Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1914-10-14
NEED TO KNOW GOD
Though Other knowledge Is De.
sirable and Important, That
Is Essential.


The field OF knowledge is vast and
varied. One cannot know everything.
and SO we have TO specialize accord
Ing TO taste or the demands OF our
vocation. or both
But while there are many lines OF
research possible. and each is desir-
able and fruitful in it's own way. there
Is one line that is absolutely essential
TO all. which all alike need TO pur.
sue And II is the essential knowl-
edge.
We need to know God. other
knowledge is desirable. other knowl
edge Is important-thls is the abso-
Lutte essential. II God be God. IL the
world is the work OF his hand, II he
plans all. directs all. determines the
good OF all. then TO know him-his
mind, his will, his purpose. must be
the essential. the fundamental knowl-
edge. One has said philosophy. tax
Ing man as its center. says know thy
self, but the inspired word which
proceeds from God says know God;
and this. we say is the essential
knowledge. Jesus said TO know him is
life. eternal life.
Moreover, this knowledge is acces.
| sible to all. Not all may enjoy tho
privileges OF the advanced schools OF
learning; all may not have either time
or opportunity TO pursue other forms
OF knowledge advantageously; but the
essential knowledge is within reach of
even the humblest and the poorest OF
US
With the Eyes of the Heart.
The condition OF this knowledge is
that the eyes OF the heart be en-
lightened." We sometimes get the
impression that we do all our seeing
with our eyes of the mind and that
our greatess need is to train and dis
cipline the mind. But the deepest
things Of life are not seen with the
intellect. but with the heart
There have been intellectual giants
that were blind to the supreme things
OF life Paul prays that the eyes OF
your heart may be enlightened, that
ye may know" the things that most
concern you-the things of God that
most concern you. And this enlight-
ening of the eyes Of the heart" is the
/
Jesus Christ II is thus we get the
vision OF the deep things OF God and
the things that are OF most concern
| to us
How beautiful the world was to the
man OF Galilee, He saw no more
with the eye than did the multitude
about him. to whom IT all looked 30
common; but with the eye back OF
the eye with the heart" he saw the
Father everywhere, the grass. the lily,
| the sparrows1all witnessed TO his
presence and his ways THAT the
eyes OF your heart may be enlightened.
that ye may know''-the things that
every child OF God should know, the
things that 1t is OF the utmost impor-
lance you should know. And what
are these things OF God that 1t is SO
essential that we all should know?
Must Know True Purpose.
First. the true goal OF life, Gods
purposed destiny for you. That ye
may know what is the hope o: his
calling" And surely 1t ia OF the ut
most Importance that we know this.
How are we going to direct our en-
ergies wisely, intelligenny. triumph
antly. unless we know the true pur-
pose OF life here Sand the end Of It,
! To what does he call us?
Well. It must be to. the highest and
| best of which we are capable. He
who so loved us that he spared not
his only Son. but gave him up for
us, can be satisfied with nothing less
! than the highest and best for us. And
| let US be sure. as another has said.
that mo young life is faced up the
real path toward the heights until II
I has a vision OF being the very finest
/ thing God made 1t capable OF, every
/ power developed 20 the utmost every
/ strength harnessed up and held in
/ harmony with every other strength
/ just the purest. truest, broadest life
I that God could have thought Of when
he gave being and birth" IL IS TO