Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1913-01-24
Have FAITH IN GOD
SEEMING HFNDRANcEs IN THE
END ARE FREQUENTLY RE-
vEALED AS HELPS.

the depth OF the riches, both OF
the wisdom and knowledge of God;
how unsearchable are his Judgments,
and his ways past finding out" Gods
ways are indeed often inscrutable to
rs. Sometimes we misinterpret his
dealings; sometimes we allow our
selves TO doubt whether Gods hand Is
concerned in this or that occurrence.
and we cannot see how things which
he allows To obtain ara compatible
with his justiee-
Let me say that we should be care
ful not to interpret Gods providence
In fragments This evil which to us
seems overwhelming. may be only
temporary, may be only a link in
chain OF a great and a permanent
good So the reverses and humifia-
ticn of nation are often the prelude
to the greater development and the
higher manhood OF its citizens In
adj a-sity the material of men and na
tons is made manifest Human char
acsef must go through fire before 1t
becomes steel. Forty years ago our
land passed through great crisis.
Its consequences are not yet worked
ont, but they are far greater than the
mere abolition Of slavery. God works
not out his purposes In day, or a
year, nor In 100 years. Four hundred
years Israel was In Egypt, and then
It yleased God to raise up the enamel
atnr. A thousand years the world
waited for the Lords salvation, and
then came the fullness of time Let
us remember that In our lives and
It would tighten many a burden and
put silver lining 20 many cloud
that Gods providence is not TO be in,
terpreted by this or that occurrence
but that these are only links in tbs
golden chai.4 Of his goodness.
End Paul a Prisoner.
Nov we come to the story of our
tex. Paul is In prison in Rome.
That in itself Is strange. Paul the
ambassador of Jesus Christ in prison!
Can the work he has been doing be
Gods work? Would God allow 1t to
be thus hindered? Can Paul be
true servant of Jesus Christ? Think
of the effect 1t would have upon the
young, struggling churches when they
heard that Paul the great missionary
was in prison. Would they not be
tempted to give up the unequal strug-
gle and disband? These questions
and others might have presented
themselves to many men in those
days, and to-day many would think
the same.
What does Paul say about It all!
With his missionary enthusiasm we
would expect to find him in despair
at being shut up in prison. But on
the contrary he writes to the Philip
plans, Il would We should understand,
brethren, that the things which hap
pened unto me have fallen out rather
to the furtherance of the gospel"
How was that possible? MY bonds
In Christ are manifest in all the pal
ace, and in all other places" His
circumstances are conducting to the
spread OF the gospel in Rome His
very Imprisonment. which was intend
ed to put an end to his activity. is in
itself mission. It's connection, not
with political or social causes, but
with Christ. is well known through
out the imperial guard. and TO the
Romans in general. Moreover, the
Roman Christians have felt spiritual
impetus, and his captivity has nerved
them to bear q bolder witness IN the
eyes of their heathen neighbors-
Lesson Worth Learning.
1t Is lesson worth learning which
ST. Paul learned In TINT prison; that
hindrances are often helps: that cir
cumstances most untoward may be
advancing the kingdom; that faith
placed In the goodness, purpose ard
helpfulness OF God is never misplaced.
Oh, that we could learn that lesson
to accept Gods providences as they
come with quiet mind, firmly be
lievfng that all things shall work Out
for good to them that love him.
Note here also that moral and spfr
ftual things are always higher than
what Is individual and personal. Paul
was in prison, but the gospel was not
bound. Paul's liberty was restrained.
but the gospel had free course Re
member that your spiritual nature IL
above any physical circumstances,
that your mission to the world Is
above any physical weTl-befng. Paul
lost his life in the struggle, but the
gospel went on. So It has ever been.
The consecrated cobbler of England,
William Carey. gave his life to India,
and hosts OF men and women have fol-
lowed In his steps. Livingston died
in the African Jungle, and it meant
the opening of the Dark continent to
the gospel Blessed are the dead
which die In the Lord. and their works
do follow them"
We also gather from our text that
the spread of the gospel depends on
no one man. That Is a wonderful
comfort. 1t does not depend on this
or that imperfect Christian, on you or
IN ma II did not even depend on the