From our Exchanges

with contributions from James Orr, Philip S. Moxom

If God is holy, and this world and man are His creation, very evidently the world is not in a state answering to God's idea of it, or His desire for it. Something has gone wrong. There has emerged something which is not according to God's will, which ought never to have been there, which our deepest moral instincts tell us God can only look on with condemnation and abhorrence. Our own hearts condemn us, and God is greater than our hearts, and knoweth all things. This something which is wrong we are wont to call by the dark and terrible name of Sin. We dare not make light of it, or weaken it down into some transitory but necessary stage of human development, or tamper with the condemning testimony of our consciences regarding it. But if the world is in such a state of sin, a new problem arises which unaided reason can never solve or even guess at the true solution of. It is the old problem,—on the one hand, What is God's relation to sinners? and on the other, How is man to regain his right relations to God? How is he to get out of his wrong relations to God? And to these questions man can never from his own resources find an answer; it is God who must speak, man who must listen.

Prof. James Orr, D. D.
The Watchman.

Man has within him a mysterious power which thinks of God, desires God, reaches out after God, seeks after God, enters into fellowship with God, feels the presence of God, and rejoices in His presence and love. Man is a physical being, an intellectual being, a social being, and a religious being. The religious power may be impaired, as the imagination or memory may be impaired. Those who refuse to hear the voice of God, and turn away from Him, will lose the power of faith if they persist in this course. That faculty which goes out after God and is so sensitive and quick in childhood may be obliterated. The inner light may become darkness. The tender heart may become hard as a stone. The eyes, once so keen to discern spiritual things, may be put out.

The dreadful thing about this spiritual suicide is that it is in the power of every one. No one can permanently injure us except ourselves. "All things work together for good to them that love God." Whatever others may do unto us will be mustered into our service. It is only the blow which we strike with our own hand that can harm.

The Christian Advocate.

It is a principle of sound ethics that to do right leads to clearer perception of the truth. Spiritual perception is developed by the practice of righteousness. The love of God for men is the pledge of the sinner's moral renewal. The possibilities are unlimited. Life is full of parables. Nature is rich in medicinal and remedial forces. The discoveries of science are mastering the causes and the evils of bodily disease. The sewage of a city may be treated in such a way as to produce a pure and innocuous water out of unspeakable vileness. God is teaching us that the sinner may be saved, not merely from a future hell, but from that which makes hell,—sin and ignorance and folly. But underlying the fact and process of salvation are these two fundamental principles: trust in the righteous and benevolent God and obedience to His righteous and beneficent will. These are essential to our peace and the fulfilment of our highest life. Philip S. Moxom, D.D.
The Homiletic Review.

Those who think that business and religion are incompatible would do well to consider what sort of business they are in, and how they are carrying it on. By-and-by they will be required to give an account of their stewardship.

The Examiner.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit