The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-05-12


had had no ear for anything beyond
the click of his telegraph instrument?
All these men were seers of visions
acknowledgements OF dreams. And
all these men brought things to pass
because they We're able to see them
before they came to pass
2. Ambrose said long time ago
that meditation is the eye wherewith
we see God. And somebody IN our
own time has said that meditation is
a lost art. Is this the reason why
there is SO little consciousness of God
In the world?
'"rlle beginning of knowledge" said
Augustine, is To know myself a sin
ner."
3, Sometimes we are disposed to
complain because God has revealed so
little Of himself to us. II we could
only see his face. If he would only
tell us more about himself. Why
should he leave lis to walk In the dark
But here are the pure angels standing
IN his presence and yelling their faces
because they cannot look upon his
glory II the pure angels cold not
stand II how could we? We may he
sure that God has revealed to us as
much as we are fit to receive. As we
become purer we shall be able to re-
ceiye more. Have We forgotten that
in everyday life II is only as one be
comes purer that he receives power 10
realize the purer things OF iife-~the
higher. holier. nobler things or life
Only thus shall We receive power to
realize the Holy one.
I. What did this vision OF God do
for Isaiah? II made him fearless
and powerful prophet Of God He
was not afraid OF any man after see
ing God. And he was full of burning
eloauence. Are you lacking In cour-
a on TO Il
lips strangely silent when YOU have
an opportunity to speak 10 men for
Godf Then seek vision Of God.
once the consciousness of God fills
your mind and heart the fear ~ man
VIII leave YOU and your lips will be
unsealed. II IS the consciousness Of
God that transforms a man into AZ
Isaiah. Moses. John the Baptist a
Paul.
5. God said that no man could see
his face aud live. Jesus said. the pure
In heart shall see God, Moses and
Isaiah tell US that they saw Cod How
do you reconcile these statements
knew blind man who was a great
traveller. He could tell you more
abou, the things he had seem in his
travels than most men with two eyes
He saw nothing with his physical eyes
but he had such q wonderful power AZ
say that he saw them. No man cap
see God with his physical eyes. bit II
a mans mind and heart are continual
~ ~otnx out toward God II he is daily
growin~ purer and thereby hecomine
better aoie to discern tina, which is
pure, his unceasing desire and effort
to grasp God. TO realize God will be
successful. and II may be truly said OF
him that he sees God. He will have
a conviction Of the reality of God and
the presence of God as man has Of
friend with whom he is speaking
face to face
b. We like to give the call to go
grand sweep and imagine that it is a
call To go 1--WE thousand miles across
the seas. And come OF us feel that
II We cannot take so long trip that
ends the matter. Hut the call ms,
only he call Ia go next door. NhS
should We not give IL grand SWEEP
and imagine that 4. is just as great 4
thing and Just as important a thina
10 20 next door as II is to go tlYC
thousand miles across the seas
I. have found two classes of peopl.
VINO are never enthusiastic about HON
missions--those who are oppose.
10 foreign missions on the ero,ifs
that charity begins al home ana thosf
VINO espend so much enthusiasm oNef
foreign missions that they have nuns
LEFT for anything else. Perhaps w
nave made mistake In making any
distinction between the two: / ear
hardly imagine that our Lord thinks 81
ms Work here In the world as divided
into home and foreign missions
!. " hat ere our pressing needs al
homeg First there are our highly re.
spectacle neishhors-a vast mass q.
we'll dressed folk who seem To live
mainly FOR all-day Sunday AUTOMOBILE
ing. people who still say their prayers
in honor OF their dead mothers. keen
a ktbie In, the. hasne and taii them.
selves Christians beca use they would
not care to be called pagans. Second.
there are the slums and the submerged
tenth Third. there are our dark $50
lated sections where itlttsracy and m
doienee and poverty have remained iii
undisputed possession for a hundred
years. Fourth. there liz the uncsastns
ever widening stream or unbelteying
forei~ners pouring into New York ana
spreading out over the whole land
0, But II the work at home is >,
pressing why should we 60 abroad
That is like asking II Johnny Ia in such
pressing need OF a new suit why should
Mary have new Dress The answer
10 the latter question Is that Mary
needs new dress as badly as John
ny needs a new suit and that as they
are both your children you cannot
provide Tor one and not provide for
the other. The heather abroad are M
badiy In need Of the gospel as the
heathen at home, and as they are both
our brothers and children OF the same
rather we cannot in justice either to
them or to our Father or to ourselves
provide for one and ignore the other.
TO- What caused Isaiah to volunteer
Gratitude, sense of obligation. love.
the feeling that he belonged to God
II you and l were full OF gratitude to
God Tor his forsiveness, if his good
ness had awakened our love. If orr
consciousness of him had made us
conscious that we belonged To him
would we not volunteer also?