The Penn's Grove record., 1915-10-29
IN The Heart
Many Things in Religion That
Cannot Be Explained by
Cold Intellect.

The rayer which Paul offered for
his Ephesian friends seems to be a
particularly daring one. A great deal
of effort has been put forth to explain
the paradox in the crowning petition
O that prayer He asks that his friends
may be enabled ito know the love of
Christ which, passeth knowledge" Is
that not a strange thing to seek? Is
this man merely playing with words?
Is he indulging in meaningless hyper
bole? Is there any real significance
in this peculiarly phrased petition?
It is well to remind ourselves tina.
this rare petition suggests a simple
truth and one of present Importance.
There are some things in religion
which can be felt, but cannot be ex-
planned. Experience goes where
knowledge cannot travel. There are
feelings which deny analysis. Our
logic limps and hats when we under
take to explain and classify some OF
the deeper things of the religious life.
There are many things which it is
quite impossible to know in the sense
of understanding them. At this point
they are too high for US. We cannot
attain unto that height.
There is a good deal that is mys-
teal about the spiritual life. Some
have been disposed to think over
much, possibly, of these deeper ex-
periences. They have been called
IGILa -.-r14;oe Dorbapc tho oUarppa
of us does not think enough about
them. 1t has been the tendency among
Scotch Presbyterians to emphasize the
logical and intellectual somewhat at
the expense of the mystical and the
emotional. The latter deserves en-
phasis as we'll as the former. 1t is
well to remember that the most pre-
cious things of the Christian life are
the things that go beyond analysis.
Paul had a remarkable experience in
which he heard unspeakable words
things beyond the power of our limited
human speech to express. To him it
was to be in the third heaven for a
time. There are privileges like that
awaiting believers.
Logic Cannot Always Explain.
Things we cannot know with the
intellect can be known by the heart.
Things which cannot be explained may
nevertheless be profoundly felt and
may bring rich and joyful experiences
with them. The knowledge of ex-
p~erience reaches heights to which the
reason cannot climb.
Do we not speak soberly when we
say that our present and pressing
need is to know the love of Christ in
this experimental way? The love of
Christ passeth knowledge. 1t is some
thing that deies our analysis. Our
logic is powerless to explain it. Cold
reason falls limp when it tries to ex-
plore the glowing mysteries of the
unreasonable love of Jesus Christ to
men. The breadth and length and
height and depth are beyond all
mind. 1t surpasses knowledge.
But this thing which we cannot eX-
plain fully can be known in an enrich
ing experience. Nothing means so
uluCH W d GIIlSIldn lllO 90 oStooAAJ "
feel the warmth and glow of the love
of Jesus. That is the supreme privi-
lege of the children of God. That Is
the joy which lies in the heart of real
conservation. Nothing exceeds it.
Nothing excels it.
We suggest that each Christian may
we'll make the browning petition of
this old prayer his own personal petit
ton. There will be large success in
all of those activities if they are in
spired by a personal experience of
the love of Christ. There will be
great achievements when all the folk
in the church come to know Christ's
love with this experimental knowl-
edge Happy are all they who, leav-
ing the freezing reasons colder
part" concerning all these enriching
things of the religious life can con-
fidently say: II have felt. "-United
Presbyterian.