Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-14
Gptuortb league
Topi1
REV. SAMUEL w. GRAFFLIN.
Some Things We May Know"

Scripture basis-I John Iii: Acts, 4:
1870; Romans. SIG; III Timothy, 1:12.
~ HE hardest things that We have to
Ol. bear In life are not its sorrows and
losses nor It's paints and bereave-
ments, but its uncertainties. 1t is this
feeling Of uncertainty that makes us
dread that mysterious myth. "the NOR
row. and drives so many TO seek for
light upon the future, at the mouth of
astrologer or. fortune teller. 1t is much
better that we do not know, for If we
knew that on the morrow we should suf-
fer pain or great bereavement the GER
tainty OF this would crush our buoyant
spirits and hide our happy present be-
hind cloud Of fear. And did we know
that Fortune were to smile. and from
her cornucopia pour forth her riches at
our feet, the tools that we should other
wise have used would rust beside the
anvil while we idly basked in the warm
sunshine of the joys to come. Thus God
is kind to let His children live in the
blessed mystery of His providence, that
sends enough of good, enough of Ill, no
more; that wraps ca oh day In rweet. re-
freshing sleep, and with ale coming of
another sun bids US walk forth to meet
the day, untrammeled py knowledge of
its end.
If there is such a great uncertainty
u
there are some things. not born of time
or sense, of which we may be Sure-So
sure, indeed. that we may dare to stake
our faith upon the unseen verities Of
God rather than on the doubtful truths
of men. We may know God: may know
our sins forgiven: may know the peace
that only He can give; may know our
conscience freed from sense of sin,
through simple faith in Jesus Christ our
Lord; may know the Spirit. witnessing
with ours. Four Scriptures meet us in
this treasury of assurance. and from
them and the topic We shall strive to
draw four thoughts-thoughts that shall
help US to assert our right to spiritual
certainty and truth divine
l. The Souls Eternal Question: May
We know?"-ln every age men have
asked this question. From the time when
men first learned to call on God they
have desired above all else to know That
God had heard them when they prayed,
believing that If He heard at all, and
He were God indeed, He could but answer
such cry as theirs. And God. In every
age and every Cline has felt the justice
of mans cry, Ito know" and from the
hour when first that cry was heard His
spirit has bent down to whisper in the
waiting creatures ear the great Creators
answer: II am here"
.. The Evidence Within.-The manner OF
Gods revelation of Himself TO man is
as strange as the fact Is actual Reason
cannot convey a message from the skies
the spirit in a man; only religion leads
his erring feet to springs of truth.
Dim as the borrowed beams of moon and stars
To lonely. weary. wandering travellers,
Is Reason TO the soul.
And as those nightly tapers disappear.
When days bright lord ascends our hemisphere
So pale grows Reason at Religions sight
So dies, and dissolyes. In supernatural light.
Thus Dryden sang. and 1t is still the
Spirits voice that whispers to our soul
and bears His witness with our spirit
there.
3. The Comfort of Confidence.-There is
a comfort to be found in experimental
religion that can nowhere. else be OBJ
tanned. There is solid logic about the
quaint saying OF Elijah Brown: IF you
haven't got enough religion to know il
Even so;, a service in which the servant
could by no means feel the masters pres
ence, or interest must be dreary one.
On the other hand. to- kneei IN prayer and
feel, as We confess our imperfections and
profess our love. the answer in God S
justifying grace, Is to experience a thrill
of joy compared TO. which all other joys
are tame. OF all the hymns that were
emphasized by the great Moody and
or more permanent place in the heart of
evangelical Christianity than that one
which valves the philosophy of the plan
of salvation and accepts the fact, the
first stanza of Which is:
IL know not why Gods wondrous grace
To me He hath made known.
Nor why-unwcrt hy-christ in love
Redeemed me for His own.
But know whom have believed
And persuaded that He Is able
To keep that which ! have committed
Unto Him, against that day.