Facts of Faith J. H.
' S. out Hi mth e first an dlast chapters ar e wanting, Is . 44:6 ;Pr . 1:7 . 4 . His - tory begins with Him . H ei s first o n the scene. From Hi mma nproceeds; by Hi mh e progresses. A God-con- sciousness i n ma nconstrains an dre - strains him . Religion i s th e first fact in history, an dGo di s th e first i n re - ligion, Gn. 2:8 ;11:9, 10 ;Ac .17:22-28. 5. H ei s th e first fact o f Law. Legis- lation begins with Him, Gn .9:5 ,6 ; it s foundation stone i s " I AMJEHOVAH, thy God," Ex . 20:2 . 6 . H e i s th e Fountain o fal lprosperity, I Chr. 29:12; Mt. 7:26 . Th e science, philosophy, learning, law ,economy, religion, that ignores God , i s a house built o n sand. It i s o f those "little systems" that "Have their day. They have their day , and cease t o be. " 3. Therefore Weought t o put' God first in al l things. 1 . Al lwa s made for Him ,Pr . 16:4 . 2 . Al l t o please Him, Rv . 4:11 .3 . Therefore Hi s purpose precedes all, Ro. 9:20. 4 . Hi s will i sbefore all, Ecc. 12:13. 5 . Hence its accomplishment should b e man's first wish, Mt . 6:10 ;an d engage hi s first efforts, Mt .6:33 ;an dinspire hi s chief affection, Mt. 22:37. 8 .Life itself is i n Him, Jn .17:3. A right start here is a right start i n doctrine, faith, an d duty. Fo rcreed an ddeed H ei s abso- lutely sovereign, Jb .33:13. H ei s re - sponsible t o n o one . Al lar e responsi- ble t o Him , 45:23. Al l things ar e fo r His pleasure, Rv .4:11 , bu thappily i t is Hi sdelight t o bless Hi s creatures, Ps. 145:8. Th ehighest glory o f th e Creator i s t o manifest Himself; th e highest good o fthe creature i sthat same self manifestation. T oglorify Himself is t o beatify Hi screation, Jn . 12:28; Ex. 33:18; Jn .17:3 ,24 . H e lp m e i n a l l t h ew o r k I .do , To ever b e sincere a n dtrue, And k n o w t h a t al lI' d d o fo r you , Mu st n e e ds b e done f o r—OTHE R S. L et "Self" b e crucified a n d slain, And b u r i ed deep; a n da l l i n vain, May e f f o r ts b e t o rise a g a i n, Un l e ss t o live f o r—OTHE R S. And w h en m yw o r k o ne a r th i s done, And m yn e ww o r k i p h e a v e n 's begun, May I f o r g et t h ec r o wn I ' v ewo n , Wh i le t h i n k i ng still o f—OTHE R S.
1. Th efirst o f facts i s GOD, "i n th e beginning God." Only th edevout ca n find Him, Ps .10:10; Hab. 2:20; I I Tim. 6:16; Jb . 11:7 ;Ro . 11:33. N oevi - dences o f Hi sbeing ar eo f force with the proud minded, Mt .5:8 ;Jn .3:3 ;I Cor. 2:14 ;Ps . 14:1 . Creation i s a Burning Bush. H ewh oputs hi sshoes from upon hi s feet ma ydiscover th e cause o f th e "great sight," Ex .3:3-6; he ma yhear th eVoice, th eonly Voice that ca nsa y" I AM," fo ral lothers ca n only say, " Ibecame." There i sbu tOne self existent, who i sbefore all, above all , in all, through all, and for Whom ar eal l things, Ep .4:4 ;Col .1:17 . What a wonder! How great! How glorious! Ho w good! Ou rmind cannot compass Him , our ey ecannot se eHim, bu tou rheart can rest i n Him . When an yma n ca n see God then al lmay cry, " 'Woe i s me ! for I have seen God' " an dlo !H ei sn o taller than I ca nreach; H ei s n o broad- er than I ca nembrace; His. mind i sn o deeper than I ca nfathom." Then w e shall pu to n ou rshoes, an dturn back to,bur herd and t oour wilderness. Said Luther, " I have often essayed t o ex - pound th e Te n Commandments, bu t could never ge tbeyond. ' I a mth eLord, thy God.' " II. 1 . Science must begin with God, Gn. 1:1 ;fo rth eMatter, Force, Life, i n all forms, which i t studies ar ederived from, known to , an dmade known b y Him alone. 2 . Philosophy begins with God. Al l i s a n inextricable tangle with- out Him. God, Hi spurpose an dglory, is th eKe y that turns al lth ewords i n the lock o f mystery, an ddisvovers al l treasures o fbeing, Pr .9:10. 3 . Knowl- edge begins with Him . Under Hi s name, an dunder i t alone, al lma yb e catalogued, i n it s logical order. With- A GOOD STORY t h e r e i s a s t o ry told o f General Booth, tha't o n et i me h e desired t o send a N e w Y e a r 's g r e e t i n g, b y t e l e g r am a n d cable- g r a m, t o a l l t h e Salvation A r my p o s ts i n t h e world. C a b l e g r a ms a r eexpensive a n d h a v e t ob e s h o r t. G e n e r al Booth boiled h i s m e s s a ge d own t o .a single wo r d, b u t h e w a s g r e a t e n o u gh t o choose th e bigges t wor dI n al l th e dictionary ; s o t h is w a sh i s m e s s a g e— "OTHERS'! B y C . D . Meigs . Lord, help m elive f r om d a yt od a y , I n such a s e l f - f o r g e t f ul w a y , T h a t even w h e n I k n e el t o p r a y, My p r a y er shall b e f o r—OTHE R S.
Others, Lord, yes, 4 o t h e r s. L et t h is m ym o t to b e , H e lp m et o live fo r o t h e r s, T h a t I m a y live lik e Thee.
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