Mountain advocate., 1912-11-01

lsN-t-l personalities, each
recognizes that
there is some obligation to seek each
other. yet the obligation on Gods
part 10 seek man is somewhat diff.
cult TO understand. Man obviously
ought to seek God, he ought to be
asking the question, Where shall I
ind him." but God anticipates man
ia this search and comes frequently
and asks. as In the text, Where art
thou?" This being the case, there Is
presented for our consideration In the
text as whole: U) God seeking man;
(2) Man keeping away from God, by
hiding or otherwise; 90 The soul
experience that compels him to move
to God
|. God is seeking man. This ia not
the normal situation, for man ought
to be seeking God with the whole
heart, everything else being as moth.
Ing In comparison. God is seeking
man, not with the intent apparently
that he sought Adam In the Garden
OF Eden, which was for the purpose
OF reproof, or punishment. God not
only is seeking man. but wishes to be
sought for by man, as the hymn writer
Faber so beautifully sings:
God loves to be lonssd for. he loves to
be sought.
For he sought US himself with such
longing and love!
And he died for desire OF us. marvellous
thought!
And he yearns for US now TO be with
his above"
There Is not man away from God
but for whom God longs. and will go
any distance to And
''There were ninety and nine that safely
lay
In the shelter OF the fold.
But one was out on the hills away,
Far on from the gates OF gold
Away on the mountains wild and bare.
Away from the tender Shepherds care.
- Lord, thou hast here thy ninety and
nine
Are they not enough for thee?
But the Shepherd made answer; This OF
mine
Has wandered away from me,
And although the road be rough and
steep
2. But just as prominent as the
search Of God for man IL mans con.
slant refusal to be found As Adam
fed from the Lord. AS Jonah tried to
get away from the obligation TO
preach at Nineveh. as the prodigal
fed TO far country and wasted his
substance In riotous living, so man
tod ~ - -. -
God. the church. through its many
agencies. Is putting forth EFFORT 10
reach man. Its doors have always
been open. and rarely Is the church
found that does not welcome all
classes to its services. In recent
years Gods people are going out after
men in all places where they may be
found. The gospel is preached in
places not dedicated to divine wor-
ship-in tents. on street corners, and
elsewhere, and II Is difiicult for a man
within christendom to get beyond the
invitation OF the gospel. and yet he
will not yield to II.
3. But there IL a reason for this as
suggested In the text; II Is the con-
seiousnese, OF shame, II was naked and
| hid myself" II must ne conceded
that there are muititudes who do not
seem TO have God In any OF their
thoughts, they live apparently a. the
beasts Of the field. they seem to have
ne consciousness whatever that they
are more than creatures OF day.
mere ephemera. But the man or
woman who may be beguiled TO read
these words IL not such person. In
some way he senses God He has an
intuition. as We might say, which prob
ably teaches him his personal respon.
sibllity.
Is that a miafortunsf Ear from It.
Il is the dawn Of hope II IL the soul.
pain that tells Of possible return to
spiritual health secured through per
feet communion with Cod Grateful
should the man be who thus becomes
uneasy. yea. faces God and talks with
him. In this day the grace Of God n
seeking man. not 10 rsprcve him only.
not to punish him. but to bless him;
he 10 not willing that any should Per
iah.
II may be said that the man who
IL discovered BY God. discovers. OF
nnds. himself: he comes TO himself
as the prodigal did. and u than not
far nom starting bach 10 the Mthsr's
house. As the cry recently has bssn
with many Back 70 Christ" Ws
might say that the cry should poW
rafAsR ~ ssnank ID Clod"