The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-04-20

Might he, their stainless knight, and truHs
Have lived to wear the sackcloth, too!
Bertha Cooper Fraser, in Sunday-Schooi
Times.
''Taste and See."
We may prove a machine by try
ing it. Will the watch keep time2
Will the locomotive travel on the
track by it's own energy and draw q
train of cars over the mountains?
Will the telegraph deliver my mes
sage a thousand miles away and
bring me a reply in a few moments?
These things are open to trial. One
may prove them for himself.
We may prove a science. Take as
tronomy. Will it do what it Is in
tended for? Try it. Make a calcu-
lation of an eclipse to take place
three years hence, according to the
rules and tables of the book, and II
the event yerifes the prediction W 9
know the astronomer is not a cheat.
One may prove a friend. He makes
great professions Of ~faithfulness, say
ing, Call upon me at any time for
any service I a render, and you will
find me ready. Trust me-" Is he g
genuine friend? Try him. If he will
stand by you through evil report as
well as good you need no indorse-
ment, no argument. He is worthy.
Will God submit His love, His
truth, His grace to practical tests2
This is one beauty of the religion OF
the Bible. The Lord of the whole
earth has sent out His challenges
prove Me-"
We may prove the existence OF
God. Let US not claim too much for
our religion. We shall gain nothing
by making statements which are not
warranted. But we are safe In say
ing that anyone who will may prove
that there is q God. Some say there
Is no God. Others believe that the
evidence for and against the exist
ence of such q Being are about equal.
Others still insist that this Is q sub
ject about which nc one knows ana
no one can know anything. Many
tell us that the Bible assumes the ex-;;
istence Of God without trying to-
prove 1t, and we must do the same.
Is this true?l
If you ask for a mathematical
demonstration or a scientific demon,
stration which will satisfy the INTEL
lect, we confess that 1t is Impossible.
If you insist that this propositions
must be proved by philosophical reas,
soning which will satisfy every think
Ing mind, we acknowledge that Is,
| cannot be done.
But there is in every soul a re-
| ligious feeling, or instinct, OF capac.
ity, or hunger, which reaches out
after God as eagerly and ~peremptor.
lily as the hunger of the body de-
mands bread. And as surely as the
hunger of the body finds something
without answering to this inner cray.
ing, SO surely does the soul find
God and satisfaction. There is some-
thing in US akin to God that demands
| communion with Him, and enjoys;
| Him when He is found.
We are told Of n who felt has
need of God, but did not believe Az;
Him. In the distress and hunger OF,
his soul he fell on his knees and said,
20 God, If there be a God, mani
fest Thyself to me" That feeble
grasp of faith took hold on Coo, ana
was satisfied. That Unsuitable hnnsi
ger cried out after God in the DARK,
and found Him.
Who has never felt. this craving2
Who that felt 1t ever tried to find
God and failed? Who that has found
God in this way has any doubt?
We may prove the friendship or
| God. Many a they believe there
is a God, but is He friendly? They
! eSrht7 Everyone feels the need OK
a friend, a powerful friend. q wise
friend, a safe friend, who VIII nQf
mock those who trust Him with 1atr
terry nor crush them with criticism6
who will never leave them nor fors
sake them. The Bible tells US that
God Is Just such q friend. 19
But will He prove a friend indeed?
He will, the very friend you need.
Someone says, eff I could believe
that I should be perfectly happy. for
then I should trust and not be
afraid" You may be certain of 1t.
You may prove it.. Trust Him. Give
Him your burdens. Call upon Him
In. the day of trouble. We all have
trouble, but we usually try every
thing else we cal think of before we
try the Lord. Try Him. If He
should fail you, 1t would be the first
case on record.
So you may pro- His salvation.
You may prove that He will dwell in
the heart of a mortal. You may
prove that He will answer prayer.
Ones own experience is worth
more to him than all the books on
religion that ever were written. We
must not ignore the testimony oil
others. We must not u%ndervalue the
Bible and great religious books.
Read them. They full Of light.
But above all, try your own religious
experiments. Your personal expert
ence will do more to confirm your
faith and hope than all sermons and
all arguments. One taste Of honey
is a better proof that honey is good
than the most accurate scientific an.
alysis. "Oh, taste and see hat the
Lord is good" There IS within every.
one an appetite for the 'Insaen spirit
ual good of the Kingdom of God.
Answering to this longing there is an
invisible spiritual universe all about
us waiting to afford us the blessing
we are needing. Prove God and His
kingdom.-Christian Advocate.
Love. s
Love lasts. 1t endureth and never
fo;1otb ~Dronhecios fail in that thew