The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1919-01-04

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~ A "passed from.
ssssM .AM@s death unto life,"
"from the power
of Satan unto God,' it was this sweet
singer of the Christian church. Some
one else had taken possession of JohE
Newton's personality; had softened.
sweetened and nodded 1t Into his own
likeness and image, and that one was
Christ.
The Transforming power Of life has
been utilized to illustrate the manner
in which the Lord of Glory transforms
humanity into his own likeness. The
figure used is that of the human body,
amazingly intricate in its makeup, yet,
In all it's variety, a wonderful unity. A
living personality dominates its every
part, causing every atom Of matter to
pulsate with its own life. Every atom
of this body of mine once lay dead in
the senseless clods of the earth, a
highway for worms. Now, they are
mine, and they have passed from death
unto life. By the power of this life
present within me, they have been
transformed into living tissue, formed
into myriad cells, assembled and ar
ranged to suit my particular needs, the
whole becoming my
Soul Revealer.
The soul is sometimes spoken Of as
Imprisoned In tenement of clay"
but is this ,ruei The body does not
shut in and conceal the soul, but just
the contrary. It Is the great soul re-
vealer. Indeed, SO far as we have any
experience, 1t is the souls only re-
vealer. We can know nothing about
each other save as we reveal ourselves
through the acts of the body. Our
characters are written plainly across
our faces SO that even ''he who runs
may read"
The sublime truth which the New
Testament teaches us.is that the Spirit
of the Infinite God lays hold upon us
who are dead in trespasses and sins
and takes up his dwelling in the hum
blest believer in Christ. Through
these believers, In whatever place or
time, the Spirit of Christ reveals HIM
self to the world. God has many ways
of revealing himself, but in the moral
world only one, and that is through
moral agents submitted to his loving
control. Does the world see In me any
thing to suggest the character Of
Christ? Is the world led to sense the
presence of the Master in my conduct
of business affairs? Do my compan-
ions in the home who know me most
intimately, appreciate the control of
this divine life? But to be true re.
vealer, the body must be
The Bond Servant.
The body Is not only the reyealer,
but also the servant of the soul, and
just so far as it serves, it reveals. With
one sovereign will controlling every
part of my body, every member alive
and alert to obey, am enabled to do
my work in the world with delight
and ease. But if any member refuses
to obey, what hindrance and loss re
suit!
And has our master no object to at.
tain? What must be the yearning OF
his great heart to bind up the worlds
cruel wounds in this crisis. and how
can he perform this ministry Of heal
ing except through the yielded obedi-
ence of the members Of his body? God
grant. us the will to surrender to him,
and that habit of alacrity In our obedi-
ence that delights to do his will. This
old world has no greater need than
this. HE that doeth the will of God
abideth forever"
| My will Is not mine own,
Till thou hast made 1t thine;
| II cannot reach monarch's throne
Until its crown resigns;
1t only stands unbent amid the clashine
strife,
| When on thy bosom 1t has leant,
And found in thee its life.
George Matheson.