The Detroit times., 1916-03-09


they may perceive the real nature
OF the national problems which this
new day has brought, and they will
inevitably do whatever else is neces-
sary TO be done. Lord. increase
our faith" and our works will then
take care OF themselves.
When the Christian church has
been lowest in estate and highest in
faith she has had most power in the
world. Her days OF greatest weak
ness have been when she has trust
ed most TO her temporal power and
material wealth. The martyr church
has always been a mighty church.
Out OF weakness she has been made
strong by faith. When filled with
faith and empty OF goods the church
has gone everywhere conquering.
Faith foils failure.
Like so much OF the Bible, this
eleventh chapter OF Hebrews is left
unfinished. The roll OF faiths he
roes was called only down TO the
date of writing. II has been added
to through all the centuries since
This is a continued story. and the
final instalment will be issued in
heaven. To know fully the
stories OF faith will be one OF the
joys OF the glory land.
Before our eyes, although We have
been sinfully indifferent 70 il has
been enacted one OF the great ex-
periences OF witness-bearing and
martyrdom. ArmeniA's sunerlngs
for the sake Of the Name deserve
to be written as a supplement TO the
present lesson. All the forms OF
persecution enumerated in the Book
of the Hebrews. and then others
still. more dreadful. have been en-
dured by the whole Armenian ma
ton, with more than half a million
martyrdoms 10 its credit Within the
past year.
Accepting the Evidence.
A familiar and oft misunderstood
passage occurs in this Sunday school
lesson. In our Bibles IL begins
new chapter: but very wisely the
lesson committee incorporates il in
the same paragraph with the pre-
ceding chapter. After reciting the
long roll Of heroes OF faith and their
achievements and characteristics,
the writer draws this conclusion:
Wherefore. seeing we also are
compassed about with 80 great
cloud of witnesses. let US lay aside
every weight and the sin which doth
80 easily beset us"--the sin OF un
belief-"and let US run with patti
ence the race that is set before US,
looking unto Jesus, the author and
Of our faith"
Millions of readers have assumed
that the witnesses" are the persons
who are looking at us. those among
whom we live. On the contrary.
the word Is used In its legal sense
of those who bear testimony. The
witnesses who are TO be taken into
account are not our neighbors. but
this long line OF testiners enumerat-
ed in the preceding chapter. These
are the persons whose testimony we
are asked to accept They bear
witness to the supremacy and pow
er of faith. The appeal is TO the
reasonable mind that is willing TO
accept proof. Here are a notable
company OF men and women, his
torical characters, who have put
faith to the test and have found II
victorious.
The idea will bear amplifcation.
There Is all the contrast in the
world between the real meaning OF
this familiar passage and the way
II IL often misunderstood. We take
too greatly into consideration the
opinions OF those nearest us. We
are afraid OF what they say" Mrs
Grundy is queen Of the world. Fear
OF popular ridicule and disfavor is
the animating motive OF many. We
may be sure that the Bible would
never appeal 10 80 ignoble a prin-
ciple. Faith is not TO be grounded
on any popular verdict. Instead,
the Book OF Hebrews turns the read.
ers thoughts back TO the oldest
scriptures. Faith comes by
ths Word OF Cod" A primary les
son Of the present study s that faith
Is 70 be found and fortified in the
Scriptures themselves.
The story was told recently 70 a
friend OF how the longest run on
the Princeton football field was
made; and the narrator was the
player himself II could hear the
other man coming behind me-
thump, thump. thump. cannot tell
you how great the temptation vas
to look back over my shoulder 10
see how near the man was 70 me
But | knew that II / should look
back would be lost. Ny only
hope lay In keeping my eyes stead
lastly on the goal in front OF me
and doing my utmost 10 reach