle doubt except by argument. we
might argue; but II 10 the height Of
folly to depend upon argument when
we can offer facts. Does man doubt
that Jesus came 70 rave men from
their sins: Don't dispute with him:
show him somebody whom Jesus has
AaYAd from his s3na-And- ne ara to
adopt the same method with our own
d6ubts- The tinss n coming when We
WIN be tempted 70 doubt The child
who has never yet had . doubt should
put away IN his mind this rule which
Jesus has given us. There win come
Z day when our hearts will ask all
Roffa of pesplsxing cnssttoss.-o Our
minds viii have torn-up feeling;
We VIII hardly know where we arc and
what We believe What shall we do?
Some win ut down and try to argue
out the Troublesome question with
blss and 90 TO reading the sort Of
books that doubts thrive on.
tan't u wonderful that when Z
young man begins TO read both sides
Of the question:" he reads more and
more on the wrong side, and pres
entity ceases to read the right side
altogether? What Is the proper
course to pursue? Tell your doubt
Ing hearts" says Jesus. what things
you have seen and heard" Stop rea-
soning and look At the facts. Here
are questions about the Bible thar
trouble me-Questions about the d.
vinity and humanity Of Jesus. ques-
tions about miracles and prophecy
but here are facts about which there
can he no question. Here IL some
thing that Jesus has done for me.
know what / was before i gave my
heat TO him ] know that he for
gives, that he takes away sin. that
he gives peace, that he satisfies the
deepest cravings OF the soul. ! know
what he has done FOR my mother.
see his life in her life ] know what
he did for q friend who was on the
downward road. ] saw him work u
miracle in u drunkard. may be
troubled about tho doctrines. but
there In no doubt about the facts
they are before my eyes. / see what
Jesus has done and what he Is do
ing every day. and that settles It. And
as ] continue to watch him at work.
the better know him: aud the bet
ter know him. the moro trust him.
You had q new neighbor about
whom you had doubts. How did
you learn to trust him! Not by ar
guing about him. but by learning him.
When you learned him. you found
him trustworthy, and you trusted
him. So II we win learn Jesus--if we
will use our eyes and ears to Learn
him, instead OF using them to learn
everything that he hates--.f we will
keep In mind the things we have seen
and heard---theFe viii be no room
for doubts-