The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1919-04-05
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REV. J. j. DICKEY.

Fatherhood implies care for chill
dren.
A child in a happy home with n rich
father never fears starvation or wor-
ries about food or raiment.
God tells his children not to worry
about such things.
Like as a father pittieth his chill
dren that so the Lord pittieth them,
fear him." The child says This
house is mine" Why? Because It be-
longs to my father"
The child claims all that Is his faith
ers. In this he is justified by the re-
lationships between them. God teach
es his children that all that he has Is
theirs. This is wonderful. Men do
not realize it. Yet 1t is true, And
more than that God proposes to act
the part Of wise father and distrib-
ute his wealth to them as they need,
he being the Judge. Children do not
always see things as the father see
them. They often want things that
the father knows is not best for them,
and the children murmur and com
plain and accuse father Of being
stingy and unsympathetic. God has
the same trouble with his children.
All of the real trouble men have
grows out of their unwilingness for
God to have his way with them. In
other words it grows out Of lack Of
faith in the Father who says "All
things work together for good to them
that love God"
Fatherhood implies authority. Chill
dren are expected to obey their par
ents. The relationship demands It.
When the father issues command the
child has no right to refuse obedience.
1t is his duty to obey So Gods chill
dren must ask no questions when the
Father speaks but say, Whatsoever
thou commandest that will we do"
Disobedient children are never hap
nv Disobedience breeds discomfort.
When Gods children go astray by dis
obedience trouble invariably ensues.
Men cannot be happy who are out Of
harmony with God. Happiness comes
through sympathetic and harmon
ous affiliation with God.
When the Christian man finds him
selft out of harmony with God the rem
edy is to be found in prayer for Gods
spirit to so operate upon his ma
ture that he will he able to say, mot
my will but thine be DONE This is
possible. This plan has been tested
by millions and found to work we'll.
We may know about God by reading
the Bible. we can only know God by
Communion with Him through pray
err Men know each other by inter
course, fellowship, communion. thus
we know God.
The Christian must not even for a mo-
ment lose sight of the fact that God
is his father To do so is to lose the
sentiment and power which grips men
to God. II is all right to think of God
as Creator, Preserver and Redeemer,
but in this We must not forget He is
our Father, with all that that rela-
ton means. Christ came to reveal the
Father to us. In his life and teaching
He showed all the tenderness and care
that the Father could feel. In this
way "he showed us the Father"
All of Gods dealings with his chill
dren are to be Interpreted through His
fatherhood.
Christians are not slaves. they are
sons and daughters and God expects
them to trust Him as loving, faith
full Father,
| II is worry that makes men unhap-
ply. Worry wears worse than work. "
1t plows burrows in the cheeks, turns
the hair grey, takes the luster out of
the eye and the smile from the face.
and all of this because men do not
trust God as little children trust their
earthly father. If God clothes the
grass and feeds the sparrows sure
| lv He will clntha and food nc al yn