The citizen., 1911-03-02
God Uses Pain to
Refine Humanity
By DR.. HAROLD PATTIs0N
Psssss ef First B.ptist Ch.rcA.
Sc Paul. Minn.

The problem In Jobs time was. why
DO the righteous suffer? but the prob
lem In our day has broadened 10 why
should there be any suffering at ALL
As we have stood near the bedside OF
some dear ono whom we could not
bear 20 see suffer. we have wondered
how God could stand II. Personally.
do not believe that God Is a being
that goes about shattering our homes
or breaking our hearts. II Is thought
that he permits such things. hut u
may well be said that God cannot
still be good and make exceptions.
here and there in the workings Of the
great laws OF the universe. that wero
60 put Irregularities In the place OF
uniformity. TO introduce anarchy and
make confusion worse confounded
We are to remember. too. that we are
inclined to mistake the part for the
whole. and in the matter OF pain our
standard Of measurement is apt 10 be
false. The actual amount OF pain In
the world is only as great as that
borne by any single human being.
A partial answer to this problem is
found In the present uses OF pain
Pain may be punishment. but not
always, for pain would seem quite an
often a punishment for weakness an
for wickedness. Great pain purines-
As the psslmist says: IT was good
| for me that ] was afflicted"
Pain IL power. Pain stimulates Us
D -. H.. haa a. nd
that discovers our best PAGES. We
often say We learn by experience. but
II we stop TO think OF II the expert
ences TO which we refer are mostly
/ painful. II takes FIRE to temper steel
and the sword blade never yet took
and held its temper without H. a
California apple is large and beau
/ tiful. but tasteless like cork: Il needs
the frost OF New England 10 ripen tbs
Baldwin and pippin. We none Of us
! want to live over again the difficult
I crises OF our lives. yet not one OF us
would be willing to part with the ex-
| perionces those crises gave us. Great
pain warns us. A wounded dog holds
up its foot and 20 keeps out the dirt.
ram loiu " 10 20 tnht.
The cross of Christ sheds the
strongest light on the mysteries or
/ pain. Jesus never seemed TO be per
\ picked at the existence OF pain. How
/ great part OF his ministry consisted
in banlshing pain. yet Jesus and Chris.
tianity have done much TO increase
the pain OF the world Gethsemane
and Calvary show US that In our lives
as well as his the best and truest In
human life comes from pain. The
cross Is the appeal OF suffering.
The vicarious suffering OF Christ IN
said TO conflict with our sense OF
Justice. II does not do H. We inter
| pret II by the old view OF theology.
but rightly viewed II Is the climax
and complete expiration OF the forces
TO which we owe entire evolution OF
our race. We must not confuse
/ vicarious suffering with vicarious pun.
ishment. When life is seen at it's
deepest and truest II seems as though
there were nothing else but vicarlous
suffering through which the world
was saved
Pain is Incidental. II does not last
Pain is unnatural. Jesus came to heal
and Danish II. Pain is not eternal.
and God shall wipe all tears from
their eyes and there shall he no more
death. neither sorrow nor crime.
neither shall there be any more pain.
for the former things are passed
away"