The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1913-05-30
FATHER EVER near
In All Ages 1t Has Been Demon
strated, but Many Still Are
Slow of Faith.

This is an age of marvels; we accept
without any debate the wonders OF
this age. The airship, wireless mes
sage and countless other new things,
and we are ready for the new and
even more wonreful AS yet many
hesitate about the spiritual wireless
that communes with God.
We are ready for mental telepathy
of wordless communication with one
another; but deny the possibility of
hearing the voice of the Good Shep
herd, which is corroborated by the
voice within ourselves, the voice OF
conscience. Christ said, MY sheey
hear my voice and they follow me-"
Paul said to King Agrippa: Il was
not disobedient to the heavenly vision"
Paul refers to his experience while
on his errand down to Damascus, when
he heard the words: Saul. Saul, why
persecuteth thou me?" and in response
replied Lord, what wilt thou have
me to do?" The members of his trav-
cling party testified they heard
voice, but saw no man. Undoubtedly
Paul was in mental unrest from his
various experiences.
This same voice which stopped Paul
so abruptly on his journey again was
heard by him and it appeared i'll the
form of man with a call from Mace
donia to go over and help them. Jacob
wrestled with God in the form of an
angel, one memorable night, and his
life was different ever afterward. Pi-
late's wife was disturbed all night by
dream while Christ was on trial The
Psalmist, while in the cave for safely,
sent wireless to God for heavenly re
Inducements. John Bunyan in Bed
ford Jail gave the world the immor.
tai story, Pilgrims Progress" Yes,
Gods voice has come to us from the
caves, from prison cells, the martyrs
ashes, from the time when Cain killed
Abel down to the Boxer uprising in
China.
1t was on the night of a history-ma.
king crisis. the night of the worlds
greatest tragedy, when the cock
crOwed and his voice called Peter to
repentance. The voice of that rooster
has been hearl echoing down through
the ages. It's message and lesson now
calls men to repentance.
God still speaks to men: His voice
is understood. This is the age when
the Holy Spirit approaches men.
Christ, after occupying the center of
the stage, assembled to heaven and sat
down upon his throne. At the same
time the Holy Spirit, the promised
comforter, descended to the world and
sat down upon the throne here, and it
is his dispensatiOn now. He is in the
center of the stage. He is striving
with men, but men resist and wrestle
with him like Jacob wrestled with the
angel and Saul with the spirit.
The voice that comes from the ex-
| perience of the rich man who
awakened in torment comes to us from
the parable of Christ. The rich man.
from his own experience in hell
which came as the result of spiritual
carelessness and indifference-pleaded
! for an opportunity to go back and
speak a warning message to his heed
less brothers. The experiences of men
around us today speak loudest of all
dUOul IliC dN lulIiCoo VI OH anu bhO
need of repentance.
The call of the hours is: Prepare
to meet thy God" This is the voice
direct from Gods word and 20 the
spiritual instinct of self-preservation.
Squirrels prepare for winter by laying
in store of winter supplies. The
birds fly south to a warmer climate.
Humans have an innate instinct of self
preservation that leads them to pro-
tect themselves against fire. against
smallpox; they take life-preservers
when they go to sea; they build life
saving stations on the shore; they
build navies and support them and
train their gunners; they drill stand
ing armies for time of need; and yet
they prepare not TO meet their God.
They sin against their highest senses
and noblest desires They resist the
kindlest opportunities of the tender
est spirits; they heed not the voice of
/ Jesus. who says: Come unto me.
whatsoever will may come"