The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1912-07-19

las God TO give atten'
tion to himself
BE still, and know that am God"
God Is intensely interested that man
should recognize him, not only because
man would thus greatly bless himself.
but God demands this recognition be-
cause he is sensitive 20 the apprecia.
tion Of those whom he has created in
his own likeness and image. We must
maintain this, Notwithstanding the spc.
cious plea that IL would be ignoble in
God TO demand such recognition.
This matter can only be settled by
an appeal to authority, and multitudes
believe that the Bible is such author.
ity. In Exodus 34:l4, we read: Thou
shalt worship no other God, for the
Lord whose name is Jealous is a jeal-
Gus God" Joshua called the attention
OF Israel 10 the same characteristic IN
| God when he wished Israel TO return 10
God, to the enjoyment of their divine
heritage.
In the text God does not ask man TO
know him. he simply asks that We rec.
ognize him as God, and appeals in the
Sth and 9th verses OF this chapter
for the use of the physical senses:
Come, behold the works OF the Lord,
what desolation he has wrought I'm
the earth; he maketh wars 10 cease
unto the end of the earth he break.
eth the bow and cutteth the spear in
sunder; he burneth the chariot in the
fire. Our attention Is also called TO
what we have heard with our ears, and
| our fathers have told US what he has
done in the time OF old Were not
Gods dealings with the Egyptians 10
prove that he was God? Was not God
back Of the blessing OF Is.
rael by Balaam, while Balaam's
purpose was TO curse? Has God
not set up one and put down
another? Has he not despoiled the de.
vices of the crafty that their hands
cannot perform their enterprise, and
has he not taken the wise in their
own craftiness, and is not the counsel
Of the froward carried headlong? And
what shall be said OF the occurrences
Of modern history? Had God any.
thing TO do with the earthquake in
San Francisco, the burning OF the Gen.
eral Schofeld. and the sinking of the
Titanic? OF the latter event IL is
said that in the last moments OF that
iated vessels remaining aAoat, all
classes OF people prayed. and the band
played until the very end, Nearer. My
God, to Thee" And what was this
but recognition of God, and possibly
with many, too late?
To say that God has nothing 10 do
with these things OF the ground OF
that II would be violence 20 the reign
OF law, dishonOring TO him as an In.
finite being, and entirely relieve man
OF moral responsibility, is really not
worthy Of serious consideration. The
consciousness Of Gods immanence in
all such things would be deterrent
from Gin on the part OF some. and
would be an incentive 10 good on the
part Of others.
How are men 10 know God? Simply
by being still. by searching. men can.
not find out God AS David would lle
IN the fields at night and look up into
the starry heavens, il would not be
for the purpose Of finding out God,
but as he gazed he could not help
but exclaim: when ! consider the
heavens, the work OF thy fingers. the
moon and the stars, which thou hast
created, what Is man that thou art
mindful Of him, or the son OF man -bat
thou visitest him?" AS Moses would
have Israel 10 recognize God. he ssid:
stand still, and see the salvation OF
Cod AS Isaiah would have Israel
see wherein their strength lay, he said
they should sit still. SO the method
OF knowing God is TO just keep the
eyes and ears open, 10 stop look, lis
ten-God is here, there, everywhere
The results Of this will be a more
serious consideration OF ones obliga-
ton 10 God. The life Of the Christian
will ba made richer, and as the dark.
ness Of the hereafter is approached.
there viii be a preparation 10 meet
God. with whom, whether be will or
viii not, man has much 90 do. To
know God, and him whom he has sent,
is everlasting life