Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-05-07

this inquiring as to how" obsessed
various classes. At least five times
was the question asked in one form or
another.
The Troublesome SLOW"
That little word how" has been a
great troubler. It is often asked with
reference to the actions of God. The
Christian church. backed by the Word
of God, teaches that God is all-power-
ful and ALLOWING. Now comes some
n and asks. How can you reconcile
that teaching with the fact of so much
suffering on this earth, and that on
the part Of people who suffer for no
fault OF their own" How can you
reconcile that with the doctrine of
eternal punishment of the wicked?"
How can you reconcile that with the
cruel death In the Cross Of Calvary"
How can the blood of Jesus Christ
have any connection with the forgive
ness OF a mans sins?" How can sim
pie trust in Jesus Christ result in sal
vation?" Are such questions justi-
fed?
BE Sure Of the Fact.
In the Scripture case. the man had
been born blind and everybody knew
It. He met Jesus one day and in a
very brief period Of time was made to
see. a fact to which there was no o n
tradiction. Now this is a most impor-
tant matter in the application of the
text to moral or spiritual transforma-
tons. The g~enuineness Of these are
usually supported by some radical
change In a person, and also by the
permanence of the change. The per
manent change being established. no
n questions the fact. II 1t ia an in
dividual that is interested in this mat
ter. he may simply ask himself the
question. "Are things different from
what they were?" He can usually an
swer that question with the greatest
p~ositiveness. He knows what he now
loves. and what his life is as compared
with what Il was. and he has hopes
Tor the future that give him a satisfac-
ton that he never knew before. In
short we can say. "He knows that he
is saved. II is a fact" Job knew that
his Redeemer lived. Paul was fully
persuaded that the good work had be-
gun in him. John knew that he and
other Christians had passed from
death unto life.
AS to the outward steps that may
have to be taken. they may be known,
as In the case Of the man born blind.
most cases of genuine conversion
The outward steps can be seen. but SO
much has been made of these that
souls have been made to believe that
unless they could see the steps in
their own conversion they had nc
claim to be called children of God. The
books that have recently appeared
such as "Twice-Born Men," by Harold
Begbie. relating moral and spiritual
transformations, have left the impress
sion on many that they must pass
through similar experiences. In short
they must know "how."
In genuine spiritual transformation
the work is that of the Holy Spirit
who works when and where and how
he pleases. IL must be kept In minC
that the Holy Spirit is God, and Coz
has always reserved to himself tn,
AAbhN W hocp NIB ocChcl, du'
as well his methods Of operation. ant
II is more than foolish to try to ente
where angels fear to tread.
Why Not Ask "How7"
Summing up these thoughts, we ma,
observe that the asking of the ques
ton "how" is frequently a mere gull
Bile. the avoiding of the main propost
tion. It is oftentimes not sincere. tn
purpose being other than getting a
4 answer for proper ends. In the cas-
before us the question was asked t
involve Jesus in some technical breac
OF the Jewish Sabbath day.
There is great impertinence In asl
ing the question. for 1t may belong {
the secret things of God. The phys
dan does not ordinarily feel under an
obligation to tell the patient how tn
medicine works.
Sometimes the answer OF the que