The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1912-07-05

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church no right to prescribe a course
Of conduct land to require her mem
bers to walk the way prescribed? Is
it not her great calling under me, to
direct the feet Of the individual pill
grim! Will not He who called me,
when / stand before him in the great
day, require the blood Of many at my
hand? He will unless boldly say to
them, Thou are q Gentle and q pub
lican unto me? "Thou hast no part
nor lot in this matter"
But how am to know men? They
respect my preachers coat and wear
in my presence their best robe Of self
must know them. If 1 am to pro-
tect the sheep from the wolves I must
know the wolves. If am to remove
conditions must know the conditions.
But how am / to know them? How
did the apostle Paul come to know
the conditions described in the first
chapter of Romans? Did he "nose"
around into the things which men do
under the cover of the night? Was his
knowledge forced upon him, or did he
have care to peep into the hooks and
corners of society? Was the great
apostle to the Gentiles ever to be
found at the races, on the back
streets, or in the banqueting hall? I
their play. Shall I drop occasionally
into the pool room Into the haunts of
the tigers that are blind, into the NOV
ing picture room, into the opera house
at the common show, at the minstrel?
Shall / pry into political schemes, in
vestigate the methods of grafters,
study the work Of the white slave
trader, and eye the young men in their
evening visits? Shall l boldly say
to mayor or governor, This is the law
Of God, walk thou in it or die? Shall
I open my mouth or lift my pen to
make public the secret things discov-
cred? My authority is great. o my
Master help me see, and use this gift
as unto thee.
My power from Him is Of immense
proportions. Do l know myself that
l may do fifth His finger? He who
Almighty. He has called me and
sent me in His name. I listen again
for these tones that called me, and
they speak now as never before: All
power is given unto me, both in heav-
en- and in earth, go we therefore. Per-
haps my power is limited only by the
degree of my belief in His. The
multitudes are as sheep without a
Sheperd. The Great Sheperd sends
me into them. / represent Him. /
stand to them in His stead. I am to
do for them what He would do if He
were where am. "The hireling fleeth
because he is a hireling and careth
not for the sheep" But II love
them as He loves them. And for them
He said to me, Freely ye have re-
beside the bed of the suffering, I
stand to represent the Great Physi-
clan. They are ignorant and helpless
and suffering. But there is helper.
He is the Great Physician. The dis
eases of the soul and body alike are
healed at His word. There is no mall
ady His skill cannot reach. l stand
in His stead. And He sent me with
the express command, as though
might use this power sparingly. "Free-
ly We have received, freely give" II
wonder if He meant this instruction
only for the age of those who heard
these words from His lips? Or do
go on the same mission? The words
first given to those who first exercised
the authority, were not repeated in
were done. Peter and John and Philip
and Paul do mighty works after PEN
tacost as some did before. Possibly
this is the meaning Of my pastoral
visit to the sick. / have left to me
only the form, which once was, and
now should be, clothed with power.
True, not all the sick and afflicted were
healed in those days. but many were.
Perhaps If were in closer touch with
Him would better know His will.
He would show me those who ought
to be healed. The prayer of faith
shall save the sick. The only cases
of pellagra that have been cured in
our midst are two which are credited
to our Great Physician. Might it not
be His will that my lips should be
the medium by which He speaks these
words of power? Might not my fin
gers be those with which he gives the
touch which sets the captive free.