Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1920-12-01
Heavenly Recognition From
Bible Assertion and the
Silence of Christ.
Text: eff it were not so I would
have told you"
(Sermon by DR.. r. G. Lee.)

(Sermon by DR.. r. G. Lee.)
This morning we tried to speak on
Heavenly Recognition from what re-
lection of that doctrine implies. To-
night we wish to speak or the same
subject, taking thought for what the
Bible asserts and interpreting in a
measure, as far as we can, what the
silence of Christ on this subject says
on the subject. Since there is an as
sertion that satisfeth so there is a
silence that speaketh.
i. Why Did Christ Not Tell Us?
That is, why did He not speak out in
so many words and tell us? do not
know that anyone can answer sat
lsfactorily such questions. But the
following considerations suggest
themselves to US when we try to ac-
count for our Lords reticence and
restraint in this matter First: Jesus
saw the danger of detracting from
the critical Importance of the life in
which we accomplish, if we accom-
plish at all, the work which the Fa-
ther hath given US to do. THIS is the
life when we must hear His word and
do it. THIS is the life when we must
obey the command which says ''This
is my commandment that ye believe
on Him whom | have sent. IF Christ
had placed the emphasis on the
HEREAFTER and minutely describ-
ed its glories for US we might be so
consumed for desire to lay our ar
NOR down and enter. the saints ever
lasting rest as to neglect and almost
despise the present hour.
Paul said: 81 have desire to de-
part and be with Christ, which is far
better" The life beyond pulled at his
very heart strings, the crystal river
that flows by the throne murmured
from afar into his ears-and it took
nothing less than a struggle, nothing
less than all his moral resoluteness
to go on patiently with his appointed
ministry.
Samuel Rutherford, the seraphic
Covenanting preacher cried: cob!
How sweet and glorious shall our
case be, when that fairest among
the sons of men will lay His fair
face to our sinful faces and wipe all
tears from our eyes! 0 Time, run
run swiftly and hasten that day."
He longed to be away. The fires of
earth were getting cold, the bread of
earth stale, the rest of the earth
WEAKNESS.
John Bunyan in that glorious Wis
ion of heaven which he had, spoke
these significant words which but
show the homesickness Ct his soul:
"I' looked in and beheld the city; it
shone like and the streets also were
paved with gold. WHICH WHEN I
HAD SEEN / WISHED MYSELF
AMONG THEM. And to his soul the
earth light was being filled with shad-
ow, the chill was creeping into the
air,-he wanted to be away and be
with Christ, which was better.
An eskimo who had journeyed to
the tropics where frost never came
and ice was never seen took sick of
fever. He begged to be sent home.
While the fever fires ragged like
conhagration in his body on the voy-
age home he would ask ever and anon
the question: "Do you see any ice%
Then daily and with repeated insis-
tence and earnestness he kept ask
ing any and all who drew near his
couch ''Do you see any ice?" He was
homesick for ice. His house had been
ice, his bed had been ice, his blan-
kets had often been snow, the very
water he drank was but melted snow,
the fish he. caught were caught
through a hole in the ice. He was
homesick, and heart sick, and soul
sick for the home he knew. Now,
Heaven is the home of the soul. And
oft I think that if the glories of that
great world over yonder had been
revealed to US in detail the glories of
it would so enrapture our souls that
we should have no heart for the COM
monplace tasks and routine work and
drab duties and the deadly monotony
of the unspectacular of this earthly
life. So did our Lord not keep them
veiled lest the homesiekness of the
soul prevent us from accomplishing
here and now the work which God
has given us to do?
Secondly, our Lords reticence and
reserve are part of His demand for
faith. "We walk by faith, not by
sight" All things are not made clear
and plain. We have to take many
things con trust"-trust in Christ!
Our Lord consistently refused to give
men what they would consider to be
convincing and overwhelming demon
stration. The Pharisees asked: "What
sign showest thou?" But Jesus re-
fused to give them the sign from
heaven for which they were annoy
ingly and continually clamoring.
Philip said: "Lord, show US the fa-
ther and that will satisfy u.s." But
Jesus refused to give any greater
sign than that which Philip had al
ready beheld, and he answered Phil
ip by saying "that he that hath seen
me hath seen the Father" Herod,
when he was at Jerusalem saw Je-
.sus. "And he was exceedingly glad"
Why? Because for a long season he