The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1918-01-18
THE PEACE OF GOD.
Continued from Page %

1
| though through The veil of darkness
they could not read His bright de-
signs, in these events there was to
them a whisper of hope. Three days
later hope was revived by the news Of
our Lords resurrection, confirmed to
them by his appearance in their
midst. Again forty days later hope
was strengthened by His ascension af-
ter His parting counsel and blessing
and promised return, and the instruc-
tons to tarry in Jerusalem until they
| received the promise of the Father,
the Comforter, the Holy Spirit Of
adoption, not many days since-at
Pentecost. Then the peace of Christ,
the Lords richest legacy, began to be
| realized, and the tarrying days of
prayer and expectancy were days Of
abiding peace-peace which flowed as
river. But when on the day of Pen
tecost the promised Comforter came,
the river of their peace found deeper
bed; and their joy knew no bounds!
"Like river glorious is Gods per-
perfect peace,
Over all victorious in its glad increase.
Perfect; yet it floweth fuller every
day;
Perfect; yet it groweth deeper all the
| way"
Our Rich Legacy of Peace.
But not alone to the early church
was this legacy Of peace bequeathed.
It is the blessed inheritance Of the en-
tire church, even to the end of the
age. The Lord showed His thought
for us all on that very day, when in
His prayer He said, Neither pray
for these alone, but for all those who
shall believe on Me through their
word" John 1920.
The peace promised, observe, is not
the short-lived peace of the world
which is sometimes enjoyed for lit
tie season-while fortune smiles and
friends abound and health endures, but
which quickly vanishes when poverty
comes in and friends go out, when
health fails and death steals away the
treasure of our heart. "My Peace
the peace of God, which Christ Him
self by faith enjoyed, who, though He
was rich, for our sakes became poor
who lost friend after friend, and His
last hour was forsaken by all of the
few that remained-His peace endur-
ed through loss, persecution, scorr
and contempt, and even midst the ag
onies of the cross, This peace is
something which none of the vicissi
tudes of the present life can destroy
and which no enemy can wrest from
US.
What richer legacy could the Lore
have left His beloved people? Sup
pose He had bent His energies dur
ing His earthly life to the accumula
ton of money; and that in so doing
he had amassed an immense forum,
to leave in the hands Of His disciple!
wherewith to push forward the grea
work Of the age, when He should b
taken from them; money to pay thu
travelling expenses of the Apostle
and to defray the numerous expense
| incidental to the starting of the worl
J in various places, such as the rentinl
/ of lecture rooms, the payment of sal
! aries Of travelling brethren, etc., etc
How soon would it all have vanished
, and how poor would be our inheritanc
today! 1.-THE man of Sin" would sure
I ly have gotten hold of it in some way
: and not vestige of the legacy woul
have reached this end Of the age. But
= blessed be God, His rich legacy o
: peace still abounds to His people!
IL The peace promised is not such a
, the world can always recognize an
E appreciate; for the possessor of i
| like the Lord Himself, and life tn
5 Heavenly Father as well, may have
Q stormy pathway. Indeed, that it mus
be so to all the faithful until the pun
poses of God in the permission of ev
are accomplished, we are distinct
forewarned, but with the assuranc
:, that through all the storms this peac
e shall abide-"In the world We sha
f have tribulation, but in Me We sha
have peace"
r Faith the Basis of Peace.
: If we would know the foundatio
9 and security of this abiding peac
S which is able to survive the heavies
d storms of life, we have only to look I
n the teaching and example of IL
/, Lord and the Apostles. What was
q that held them so firmly and gay
q them such rest of mind while the
r. suffered? It was their faith--the
:, faith in the Love, Power and WisdoI
q of God. They believed that what &c
5. had promised, He was able also
J. perform, and that His righteous al
: benevolent Plan could know no fai
y. ure. By the mouth of His prophet Z
had declared. "My counsel shall stan
and | will do all My pleasure. Ye
/ have spoken it and ! will bring it
e pass; l have purposed it, I will all
u do it." "The Lord of hosts hath pu
y posed and who shall disannul it
W lisa. 1850, IL; 14:27). On the assn
e ance of God they rested. In Hi
81 their faith was anchored; and it ma
e, tered not how fiercely the storm
s; ragged or how they weer tossed by Il
5; tempests of life while their anch
r still held fast to the Throne of God
81 The language of our Lords fai
vs. was, 30 righteous Father, the wor
ID hath not know Thee; but l ha
VS. known Thee" He had been with Il
al Father from the beginning, and HI
p realized His love and His goodnes
s. and had seen His power, and h;
q |