Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1914-06-11

Such look is
= '---ss. = = 80 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 II
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 God
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 a woman
told Bunyan his sermon was excel
lent, he replied Yes, | know it; the
devil told me so before 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 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
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
used incidentally, he let this deaf man
know his purpose to heal him. What
a 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
after he himself had had an expert
ence of prison life. If we do not sigh
over spiritual needs we are not likely
to supply them. We must bleed if we
would save. The awfulness of being
without God, without Christ, and hay-
Ing no hope, must weigh upon us if
we are to be Jealous in snatching men
as brands from the burning No cul-
ture or refinement should blind us
from the fact that .'he 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
srs 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 a great blessing to many and
at his funeral the streets were filled
by men Of high and low degree who
came to honor him
| OF course. 1t made the man happv
His tongue doubtless sang aloud in
rejoicing; his ears were ravished with
the sweet sounds Of nature. Wher
aver the gospel goes, music Is born
and the wilderness and solitary places
Of human life are made glad.
THE great physician now is near,
The sylnpathlzing Jesus
He speaks the dropping heart to cheer