The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1917-11-29
Way of
Suffering
BY REV. DR.. Z. p. WEST
Baptist Pastor
Houston. Tens

"And as he passed by, he saw man
blind from his birth. And his disciples
asked him, saying, Rabbi, who slnned,
this man or his parents, that he should
be born blindf Jesus answered: Neither
did this man sin, nor his parents; but
that the works of God should be made
manifest In him."-John 8 :1-3.
The supreme doctrine of Christianity
is undoubtedly the infinite love and d.
vine compassion of God as revealed In
his dear Son. Now, Christian thinkers
feel the painfulness Of pain and recog-
nize the seeming contradiction to uni
versal benevolences In human suffer
Ing, quite as frankly and pognantly as
the most cynical skeptic. Moreover, the
Christian faces the problems involved
with knowledge and candor. admitting
the mystery, acknowledging the alb
sence Of dogmatic answers to the
questions raised by suffering. and yet
urging an Interpretation as scientific,
philosophical and satisfying as unbelief
has ever displayed.
Since God is the divine father, the
sufferings Of his children are not to be
regarded as penal. All the guilt and
penalty Of sin was laid upon Jesus and
he put them away forever. We may
talk about chastisement, or correction,
for our father deals with us as with
sons; or we may speak of reaping the
results Of mistakes and Sins dropped as
seeds In life's furrOw In former years;
or we may have to bear the conse-
quences Of the sins Of others. but do
not talk Of God Furnishing his children.
II God should punish us for our sins,
II would seem that the sufferings Of
Christ were incomplete and the heal
ing Of his stripes inadequate for our
peace.
God Revealed Through Pain.
The inmost. utmost things of God are
revealed through pain. Addiction Is the
breath of the finer spirit Of life. How
does God manifest his finest work in
patience? He takes young life, full Of
hope and promise, and shuts 1t In
small room to linger through a long
battle with ravaging disease, and
makes that room shrine where
earth's sorrowing hearts find cons0la-
ton through a great, rich, joyous, un-
complaining, TRANSPORTED life Of holy
character. How does God manifest his
works Of human tenderness? He
breathes the dream Of parenthOod into
two hearts that beat as one. The child
comes to gladden. all their days, but
alas, she goes-and leaves grief's fiery
footprints behind. Then the Crittenden
rescue homes spring up to girdle the
earth with the glory Of human compass
sion. How does God manifest his great
work in service7 He draws the curtain
and reveals the sordidness of sin and
the blight Of ignorance, crushing out
the higher capabilities of human
race, to the eyes Of passionate
Scotsman. David Livingstone lives,
loves and suffers In Africa-but his
grave becomes the cornerstone upon
which rests the temple Of hope for a
benighted people. How does God man.
ifest his august work of sacrifice? He
lifts cross on a lonely hill and heaven
and earth stand still in awe and rever-
ence. while his dear Son climbs its
summit and pours out his life as an
Offering for peace. And who doubts
that In this awful present hour God is
pointing America to the cross of sac
rificef We must learn to bear the ma
tional cross before We are worthy to
wear the crown OF national honor. IN
speakable Is the sacrifice we are
called upon to make now in the world
struggle for Justice, equality. liberty
and peace. but the making of such sac
rifice marks our people as worthy of
the trust Of power that God has given
us. Through the darkness Of terrible
affection We are sure to pass, but the
jubilee Of triumph shall finally be our
song.
My friends. God Is not Interested In
giving us easy and comfortable lives,
individually or nationally. He is con-
cerned to make US large and compre-
hensive souls. Affiiction is heavens
challenge to us to try the resources of
our spirit. even while we give God his
chance to manifest finer works than
are seen In the starry armament or the
marvels Of mountains. Draw not back.
therefore, from the darkness, for
The dark hath many dear avails;
The. dark distills divinest dews;
The dark Is rich with nightingales,
With dreams. ans with the heavenly