Morgan County republican., 1913-09-04

theH insprhuOH. l aul aware tuat IL II
unsouad for preacher to question what
bible writer may say, nevertheless
presume to question many things they
have said.
The phrase "Inspired Of God" when
rightly understood is the equivalent Of
inspired Of Good" The two words |
God and good, in their root meaning are
exactly the sauie, both derived FROM our
old English word "Goode." which meant
good one, - Mc good One.' If the
purpose of any one be the good, then he
is inspired of God. The evil has the
power to inspire, as we'll as the good.
when mems purposes, motives or objects
are evil, they inspire the devotee to use
all his knowledge to obtain his purpose
just the same as the good motive inspires
the devotee to obtain his object. An
evil purpose will energize the faculties
just the same as will the good purpose.
and have thought much more effective
ly in these times, than is witnessed in
the church members who, professedly.
are inspired BY the good. At least they
seem to be more active in the pursuit of
their object Take as an example one
of those get rich quick individuals.
and see with what energy he pursues his
calling. We're the church today one
half as earnest as he. evil would soon
hide his deformed face.
Now since it is true that .coOd and God
stand precisely for the same thing. may
we not truthfully say that the man whose
purpose, motive or object in life is to
be good and do good, that he is inspired
of God? Will not the law of reciprocity
act and react in his case, as It certainly
does in the evil purpose i. e. the mans
intelligence grows as he pursues the
evil purpose. How is it that we gain
knowledge If not in the pursuit Of an
object? Did not Jesus say. BLESSED are
those who hunger and thirst after right
business, for they shall be filled" Again,
when the spirit (purpose) of truth is
come he (it) shall guide you into all
truth Thus It is the true motive. pur-
pose or object of life, lifts the individual
into the possession Of it, while the in.
spiration OF evil always deceives the de.
votee. 1t is an historical fact that the
pursuit of evil has never crowned the
subject with the objec, or purpose of his
devotions, but those who have hungered
and thirsted for happiness through
righteousness. have invariably found it.
These illustrations will give us some.
thing IF All insight into the fact and
nature Of inspiration and aid us to guard
ourselves by inspecting the motive or
purpose OF the prophet. that we he not
deceived. One thing seems certain, that
inspiration is not from without. 1t is
true that objectivly. the purpose is with
out, and we are striving to obtain it, but
The object, or that which we hope to Oh.
tain inspires within us that force we
call inspiration. This motive or pur-
pose reaches into us the spirit of action
and we proceed according to the light of
our intelligence, to obtain our purpose.
n the purpose be good. we are inspired
of good, if it be evil, we are inspired Of
evil. Thus the character of the inspir
alton is determined by the character Of
the purpose.
Where seliishness predominates in the
heart (the source of all our sorrows), !,
we can never know the blessing we GOV.
ct, but every plant my Heavenly Faith.
er planted not, shall he rooted up" aud
this evil thing, not of God, will he root.
ed up when we become altruistic. Evil
is self destructive and will, ere long, de
stroy itself, but good is eternal and will
prevail.
II there seems to be any lack of inspir
/, alton for good. or "inspiration of good. '
now in the world, suspect it appear
less only by contrast. The average in
telligence in the times of the bible writ
ers was much less than now, and the in
Huence of tine few who taught the peo
: pie. was far greater than ut present
: Superstition predominated then nuci
D more than today, and the people did no
{ vesson from effects to cause. and coult
h not test the phenomena that thev wit
y messed, by the laws OF nature. The in
>, crease Of The intelligence has removed
u many superstitions that was then helt