The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-04-14

verse, and governing his words
therebyT'
A distinguished Christian nobleman
of England has recently written
book entitled "The Silence of Cod"
and after discussing the proposition,
whether God, who is holy, infinitely
powerful and Interchangeable, can per-
nit the present worldwide care to ex-
list or not, he comes to the conclusion
that God is the same as he was yes
terday, and will be the same God for.
evermore.
Our topic is 1.-THE Quietness, or the
Tranquility Of God" Is that justi-
fed? Is he just as quiet in the tribu-
lations of the nations of the earth as
he was when peace ruled supreme?
We strongly believe so. Our text says,
"God is not the God of confusion, but
of peace" that is, he is an orderly God.
His character is brought into contrast
with the turbulent religious assem-
blies of emotional orientals. Never
for moment does God become ex-
cited, lose his head, or act hastily,
or under passionate impulse. When
David came to his best self, he saw
that the steadfastness of Zion was
secured by the fact that God dwelt in
her, and therefore she could not be
moved. That was what steadied Mar
tin Luther and Melanethon in the
stormy days of the Reformation, as
they sang, God Is Our Refuge and
Strength" especially as they heard
God speaking to their very souls, BE
still, and know that I am God"
A Vivid Contrast.
In the second Psalm, the raging ma
lions are brought into vivid contrast
with the quiet of God. God is sitting
on the circle of the heavens and
laughing, as though utterly indiffer-
eht, unconcerned by the earthly COM
motion At one of the crucial mo-
ments in our national history, when
| the beloved Lincoln was stricken
down, James A. Garfield, then a con-
gresham, spoke in New York as to
the dire event, and said: ''The Lord
reigneth; he is clothed with majesty,
the government at Washington still
lives"
This quiet of God is based on his
infinite character. Nothing is more
needed in these trying days Of the
shaking of nations, than the thought
that God is sovereign, that he has
majesty, is infinite in his power, holi-
ness, goodness and truth; before him
the nations are but as the small dust
of the balance; he sets up kings and
casts them down.
Can Man Attain This Quality?
Can this characteristic quality of
God be transmitted to men? Can man
be tranquil and quiet In the midst of
human commotion, contention and bat
tie? The days in which we are living
are described by the Lord as those in
which "men's hearts shall be failing
them for fear and looking for those
things which are coming on the earth
Three years ago, men were, predicting
the entering In of the day of universal
brotherhood, of amity, Of altruism, and
as consequence material prosperity,
the wise diffusion of wealth and realiz-
ing millennial conditions, but now they
are so overwhelmed with the facts
that stare them In the face, that they
are In CONSERVATION and confusion and
fall into rage when asked to think
about these things.
1t is natural that the children OF
God should partake of his nature; con-
sequently they may be quiet, If the
link Of faith is strong. Is it not true
that God will keep him in perfect
peace, whose mind is stayed ON him
The voice of wisdom is the voice OF
God; and wisdom says, "Whoso bark
ems unto me shall dwell safely and
shall be quiet from fear Of evil"
Many of the children of God have
testified to this quiet that comes from
believing In his Word. The patient
going to the operating table, or the
soldier going into the battle, or the
merchant seeing his property all being
swept away from him, can remember
that God is his friend and be quiet
The early Christians as they were
thrown into the arena to be torn into
pieces by the lions were quiet, and
sang together to the honor Of their
Lord.
Today God is not excited. The
wrath of the world is not confusing
him, and he is just as really interested
in the fall of the sparrow as ne Is in
the adjusting of relationships. Of EN-
pires, Kingdoms and republics.
Be this my Joy that evermore
| =. ~-.,faa III