Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1914-04-30

Such a look is
- = = - assuring. In this
day when so many
have lost faith in the great facts of
the gospel we do not wonder that we
hear so much of social betterment
We need the vision of Gods great
power If we are to face with courage
the deep problems Of sin in human
life, rather than be. content with
physical helpfulness
The upward look is empowering. If
we are too busy to pray we may ex-
pect our strength soon to depart from
US But when we read of David Brai-
nerd lying on the frozen ground,
wrapped in a bears skin, splitting
blood as he lay, but continuing from
sunrise to sunset in crying to Cod
we do not wonder at the great bless
ing which came upon the Indians to
whom he preached.
Such look is balancing. We need
to pray after great undertakings as
well as before them. When woman
told Bunyan his sermon was excel
lent, he replied, Yes, l know it; the
devil told me so before l left the pull
pit God sometimes gives us thorns
in the flesh lest we be exalted above
measure.
The Means
used in the cure are interesting.
The man was taken aside; perhaps
he would not be impressed with the
working of God, in the crowd. Stan
! ley became a Christian through his
contact with Livingstone and felt that
God had led him to Africa, away from
the world, so that he might have time
4 to think. This is the secret of many
| a sick-bed or sorrow.
| Christ adapted the means to the
need. By putting his fingers in the
mans ears and putting upon his
tongue the spittle, which was often
fused incidentally, he let this deaf man
know his purpose to heal him. What
comfort that many of us who are
not equipped to deal with the cultured
have peculiar adaptation to deal with
others, and that the Great Physician
uses means adapted to the end
Christ did not shrink from contact
with the sufferer We cannot pay
someone to do religious work for us
simply because it is unpleasant Sam
uel Hadley would put his arms of love
about the wrecks of humanity that
came to Water Street mission, even
though he would have to change his
clothing when he went home
The Sigh
of Christ should not be forgotten:
Looking up to heaven he sighed
He saw In the man only an example
of the worlds suffering and sin and
he sighed over it all
Men have remedied physical ills
when they have felt them. John How
ard reformed the prisons of Europe
ence of prison life. If we do not sigh
over spiritual needs we are not likely
| to supply them. We must bleed il we
would save. The awfulness Of being
without God, without Christ, and hav-
ing no hope, must weigh upon us If
we are to be jealous in snatching men
as brands from the burning. No cul-
/ 'uAO VI iOhACuCAt SHOuiu UliuQ uS
from the fact that che that believeth
not is condemned already"
The Cure
had happy results.
1t made the man companionable:
he could converse with his friends
now. The salvation of the soul puts
one into Fellowship with God and with
his people.
1t made him useful He no longer
needed to be dependent upon any
man. Spiritual cure makes us work
ers together with God and many tes-
tify that they date their true life from
their second birth through faith in
Christ. Jerry McAuley was river
thief whose heart God touched while
he was imprisoned in Sing Sing. He
became great blessing to many and
at his funeral the streets were filed
by men of high and low degree who
came to honor him.
or course, it made the man happy
His tongue doubtless sang aloud in
rejoicing; his ears were rayished with
the sweet sounds OF nature. Wher-
ever the gospel goes, music is born
and the wilderness and solitary places
of human life are made glad.
"The great physician now is gear,
The sympathizing Jesus;
He speaks the dropping heart to choex,
Oh. hear the voice of jesus I"