The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1916-12-29

mans part to liyD in harmony with
Gods commands In fact, our whole
civilization is peHkneated from top to-
bottom with the rottenness Of sin and
selfishness. Such broad and sweep
ing statement does not in the least
controveKt the epaAy true statement
that there are nEiny true, sincere, 10y
al followers of 0AfBt whose light IL
shining steadily and brightly s@anti@
whose lives make an the more clear
by force of eoAtFast the surrounding
darkness. Because sin is so terrible
thing and its consequences 50 hUr=
rible is no reason for doubling the
goodness of God or His love to man.
For on the other hand, the cChsequeie-
es of obeying His laws and liVingriBF
harmony with lis will do unquesti0n-
ably bring peace aud joy, and alb th9l
sa-isfactions OF Efe v ell spent. I'm
less we admit this corresponding trnlthr
We merely gEe proof that We are mar
row minded and DISPOSED TO consider
but one side CT the pro5l N, An hon
est fair-mnoed aRi IispassIonatei
study of the whole matter willneemE
pei us to admit tAaA there is no true6
reason for doubling our God or His
love to man. Lea rs rather be fairs
minded enough b put the blame
where it truly beaoBgs-on ourselves!h
In looking back over many Of the
tragic events Oh history we have
I brought home to rs the truth so we'll
stated centuries ago: "Surely the
wrath of man shah praise Thee; the9
remainder Of wRaSh shalt Thou re-
strain" One Oh Two examples will
suffice. The terrible outbreak of mans
cruelty and stagkRAw shown in the
horrors % tAe kszSslsition caused the
faith of many to WAIVER, and not a.
few to deny theiz Lord. But can any
one now question: that, by the wisdom
of Almighty GOD This fearful storm
of mans wrath was made the very
instrument Whereby the flame which
was intended to consume and destroy
those who believed in worshiping theird
God according 30 their conscience, was
converted into tho very means where
by religious liberty eventually became
dominant? Persecution drove our
forefathers across the seas; but the
landing at Plymouth was symbolic Of
the rock foundation of freedom to
think and believe as we chooses on
which was to be founded the futuref
growth and stability of our country.
The awful slaughter of our Civil war
preceded the frneR establishment OFF,
the Union and the freedom 5of the
slave. The same principle is found
prevailing in the long, slow, and some
times disheartening advance of ciylu
lization from lower to higher plapes,3f
Why then should we doubt that iaf-
ten this unspeakably fearful time 0i
suffering the same advance will be
true? Many of us may not live long
enough to see the wonderful way init
which God viii use this tempest Of
mans wrath for His greater praise
and glory, but wa may on this rest as
sured, that whatsoever of the stormy
would not work out for His greater
praise and the eventual benefit or
mankind, will DO restrained.
Never yet have His promises failed;
never yet has there been reversal Of
that law of advance just noted; never
yet, in all the darkest scenes Of tra7
gedy and gloom has the light of faith
failed and gone out in the hearts Of
all of His true believers; and never
vet has that faith failed of justifiT
cation in the light of future events.
Though He sIay me yet shall 4
trust Him." was uttered centuries ago
before our Christ had given the final
} and most complete proof of love di}
: vine. Remembering that woadrous
, life of sacrifice, suffering, sorrow and.
, death for you and for me, cannot our
: faith remain firm and true, even M
der the agony and distress of the
} present war, when we recall that the
: love of God WAS the reason for the
Star of Bethlehem and the sacrifice on
, Calvary? To be sure VIC cannot tin44'
derstand such a love as this, but AZ
t least we may be true to it, glory n It, I
) and never question thames ":
: Johnson, in '"Tho Meaning Of War;
El