The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1916-08-31

went always az
we desired or IL we always understood
why they go as they do. But the text
gives us hint what the Christian has
before him
A Certain Prospect.
The prospect is that certain expert
ences which will be hnrd to hear will
be met with on llfe's journey. There
will be many things which will cut ind
hurt and which seem altogether un-
necessary and MS though II were i'm
possible for them to work for good
Think OF John the Baptist locked Nd
In prison. He wOs nun accustomed
from his youth to the great Outllours
the mountains and the plnlns-the
rivers aud br0Oks-the broad nuontlay
sky and sparkling starry heavens we're
natural to him. He had given his life
to God and thousands hung un his
words Suddenly he ls thrown Int
prison for his falthfulness to the
Lord. But the Lord was at hnn,l. The
Lord with power TO speak word and
blind eyes saw and deaf ears heard
And even the bars and doors Of the
grave were broken and opened. Sure
ly such one with such power could
open mere prison doors and set the
prisoner free. But though he knew
John was In prison because OF faith.
fulness to himself. he gave no sign.
nor went to the relief Of the Imprls
oned one. John could not understand,
but he could know that this awful
experience would work together with
all his other experiences for good.
Think of Daniel-falthful. true, sin
cere, man Of prayer and go,lllness,
yet because Of the very fact thut he
was what he was. he must needs 10
to the lions den. He, too, could not
understand but he could know "tlut
all things work together for good
SO In the path of the Christian there
lie strange, mysterious experiences
that seem to make the soul StAgger
and the spirit grow faint. There come
occurrences which. looked ut by sight,
seem to be anything but good hut seem
so evil that they cannot be mudp to
work together for good. They C5ia
the Christian to implicit trust 10
Gods purpose and absolute confidence
In his ways. In all his experiences
he is to walk by fnith-nOi under
standing perhaps but knowing TINT
spite of Appearances, all things work
together for good But while the he
lever has this prospect. he also has
A Certain Promise.
When Peter came to things he did
not understand in the dealings of the
Lord, he, naturally. woDted to under.
stand. Instead Of explaining. the Lord
simply said: "What ! do thou know.
est not now; bat thou shalt under
stand hereafter" This promise each
Christian muy take TO himself. know
Ing that some blessed day all Ques-
tons will be answered and he viii
understand how as well us "know that
all things work together for gOnd." We
cannot think of John the Baptist or
Daniel or Stephen or any of the heroes
of faith, who have met trying and bit
ter experiences which they could
not understand, even now finding fault
and saying to the Lord: '"rhou
shouldst have done II, differently. 0
Lord" The Christian may not under
stand in the present time why the
Lord permits the hurt but he knows
that all things work together for good
and some day he will understand the
need for the hard things and how they
have worked together for good Aud
while he faces this prospect and rests
in this promise he has
A Certain Provision.
A provision the Lord has mnde to
meet every experience. Irrespective
of how deep the hurt he permits or
how bitter the cup he presents he
makes provision that will keep the
heart In perfect peace. The cOmmnnd
to the Christian reads: "Be anxious
(or worried) for nothing. but In ey.
erythlng by prayer and supplicniion
with thanksgiving let your requests
be made known unto God and Tho
peace of God which passcth under
standing shall keep your hearts and
minds in Christ Jesus" He cares for
us and desires with longing thai we
should cast all our care upon him. lie
will comfort, he will sustain. hr VIII
uphold, so that In the midst Of hard
and bitter experiences which cannot
be understood. the Christian looks for
ward to the day when he Will under
stand, while he may enjoy IN The
meantime the pence that passeih aIl
understanding. The victorious shout
OF the Christian Is: 1--WE know that
all things work together for good TO
them that love God"