The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-03
this great mystery" concerning Christ and the church." 5
 Mysterious Executions

this great mystery concerning Christ and the church."
 Mysterious Exceptions
 In nature substance. expands under heat and contracts under cold Clay and water are the mysterious excep- tions, clay contracts under heat; water in freezing expands. The mystery no scientist can explain yet no scientist surrenders the fundamental natural laws in other substances because of this strange and mysterious exception, nor do the common people stumble over the mysteries in the application of the practical things concerning these mysteries.
 In the history of Christianity there have been periods of wrangling over the mysteries of the Bible. These periods have always synchronized with spiritual relapse in the church and spirit of insurbordination and world Illness. In the period of the severe critics of the Bible mysteries-Boling broke, yoltaire and Payne--the church was suffering woeful spiritual decline. These men whose personal characters and morals were corrupt, by their shrewdness and literary chicanery drew away by their sophistry many from the Bible and the church. Many of the cotemporary saints feared the faith would be utterly destroyed. A great religious awakening followed this period and bonfires were made of their books and their spurious arguments became a laughing stock in the face of the experimental testimony of the people affirming by the highest test the power of the mystery concerning Christ and the church.
 When spirituality declines, mysteries alarm. The pure in heart see God 1; they see Him in all things. The world is little profited in the confusing fight over mysteries. A young preacher fresh from the university and theological seminary preached to an old-fashioned country audience in the mountains of Tennessee. He stated elaborately the arguments of the atheists and skeptics and attempted to answer them, which he did very poorly. An old farmer shook hands with him after the service and said: Well, young man, you dug up more snakes than you killed" Many of our modern preachers are snake dig gers. They may satisfy their pride of learning but the common people are suffering from the venomous fangs of their unearthed serpents. I received a letter few days ago from a layman saying, "I am confused over the dis cussion of the virgin birth. Send me your best arguments" I replied, My arguments are found in full in Mat thew 1 :1S-20 and Luke 1 :31-35."
 Need Of The Age
 A vision of the clearly stated and easily understood truths and the spirit of obedience to known laws is the need of the age. The real trouble with the average man is found not in what he does not understand but in the failure to live up to what he clearly compre- hends. The worst man in the com munity knows more than the best man practices. If man will square him. self with the laws of God, he will have slight trouble over the mysteries. If any man will do My will, he shall know the doctrine" The cure for doubts is duty. Vision and voices clear up as we draw nearer. Draw nigh to God and He will draw night to you" the Psalmist said. Tt is good for me to draw near to God"
 Every man who has clearly sensed the real condition of the present age whether he be banker, statesman or theologian, wether he speaks from busi- ness politics or religion, proclaims the fact that what we need at this hour is a great spiritual awakening. When dogs fight over bones, meat is scarce. When theologians turn from the vital ques- tions and waste their time in the dis cussion of questions which tend to con fuse the minds of the common people, unsettle their faith and promote and encourage the spirit of outlawism and recklessness, we may be sure that the time has come to betake us to our knees in prayer. When horses eyes begin to fail, he sees scarecrows, specters and monsters in every fence corner. It is not question of cleaning out the fence corners, but of restoring healthy vision.