Norwich bulletin., 1915-04-01
WITNESSES WITH KNOWLEDGE
Are the Kind Needed in the Christian
Life Says Rev. Mr.. Ricketts,.

Rev. c. H. Ricketts, was sthe speak
er at the shop talk at the Richmond
Radiator company at noon on We'd
nesday and vocal selection were rend-
cred by Mrs. L. .. Potter.
A witness said Rev. Mr.. Ricketts, is
one who testifies' on the strength Of
personal knowledge and it is the only
evidence that is worth anything in a
justice court. When a subject comes
directly in contact with one or all of
our five senses we can speak with au-
thority. Specialists make good wit
nesses along their line because they
can testify from personal investiga-
ton.
eyes, and handled with their own
hands the things whereof they affirm
1t is for this reason that the insan-
ity expert loomse up larg in our
criminal courts. His wide acquaint-
ance with both the normal and alb
qualities him to speak with knowledge
on that subject. Therefore he is re-
garded as valuable witness.
Let us remember that witnessing is
something more than speaking. The
basis of witnessing is knowledge, while
speaking is only giving outward ex-
preston to that knowledge. There
are many who consider talking about
a thing and witnessing as identical.
This is a great mistake because talk
ing without knowledge is mere guess
work.
The court never says to a witness,
will you please talk about this case;
will. you give US your suspicious, sur
Musings and deductions; will you state
what current street gossip has to say
about it," 1t is never this but always
what do you positively know about
this case?" Witnessing, then, to have
any value must have it's foundation in
knowledge.
If knowledge takes complete pos
session eff US it will seek it's own mode
of expression. 1t will show itself in
what we say; it will more deeply
there is something real in our lives,
something that is calculated to make
others better, then I believe in the
verbal expression Of it. On the other
hand there is nothing more disgusting
than for the tongue to affirm what
does not really exist in the heart-this
is sheer hypocrisy. An ideal witness
is he who speakes Of what has passed
through the crucible Of a rich expert
ence.
Harvard graduate and is standing
on the street corner waiting to take
any job that turns up, you have a
right to call him a miserable witness
You do not care to hear a politician
shout himself hoarSe about fidelity to
country if you have reason to believe
he is CRATER. If, on the other hand,
the lives of men are rich and noble
land true, then what they say will en-
phasize what they mean and as wit
nesses they will add to the moral
value of the world
What we need, then. is men SO filled
with the nobility of life that talking
about it becomes perfectly natural.
What we need is teachers in all the
grades so impressed with the import
ance of learning that they must be
witnesses of it to others. We need
men inside and outside the workshops
so gripped with the divinity of labor
| that they cannot speak too highly in
its praise We need more Christians
of such experimental knowledge of
their Lord that their faces will
say, 1--WE have been with Him on the
Detachable Mountains" men so filled
with the abundant life that they will
| exclaim with the old disciple, I'VE
have found the Messiah" Such are
| the witnesses and such alone that will
hasten the redemption of the world.