Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1911-08-31

.TEXT.-That they might know Ihee.
whom Thou hast sent.-John 17:3.
In these days when knowledge is
spread through the whole earth, while
the making of many books goes mer-
rily on and much study is a WEAKNESS
to the flesh, it may be timely to call
attention to the Importance Of know
ing God.
While man is in this mundane life
there are many things which owing to
the limitations of this life he shall
never know. 1t is not for him to
know the time and the seasons, but,
if he be wise, he may understand the
signs of the tires. Yet we are ex-
pressly told that far away above even
the imaginations Of the human mind
in it's ghostic fight in the one great
indestructible truth that a nan may
nay, hat a man must-know God.
If man would cease his molelike fer
reting after the mysterious earth
worms Of philosophy, and come out
of his pessimistic darkness, and try
to know God and to serve him now,
many of his doubts would resolve
themselves. If a man does not know
God, he has missed the one great, i'm
portant thing; he has not yet found
the key by which he may enter the
holy place Of his own life.
How he came here, why he came
here, why, he goes from here and
whittier he goes-these things he
knows not.
The work of God speaks in no un-
certain tones on this subject. 1t tells
us that knowledge of God is de-
pendent upon a spiritual awakening
and a revelation from God himself.
We are told that there was a time
when Samuel did not know the Lord,
for the word of the Lord was not yet
revealed to him." We are further
told that there came a time when
Samuel did know the Lord, and all Is
rael knew that Samuel knew the
Lord. And the knowledge of God so
impressed itself on the lay mind that
the servant of Saul testified of him:
Nov, there is a man of God in this
city" A man who knew God; who
walked with God; who made himself
felt in the national and individual life
Of Israel.
The key which David handed to
young Solomon was the key of Di-
vine knowledge. "And thou, Solo
mon, my o n know thou the God Of
thy father, and serve him with q
perfect heart and a willing mind"
Jeremiah told the men of his day
that x,or151- rriodoro ~oioL+ o-l rioh
es would bring a man to glory:
that if any man would glory, Let him
glory in that he knoweth the Lord"
Gods controversy with Israel
through his prophets was concern
ing their lack of knowledge. Isaiah
goes sc far in his rebuke as to &C.
cuse them of the densest stupidity
and calls upon the heavens to hear
and the earth to give ear. He is
astonished that the OK knows his
owner, and the ass the place for his
fodder, but Gods people do not know.
The depravity of that day was not
on account of the lack CT religious
observance. The smoke from the
morning and evening sacrifice went
up as regularly as the days came and
went.
It was a time of decent, decorous,
esthetic, eye pleasing, ear tickling
was nc heart in it. It. was all exter.
malt was something which the Lord
could not get away with; it vas
abomination to him. and we have nc
reason to think that God has changed
his mind in this year of grace. They
offered incense; God wanted clean
hearts and pure lives, and these come
from knowing God. The apostle
Paul denounced the church at Cor
NTH for this very thing, and a strange
denunciation it is to come in his
ton.
Awake to righteousness and sir
not, for some have not the knowledg.
of God. I speak this to your shame
Is it any less ~disgraceful in any Chris
, tian community, in any Christian
land, not to know God? We trow not
But the great reason given by tn,
, m%atchless Son of God ought to set al
men seeking for God. 1t is given no
\ to the disciples, though heard b,
them. 1t is spoken in the holy plac'
of prayer. Any man, be he a sin
+ cere man, is most sincere, is at hi
O best, is approaching his zenith, whe,
in his closet, after shutting the door
he prays to his Father. This is n
fitting place for cant, dilettantism Q
sham. It is the one real moment G
his life, and the Son of God tells hi
Father that: "It is life eternal t
! know the true God, and Jesus Chris
= whom he had sent"
Friends, what an opportunity! T
grow in the knowledge of the Fathe
and the Son; this is worth while. T
IL know God experimentally-his pu
- poses in creation and in redeemin
grace = this Is life eternal. "An
!, Jesus Christ" The knowledge
n yet one, for there is no saving know
a. edge apart from him, just as thel