Norwich bulletin., 1918-01-26
Sunday Morning Talk
THE MAN FROM MISSOURI.

He is, at times. a difficult character to deal withholding so eVerlast1ik5iy matter of fact and unimaginative. He believes only in what can be seen with the eye, or heard with the ear, or spread out on a counter before him. His loudly proclaimed habit is to de- u1and a demonstration.
 How many thousands of citizens of the United States are still asking why we ever went to war! They have heard no hostile guns, nor whirr of bombing aeroplanes above their heads; they have seen no ruined ci- ties. The whole matter seems to
 them sort of academic dispute that ought to be settled by somebody in Washington, or London, or Berlin. Simply because no enemy is battering at our own gates, they cannot under stand that a real war is on, and that,
 through the memorable logic of events, it has become terribly our own
 war. Probably nothing would con-
 vince them of a world in eruption ex-
 cept a few Prussian shells dropped on
 Main Street in front of the postefice
 of their particular village.
 "Seeing is believing" is the motto of the Man from Missouri It looks honest and sound e..cugh till you put lit to the test. T'Hen it becomes al- most ridiculous. Who is one feeble mortal-to attempt to measure the universe in his own pint cup! Who could enjoy residence in a world so
 meager, as to be compassed by lis own observation and intelligence! | The five senses are useful, as far as they go. But no one can claim that they go a great way. They certainly do not report a rnillionth part of what l is transpiring round about us. Think, and sound vibrations of which the eye and ear of man tell nothing. |. Think fof what lies beyond the farthest star revealed by your telescope, the mi nutest particle discovered by your microscope. The cleverest observer
 can test only the smallest fraction of reality. We pity a person who is
 blind and deaf As a matter of fact, l we are all Helen Kellers in a Helen Keller world. It is a true word of John Brierley:: "The supposition that ] the universe amounts to just what our
 five senses report would be a pailos ophy worthy of Bumbiedom. For
 aught we know, a thousand new l senses might be created in us and each find outside it's answering thrill ! pefience that the Misseurian attitude is most parochial and hopeless. Unless 1 spiritual facts are grasped by some faculty other than reason, it is quite possible that they will not be rasped
 at all. That two and two equal four that fire burns, that iron sinks ir
 water can be: shown" to the mos lreluctant mind But such facts as thu existence of God, the reality of pray CT, the truth of immortality, etc, ma. be subjected to no such immediate test. Logic and revelation are botl
 on the side of these great proposi
 tions, but bring to them no utterl.
 compelling proof. If one chooses t
 be a doubter, he may have his way with none to hinder.
 II An insisteneA on tangible evidene
 l would rob, us. of religion altogether In this highArealm we talk by faiti !, and not by sight Now faith is tn , substance of things hoped for, tn , evidence of things not seen.'' Whel , one beholds the end from the begin 5 ming, no faith is necessary. But, t , submit life to hidden guidance, t {, trust in a night when no star appears , to say with Job, Though He slay ma . yet will I trust in Him." this is t | hHoW fcIlSlOHt III .tIlS Iu4IcSIi duu tIloS ' glorious exercise.--.s@ :. .4'.-e ,I The evidence in the case is not mad } so overwhelming as to browbeati me ] l into submission. They are allowed t } make some. venture for their faiti Only so can there be any virtue i
 lit. Doubters may doubt and scoffer
 may scof, if they choose so to dt l | But the heaviest loss falls upon them 7 selves. Misseurians pay heavily i !. the last accounting. Always the vic . tory of life has rested with thos . who through faith subdued king g doms wrought righteousness. oh t tained promises stopped the mouth 3 lof lions. out of weakness were mad 3 strong" .eI@.s.
 Il .=....e THE PARsoN.