Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-05-06
The Quiet Ways of
Gods Providence
Sermon by
REV. FLOYD W. 1OMNINS.
Text: l. Kings xix, l-l3.
God moves in "a M %stcrious way
HIS wonders TO perform.
Text: I. Kings xix. l-l3.

30 sang W liilam CoWpcr IN lIIi, and
his words have brought comfort and
strength to mul:itudcs of troubled pco-
pie For the on: solution OF life is
found in the truth OF Gods wisdom
and love: ana Jesus Christ came into
the world To declare that n loving God
and Father rules in the affairs Of men.
because lie ia wise human understand
ing cannot fathom His plans; but be-
cause He ia loving we can perfectly
trust Him. No other reasonable course
is left for us. TO think the world is
governed By impcrsonal force is not
only miserable conclusion. but IL is
unScientiiic and unphilcaophical There
must be a Person back OF all force. II
this person * Crucl--that is. il the
world Is governed by dcvil--then
reason s,aEscrs, for how could "A cruel
devil have Implanted in man his heart
Or love and his emotions OF pity? II
this Person !" loving and rise, then
We can recognize our human inability
to understand all that lie docs and at
the same time love and trust Him
little child loves and trusts his
father. Browning has reason and rove
laton with him when he sings:
Gods in His Heaven
AIS right with the world.
L, is no, always true that Gods
Providence moves in quiet vay. Just
the world. AMI VIC are too confused e:i
the tu!nuit to understand clearly His
words. But We can wait and trust and
worship and repent. and 50 ind in
silence the assurance Of His care. He
speaks TO the heart. even when Ills
thundcre roll. and His word 10 The
believer Is this: Trust Me. Ioye Nc
obey Ne" The unhclicvar only hears
The thunder and s. afraid. The Chris
tiar, because chris: has taught him.
a "a nd
voice crying: "''ris /; be not afraid"
GOD SPEAKS TO THE
INDINIDUAI. HEART
After all II IS 10 the individuoi heart
that God speaks. He calls. Indeed. To
the nations bus tic call is answered
as each man hears and oScyS. 20 ma
lion can become righteous say" as IL.
individual citizens become r:"h.c"u.
There IL no wholeSal" method
Cod He calls each man and bids i:
TO lifc % honor and goodness. ana
then sends him on; TO Interpret 70
others His message. Henc. the import
ance OF personal religion II wc would
make the world right before God. And
should listen and hear God speak TO
him. David sang OF this when lie
wrote (p.l ixxXv. 81: II viii hear what
God the Lord viii -aeak. for II" wili
speak peace unto His people and 10
His saints. but &c, them NOT turn
again to !olly."
The FIRST great truth for us to learn
is that God is ruling in our lives. lie
created us--Eyc DE- not make ourselves
and He has pi~n Tor Us, aud n
orly work WIKI Him aud trust Him
tina, plan viii be fulfilled cauno,
understand tho plan. nor can cS-
plain the means which Cod is pleased
- use IN fulfilling :hc plan We need
20 read and make our own Whit,ier's
lines, which are drawn from Chrst's
teach!Dcs and example:
Yet in the maddcaing maze Of things,
Ard tossed ~ storm ana food.
To ono fixed ;rust my spirit clincs;
know that God - good
know not whore Ills Islands lit
Thcir frcrdci palms in air:
onl" know I cannot drift
beyond Ills love ard ccrc.
would recommend an, one who is
pcrplcxcd nv thc experience, az his
life 10 road Whittier wonderful poem.
MY Soul and | II seams TO answer
many doubts and ii brings Gods love
and care" very near TO us.
HOW TO UNDERSTAND
COPS rR0NIDENCES
By the Ugh. Of Gods Holy Srir',
can hear and understand Gods
providence" lie has :. loving
warning word in each jog or sorrow
or trouble that comes to us, and IL is
a delight 20 listen 10 tho quiet voice
which speaks, for we arc in the pres
cncc OF our Father and He is telling
what He would have va do. Eut we
must know Him as Jesus Christ has
revealed Him 10 us. If | think God
Is cruel when 7 am in trouble. or il
think He has nothing TO do with the
pain that comes upon ne, then will
he too deaf 10 hear His voice and TOO
stupid 10 learn. He is love. and If We
trust in Him HIS love becomes known
and VIC can lean upon ii and have no
fear. II becomes delightful and
precious teak 70 interpret tho gently
Spoken message. However hard the
experience may seem to be. there il
a word Of love written in golden let
tcrS by the finger OF God, and rs
search for il fc.l tho cxhiiaration OF
ono who LOOKS for hid treasure.
Sometimes the word is care. and
know lie cares for re and would
have ne care for others Sometimes
it is patience" or "hocc" or courage"
At times it may he :, word OF warning
or n word OF appeal or word OF com
fort. or, perchancc word Of rebuke.
Rut every JOY. every sorrow. ever:
friendship. every sickness. every world
tragedy has n quiet lesson which God
wishes mo TO learn. and which lie
whispers 10 nc SO that I only can
hear and understand. All this comes
to me when | know that because God
is love. therefore, He loves me. His
child.
NEED SOLITUDE TO
HEAR Con SPEAK
Elijah was by himself. all alone in
the wilderness and the cave when God
spoke. ] am inclined to believe that
we need solitude and iSola ton to hear
God speak. or course. He is always
with us, even in the rushing life amidst
crowds and we can talk to Him and
he sure OF His care. But He wants us
by ourselves when lie speaks. Oh,
The peace Of the hour when we can be
alone, Oh. tho blcSSedness OF the
"auict hour" when all is shut out and
away and we have nothing to distract
u.s. wonder II the reason for our
confusion in tho face Of Gods provi-
dences Is not to be found in our crowd
ing together and in our discussions or
perhaps in our complaints? OF course.
we must be brothers and love fellow