The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1918-01-31
OF FAITH
Need of the Genuine Bible Brand
to Meet Present-Day
Conditions.

"By falth the Walls or JerH,ho ieI
down, after they were compassed
about for seven days."-Hebrews
IL 80.
II is pathetic TO contemplate the
depths into which Christian faith has
degenerated. Modern faith has been
well compared to a delicate perfume
made by dlssolving few tablets. OF
Scripture In the rosewater of sentl-
mentality. II is sprayed upon the
world from the atomizer OF human
Kindness. Various blends are easily
available. such as Presbyterian. Bap-
tist Episcopalian and humanitarian.
II is not at all expensive and may be
found in almost any household. 1t Is
equally refreshing as a spray for the
home, for congregations, for political
and social stenches and world-war oh
noxious odors.
How does this modern faith comport
with Bible faith? What Is Bible faith?
Ask Job. Joshua, John. 1t Is power
that lays hold on God. removes noun
tains. quenches fire, stops the mouths
of lions, turns the edge Of the sword.
llberates captives, establishes king
doms. I challenge any man or woman
to cite a single instance where Bible
faith was sentimentality.
Faith is heavy artillery. No lesser
definition is permissible in the pres,
ence OF the text. Jericho was impreg-
nable. Its walls defied the onslaught
of the strongest foe. Yet company
of poorly organized, unarmed exiles ac-
compllshed the impossible. What
ridiculous spectacle presented itself
to the eyes of the confident inhabi-
tants as this struggling army of ragged
tramps processioned about the city for
seven days, proclalmlng an assured vic
tory by the blowing of rams horns. II
Is delightful to picture the assurance
Of the besegers in contrast with the
hilarious ridlcule of the besieged. And
yet what battering rams and organized
soldiery had been unable TO effect the
artillery of faith splendidly accom-
plished. 1t is often remarked that
faith Is not practical, Is not workable.
Edison and Marconi did not find It so
when they laid siege to the subtle
forces that engirdle the earth. The
Wright brothers did not find II so when
they invaded the air. Faith is still the
greatest force In the world. Her ar
tillery Is stronger than diplomacy. pol
itics, navies and armies. In statecraft,
science, business and religion the prac-
tical man Is the man of faith. He IL
Is who gets things done while others
are massing the reasons why IL cannot
be done. An eminent Frenchman Of
high political Office gave recent express
sion to the sentiment, "Give us the
dreamer; give us the man of faith;
that is the man France wants." 1t is
high time that some such cry Of the
soul shall go up from men and women
of all shades of religious belief
Need for Present. Day Problems.
Particularly is this imperative among
Christians. Faiths artillery has con-
Quoted an incessant cannonade
throughout the long centuries of Chris
tian achievement. The Christian who
faces the international and social con-
ditions of today with religion Of
mere sentiment Is like soldier who
enters the trenches of Europe with a
broomstick for a gun.
Get back your faith; this is .he out
standing challenge of the hour. Get
back your faith In humanity; human
nature Is by no means as base as it
seems. Get back your faith in Chris
tianity; Christianity has not collapsed.
for thus far II has never been seri-
ously tried; the church is no more i'm
perfect than human nature, of which
society Is composed. Get back your
faith In the Bible; in no particular has
scientific research clouded or weak
ened the great truths and the splendid
destiny therein unfolded. Get back
your faith In government and law:
these VIII yet prove the most efficient
instrumentalities In the building nm of
that great world kingdom of righteous
ness ana brotherhood which Chris:
portrayed. Get back your faith I'm
prayer, the most wide-open door of nc,
cess to the source of divine re-enforc,,.
ments, and prayer actually changes
things. Get back your faith In God,
personal God, your God; this is God,
world, and out of the wreck of dy-
hasties and civilizations the Divine Ar.
chitect VIII yet fashion through human
agencies the golden age of which men
have dreamed.
uniimber the guns and let us bring
INTO action the full artillery of faith
Rev. A. Edwin Keigwin, d. d., West
END Presbyterian church, New York
city.