Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-02-22

Ieznrx.u.f2<A ABOUT almost any
,Sel<zstsXflzx21>> thing that a man
meets In his every
day experiences prompts him to ask.
'Is II trustworthy. dependable II
man buys a fountain pen. he asks,
win It write all the time?" As the
aeronaut looks al his biplane or
monoplane. and thinks of being
5000 feet above the earth. he
asks: is il dependable" II a
man has bit Of money and wishes
to lay II aside for a rainy day. he asks
~ the bank in which he thinks OF de-
posting It: rs Il safe?" President
eject Wilson recently said: However
the variation may come. no matter
what the ephemeral feature may be-
no matter what the external form may
be. men are looking for n foothold;
they are looking for some firm ground
OF faith upon which to walk"
Is II possible that man can ask with
reference 10 God: rs he depend
able" The gods of the Egyptians.
Greeks or Romans were super-mun
dane beings: and man was constantly
asking the question: "Will the gods
changer" We have a proverb that has
come down the centuries. las tickle
as the gods The ancient religious
devotec would think of his gods as
mercurial. changeable beings. moved
by any wind that blew--he could
never trust them.
II we take the gods OF today. and
they are not the less gods than in
the days OF old--money. place. appe-
tite--men are bowling down TO these
and worshiping them. and they may
well ask. Are they dependable" So
the subject of dependable God is
immensely practical. and those who
worship The God OF the Bible claim
that he Is dependable. He is the same
yesterday. today and forever. whether
mauifesting himself as Father. Son or
Holy Spirit.
The Bible is full of claims OF the
faithmlness of God. and God may be
placed in sharp contrast 10 the gods
that are IN opposition or rivalry. The
true God never breaks promise. as
the text SO clearly claims. There may
be some support TO the idea CT the
dcpendabiity Of God. as there is a
demand Tor this In God; just as We
claim that there is God because
there Is demand for God And again
the regularity and uniformity OF move.
ment al the various parts of Gods
creation is proof OF the regularity and
uniformity In the Creator himself. We
know that the rising OF the sun can be
depended on: seasons OF the year
never fail to alternate: the systems
that swing in illimitable space are so
exact in their movements that those
movements can be calculated for milen.
NUNS in advance TO minutes and sec
onds- and God created all of these
and he is as dependable as they
God has given MS many great and
precious promises of blessings ma.
,erial. blessings 10 the body polite
blessings to the intellectual and es-
thetic nature. and to the spiritual In
man. both with respect to the expert
ences OF this life. and the eternity
that stretches beyond.
fulncss invites the closest examina
ton of his character for veracity. con.
seauently for dependability His
promises have been most specific: In
many cases given 10 individuals;
dates. locations and circumstances be-
Ing definitely proclaimed hundreds OF
years before the things promised were
realized Joshua was justified in his
strong assertion as he reviewed Gods
personal relationship to himself. for
at the beginning of his career Josh
i.5) God had given specific promises.
and they mad been fulfilled literally.
This dependability of God is compre-
hensive. It means something beyond
his promises OF blessings. and applies
as woll to the warnings and threat.
anings OF his word In the history OF
israel the threatenings because OF
disobedience were as numerous Is not
more so. than the promises of bless
ings because OF obedience God be-
ing Just as dependable as TO the car.
rying ont Of the one as OF the other.
II God is proclaimed as faithful God
(Deui 7.sl with respect 10 keeping
covenant and showing mercy to
thousand generations. IL is shown in
the next verse that II is the same God
that "repays those who hate him face
% face"
.Gsl VIII rot change-the restless years
may bring
sunlight and shade glories Of the spring.
1tfut
~ rlxod with grief sharp thorns with
ifsftut flowers;
Earth. lights may shine awhile. and then
grow dim,