The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-09-15

S2s3$&*#M al Ills u 3. %
IES S$s SsSA said j emiah
s;} long years ago.
| And history shows
| all to5 dearly that the way that seems
rightIto a man ends in death and dis
asterE There is no way of knowing
what will take place on the morrow or
even within the next hour. An explor-
er or tourist going into a strange I'M
knowa country will want guidance as
to what lies before him. We take
much care in securing all the infor-
matiOh we can before starting into
new territory. Many think it neces-
sary 70 prepare for passing to the un-
known land beyond the grave, but af-
ter all each new day brings such dam
gers and such opportunities that to be
ready for them needs to have the feet
guided into the right way.
Theh by nature man is so self-willed
and self-suficient he needs higher In
telligence than his own to guide him.
This Is humiliating but again history
tells the truth. Ever since Cain in his
seif-Will chose the wrong way it has
been true that "the way of man Is
forward and strange" as the Proverb
says. Moses knew something of this
whenshe declared in his last word to
The people in Deut. SO :29, II know that
after my death We will utterly turn
aside from the way and evil will befall
YOU"
Again we are so prone to wander
from the right way. AS the prophet
says, "All we like sheep have turned
everyone to his own way" Like sheep
we wander, go astray and without
sense keep on going further and furth-
ar astray.
II. Bscause of the Character of the
Way Before Us.
v xssrssssay ryr fTs~g,br;s.
stian hsthese times. Boys ana sfnrTu
are on either side and the way daily
grows narrower. The master himself
warns us in Matt. Z :13, IA, that "wide
is the ghte and broad the way that
ieadeth to destruction, and strait is
the gate and narrow the way which
leadeth Unto life, and few there be that
find it." So difficult is the way before
the Christian, beset by the snares, pit
falls and straps Of Satan, and sd
strewn with the allurements and at
tractionsIof the world, that left to him.
self he would surely come to destruc.
ton. He needs always the guidance
of the one who alone knows all the
difficulties and how to pass them. Not
only difficult, but dangerous is the way.
Ill. Because of What the Lord Is as
Guide.
He knows all the way that lies I'm.
tried and unknown before the Chris
tian's feet. He is omniscient. 1t was
the Lord. not Moses, who led the PEG.
pie of Israel of old, and it is the Lord
who would guide his people in safety
today. A story is told Of little boy
from which we all may learn. During
storm a mother sought to rescue a
family of six children. AS the water
burst open the door Of her home, she
tied her baby on her shoulder and took
boy Of six in her arms. To her four.
teen-year-ol daughter she said, "you
must carry one child" (Which one"
said the girl. The mother looked al
! the two, one of four, one of two, I'm.
able to choose. Ben, her boy of eleven
said. ssMa, I'll take the little one."
"No. my boy, you can't" II know ]
can't" said Ben, ''but Jesus cam
.sThe water is too deep for you," the
dispairing mother said. "It's deep fol-
true answered the boy, "but Jesus is
tall man." They started, the mother
calling to her children, but soon Der
ceased to answer. The mother ant
| the others soon reached a place o.
safety. When the tide went dowr
next day little Ben tramped to then
ana put his little charge into the moth
erss arms. Had he followed her thu
| night before he would soon have beef
| beyond his depth. But unconsclousl,
| he had turned aside and followed /,
bank that years before had marked
| boundary. The water was to his waist
| and a step or two on either side woul
/ have been fatal.
And he can keep the Christian 1
the way as well as put him on 1t. III
| ID the Almighty one. One day Is n
harder for him than f,notller. Thong
there be days black with discourage
ment and foreboding and care, h
! knows it all and can keep within tn
narrow way that leads to life an
tight and joy. A story is told Of q
| Alpine guide who put out his han
for traveller to step up by. Whe
| the traveller hesitated the guide sal
athis hand never lost man." To q
1 who will listen our guide says, II wi
bold thy right hand saying fear the
not"