The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1912-01-11

open the door I Will come In to htD and
be with Me.-Reveiations 3:so
The companionship here suggested
between the divine and the human ~
intimate and familiar. The figure ts
that OF a social meal together. Ana
the great friend represents himself as
taking the initiative. He does not
force his companionship upon US. The
divine reverence tor the humsa per
sonality Is one OF the great truths
which It has taken the world q long
time TO learn. but We are beginning
to understand IT, we force no doors
In friendship" says Dr King. BET.
like the Christ In Revelation. We
stand reverently at the door without.
TO knock. And only n the door be
opened from within may we come In
to sup with our friend. and he with
us" Hut II Is only the most ind
mate OF our friends who venture to In
ute themselves to supper.
Is II not n beautiful relation be-
tween the divine and the human that
IL thus advocated! But what we have
learned OF God from Jesus Christ
makes II easy to accept this sugges-
ton. We are sure that n Jesus should
come to Columbus the people who
loved him might expect to have him
drop In any evening to supper, ana
they would not be at all embarrassed
at hearing his familiar knock at the
door. No formalities would be called
for In his case. He would know how
to make himself at home. And he
that hath seen me-" he said. hath
seen the father" That is the kind OF
friendship that the great friend Wish
es to maintain with all OF US.
But the text is a parable. as Is the
supper OF which we are soon to par
take. What Is the deeper fact 70
which these symbols bear witness
II is a communion. sharing OF the
divine life by the human life. We are
partakers. Paul says. OF the divine
nature In some way he lives In as,
and ~e in him.
Let us not conceive that this Is a
mere mystical impressionism. But
what is clear? When the great friend
comes in to sup with us how we shall
be aware OF his presence? II will be
something more than pieasurabis
thrill of spiritual excitement. The
guests that he brings with him will
be good thoughts. generous wishes
definite direction OF life toward deli
mite objects. Now all these move
ments of mind are realities. A thought
Is Just as real as a stone or a tree
or a breeze. So is a wish or a pur
pose.
These are all realities. We are
more sure OF them than OF anything
else. The fact that you cannot weigl
them in scales or measure them with
a yard stick is no proof that they are
not real. II is In these realities thai
God comes into our lives. lie desires
, to share our thoughts, TO euoble ouI
wishes. to guide our purposes. Ana
he can do this for US. The human
mind is made TO be irraciated with
the divine thought. as the diamond II
made for the light. The central force:
OF our lives are these thoughts anC
wishes and purposes OF ours VIVA
We habitually think about. what ",
hnbitually wish for. what we habituai
IL choose and prefer. that are We. Ans
the man who wants to have the truth
OF God in his mind and the purity
and love OF God In his purpose cat
have the inspiration that win max
his life divine
This. suppose. is the kind OF com
munion that the text Offers US. ard .
Is the substance OF this that We ousn
to be thinking Of as we sit here be
fore this table II was 10 bring met
into this relation with the great frient
that Jesus lived and taught afd died
When any man has learned to realiz'
this great friendship II Is well 10
him. All things are his--life. death