Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1913-01-22
Have FAITH IN GOD
SEEMING HiNDRANcEs IN TIVE
END ARE FREQUENTLY RE-
vEAlED AS HELPS.

~ SUBJECT OF God providences
must exclaim with st. Paul, 20
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 10
us. Sometimes we misinterpret his
dealings: sometimes we allow our
selves to doubt whether Gods hand ia
concerned in this or that occurrence.
and We cannot see how things which
he allows to obtain are compatible
with his Justice.
Let me say that We should be care
full not TO interpret Gods providence
In Fragments. This evil which to us
seems overwhelming. may be only
temporary, may be only link In n
cnain or great and a permanent
good. So the reverses and humilia-
ton OF nation are often the prelude
to the greater development and the
higher manhood OF its citizens. In
adversely the material OF men and ma
tons Is made manifest Human char.
acter must go through fire before Il
becomes steel Forty years ago our
land passed through great crisis.
Its consequences are not yet worked
out. but they are far greater than the
mere abolition OF slavery. God works
not out his purposes In day, or a
year, nor I'm 100 years Four hundred
years Israel was In Egypt. and then
IL pleased God to raise up the enamel
ator. A thousand years the world
(Ar h. n l..
then came the fullness OF time. Lea
us remember that in our lives. and
IL would tighten many :. burden and
put silver lining to many a cloud
that Gods providence il not to be in
terpreted by this or that occurrence,
but that these are only links In the
golden chain OF his goodness.
And Paul a Prisoner.
Now we come to the story OF our
text. 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 IL to
be thus hindered? Can Paul be n
true servant of Jesus Christ? Think
OF the effect II would have upon the
young, struggling churches when they
heard that Paul the great missionary
was in prison. Would thoy not be
tempted to give up the unequal strug.
gle and disband? These questions
and others might have presented
themselves to many men I'm those
days. and to-day many would think
the same.
What does Paul say about IL 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 ye 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 I'm 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 we'll known through
out the imperial guard. and to the
Romans In general. Moreover. the
Roman Christians have felt a spiritual
impetus, and his captivity has nerved
them TO bear a holder witness In the
eyes OF their heather neighbors.
Lesson Worth Learning.
IL is lesson worth learning which
st. Paul learned In that prison; that
hindrances are often helps; that cir.
cumstances most untoward may be
advancing the kingdom; that faith
placed in the goodness. purpose and
helpfulness of God is never misplaced
oh. that we could learn that lesson
to accept Gods providences az they
come with a quiet mind, firmly be-