The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1916-06-16

God. This Is the
reason why some men never darken a
church door; they fear that they may
meet God. You know we are told
that Adam tried to hide himself amidst
the trees of the garden just as IL ma
terial things could shut out Gods view
of him, as If Gods eye could not pene-
trate the trees and see Adam where
he was. THE eyes of the Lord" says
one Of old, run to and fro throughout
the whole earth" And the Psalmist
asks, whittier shall / go from thy
spirit or whittier shall l flee from thy
presence? II / ascend into heaven,
thou art there; II take the wings OF
the morning and dwell in the utter
most parts of the sea- even there shall
thy hand lead me, and thy right hand
shall hold me. If | say, surely the
darkness shall cover me; even the
night shall be light, about me. Yea,
the darkness hideth not from thee;
but the night shineth as the days; the
darkness and the light are both alike
to thee" How utterly impossible it
is to get away from God. There Is no
way for man to escape the Almighty;
neither earth nor heaven nor hell has
In it hiding place from him. Dark
ness cannot shut man from his vision.
1t may hide hellish deeds so that men
may not see them, but the eyes of the
Almighty not only penetrate through
inky blackness but search the inner
most recesses OF mans being.
God did not ask this question of
Adam because he was ignorant Of
Adams place in the garden, but he
asked it 10 bring Adam to a realiza-
ton Of his sinful condition, that
be might reveal himself to Adam as
his savior. This same question he
has been asking men down through
the ages and he has been asking it for
the same reason. Not always in the
same words, but nevertheless the
same question. He asked 1t of Cain
when he said, Where is thy brother?"
and Cain knew himself murderer.
He asked 1t Of Elijah, when he said,
What doest thou here, Elijah?" and
Elijah knew he was not trusting God.
He asked 1t Of the woman of Samaria,
when Jesus said, go call thy hus-
band" and the woman knew herself
an adulteress. He has been asking it
OF you many times and In many ways.
He asked 1t OF you when you heard
the first time the story Of Calvary.
and every time you hear the story the
same question is asked, Where art
thou?" Calvary is the great revela-
tion Of mans sinfulness and God
grace. There, as nowhere else, one
sees himself a sinner and there one
beholds Gods provision to meet his
need.
Ne asked 1t of you when that great
sorrow came into your life. Did you
not hear him say, Where art thou?"
Not to condemn you, did he ask It.,
but to reveal himself unto you as your
comforter. He asked 1t OF you when
your loved one left you alone. In the
loneliness Of your life he asked It.
that you might find in him your com.
panion. When that calamity came
and all your hopes seemed blasted 1t
was his voice that said, Where art
thou?" Didst thou not hear him, child,
say this to thee, that thou mightest
cast all thy care upon him who careth
for thee? Deaf indeed hast thou been
to the voice Of thy God, IL thou hast
not heard his loving question. Where
art thou? II thou hast heard this ques-
tion and In the stiffness of his pres
ence realized where thou art and found
In him thy savior. happy art thou In
deed. But IL he has spoken to thee in
his providences. as well as his word.
and thou hast-not-heard, to what
pitch must his voice be raised until
thou doest hear and heed? Even now
in these words he asks thee. Where
art thou?" Not to condemn thee. but
to save thee from thyself. thy sorrow.
and thy sin.