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“I Am
The Way,
The Truth, and
The Life."
Prejudging the Work of God.
“Therefore, judge nothing- before the time.”
I. Cor. 4: 5.
The recent earthquake resulting in the destruc
tion of San Francisco, Cal., has stirred the minds
of many to deliverances as to the why of the oc
currence.
Men have rushed into print, spoken from the
platform, by the wayside and in the social and
home circles, giving very freely their judgment as
to God’s agency and motive in allowing, or bringing
about so great a calamity.
Sitting in judgment on God and his doings, seems
in the light of Scripture and of all history, to be
a bit unwise and unprofitable.
There wrs a man named Job, whose friends came
to s n e him in his overwhelming afflictions. They
sat down and said nothing for a long time—what
a pity they did not continue saying “nothing.”
But, no—they knew all about it. They were cock
sure that they understood Job and God also. Job
in their estimation, was a very, very wicked man,
and God was punishing him for his sins. Job was
greatly perplexed; did not understand the case, but
argued for his integrity. Finally God himself
came on the scene, asked some unanswerable ques
tions, silenced all parties, but did not reveal the
why of his conduct. It was not necessary. It is
not necessary now that we should “know all about
it,” much less is it necessary that we should pre
judge the Lord and his works. “Judge nothing
before the time.”
It is ours to wait and hope and trust. It is
preeminently wise to be still, and simply know that
God is God.
It is a great mistake to treat this world as if it
were a finished product, its aims all fully developed,
its resources all laid bare, its development only a
circular progress, in which experience repeats it
self and no more.
Creation “in a growing crop, a web in a loom, a
tale half told, a picture just sketched in; therefore,
let rs suspend judgment and “wait,” “Judge
nothing before the time.”
“Wait. Do not judge the work until it is fin
ished. Remember how much will develop as the
toil goes on. Consider the things yet undone—how
much their completion will change the aspects of
the whole.”
“Creation is not to be treated like a finished ca
thedral. whose details are all done; much less like
a crumbling ruin whose disintegration has just be
gun. Let us clothe the purpose of God towards
creation in the beams of hope. The outcome will
satisfy all yearning hearts.
rnc I piapiyl Stages in the progress made
“.ojlfe more like a
.The
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the cutting away of forests, the! dfegingf, of a
ac VilM’ . rj jts old
gno *i9zo ai m;!q gill .noiaainmioa m
-nog VThdodeßt, ’itnoyniqcrwiTd
wvi'Blfcoaiiobtnao'es’qfivPn Ibw tJminldwßdlm-adeiproperty j-'*
vpiJß ita!ffiadf)iaißhr^esßrnisei
bmihifvjllie'h'way didiaP'vqildjitnHss?'/IWbllvdlie 1 one an-ol
Husfe’&bof isj'fi/lwaitl >ahd See.-Hig nod I o -
'"fsiSj I mi si« fIHiM w
The Golden Age for May 3, 1306.
All this is anologous to the world in its moral
relations. Then, too, in any fair construction these
must be viewed according to their issue, and not ac
cording to transitory aspects. We must wait “the
time.” “Judge nothing before the time.”
We make no dogmatic claim. We do not under
take to explain that which cannot be explained.
This cannot be done “until the Lord come.”
We cannot make a demonstration of that which
cannot be demonstrated. It is useless to set forth
things about earthquakes which we cannot prove
and which no one can deny. To do so is to waste
writing material and time.
What are we to do when the earthquake, floods,
famines and scores of other ills come?
Well, in the first place, we will remember, that
from the first these have been coming along. Their
coming is a part of God’s economy. An economy—
notwithstanding all appearances and experiences
to the contrary, is based on love—saturated with
love, characterized by wisdom and backed by om
nipotent power.
In the next place, we will not question nor cavil,
nor murmur. We will not judge.
We will summon good thoughts of the Father.
We will put our hand in his, and as he leads us
through the floods, through the fires, and when
he presses the bitterest of bitter cups to our lips,
we will trust him for his love, remembering that
there is nothing too hard for him and that
deliverance will come.
We are persuaded that some time, somewhere, he
will speak peace, comfort, freedom from pain and
core, and joy to our heart. He will bring us to
know what deliverance is.
The earth may quake. The mountains be re
moved into the sea, but our Father will not fail
us. He loves with a love that will not be quenched,
will not weary under any conditions.
If there are those who think that every time there
is a calamity, as we see it, that God has come down
among us armed with a sharp stick, and that he
is after us, going to get us before we get around the
corner unless we get around quick—we say if
there are those who thus think, and who can get
comfort and hope and good cheer out of the thought,
they are welcome to it—to all of it.
If our theology on this matter is erroneous, we
would love to be set right. We may stumble and
we may fall and go down in darkness, but if we
do, we will hold to good thoughts of our Father—-
our Father- whose unchangeable love for us we de
cline to doubt—no matter in what hell we may
wake up.
Upon these views of God and calamities we pil
low our unworthy heads and decline to be disturb
ed, while we sleep and see visions of glory.
—II. R. Bernard.
<GIL Guard within yourself that treasure, kindness.
,!r ’?vn?>w flow' to give without hesitation, how to lose
. , .Dumniiro I }, i > o r r.i- . ... .
without .regret, how. to acquire without meanness.
7/jiuii atioricTf, iJ; Ti h. ic- r / , , , .
Know how to replace in your, heart by the happi-
ir. 1“ olqo-’.q Sj/hI I . -U
ness that indy be wanting in yourself.
a yonom gmvrg nr ovolrnul ;
3d ion ob I Ind Joboori il-mm oa ai k ’roofr ‘>im 0 -7/
.br.o’idn loqaog oils LneaW gmvig ni oyo-l wu
1 li-Patibn^e; 1 1 humility,'- fwgbtfulness ofU
/rdelf aredtJiel'-toHienfbyial qualjti«p.AjThoma6> Ilpghes.
Without Me Ye Can Do Nothing.
Vain is the hope that stills the breast,
When fiercely surge the storms of life
In frightful convolutions wrest
Mid darkening glee and awful strife;
Unless ’tis stayed on Him divine,
Who is Himself the Lord of storms.
Vain is the faith that seeks to rise
Above the groveling things of earth,
And soar to realms beyond the skies,
And know the things divine in worth;
Unless it take firm hold on Him,
The Author of the Christian’s faith.
Vain is the life that seeks to live
Untouched by evil all around,
Where temptations seductive strive,
And passions hot and vile abound;
Unless ’tis lived in Him divine,
Who is Himself the source of life.
Vain is the effort to perform
Heroic deeds with patience strong,
That must be wrought to bring reform,
And crown the right, dethrone the wrong;
Unless assisted by the One,
Who is Himself all perfect and good.
Vain is the way we strive to make
Ourselves through life’s dark wilderness,
And find the path which we must take
In quest of peace and happiness;
Unless we follow Him who said:
“I am the way, the truth, the life.”
C. W. Durden.
The “Glory” Song.
Every one doubtless remembers the new series of
Gospel songs which came into vogue after the
Moody ami Sankey meetings. So -now the Torrey-
Alexander meetings are bringing out some splendid
new songs. Chief among them is the beautiful
“Glory” Song, which has been translated into fif
teen tongues, including the Chinese, and is said to
have accomplished more good than even the re
nowned “Tell Mother I’ll be There.” It has been
printed 17,000,000 times within three years, and has
been copyrighted. The publishers have now de
clined to allow even Mr. Alexander, the composer
of the song, to use it longer. Hence a substitute
has been written under the direction of Mr. Alex
ander, the first verse and chorus being the follow
ing :
“When time is ended and heaven begun,
Earth’s trials over, its victories won;
When I shall hear the dear Savior’s ‘Well done,’
That will be glory, glory for me.
Chorus.
“Oh, that will be glory for me,
t Glory for me, glory for me,
)H .Saved by his grace and beholding his face,
ng laid Qhjt that will be glory for me.”
—Exchange.
“The Entrance
of
Thy Words
Giveth Eight."
3