Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 268, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 November 1914 — THE FORCE OF FAITH IN GOD AS ALMIGHTY. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE FORCE OF FAITH IN GOD AS ALMIGHTY.

Oy WARREN A. CANDLER, D. D., LL. D., Bishop of th« Methodist Episcopal Church, South.) Creeds look to many like snowcapped peaks in a mountain range,

cold, remote, and utterly unrelated to life; but like those white heights, there flow down from them refreshing streams which redeem desert wastes from desolation and sterility. The first article in the creed com* monly called the Apostles Creed declares, “I be- • lieve in God the Father Almighty.”

If a man- really cherishes belief of such transcendent meaning his character must be greatly affected by it. Moral perfection is impossible without such faith. The commonest virtues require a certain sort of heroism to maintain them. What is right often quite impracticable, and if one does not believe in a God of righteousness, who will not forsake him who walks the way of virtue uncalculatingly, he will depart from the path of rectitude. Wherefore it is said, “Without faith it is impossible to please God: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is'the rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11:6). If any man believes that he can do right in every day life without such faith, let him try it. A faithless soul does .not pursue virtue very far until it turns back in despair saying, “I can not afford it.” To an agnostic mind “the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mbunt are iridescent dreams.” 1

Enduring morality is the fruit of faith. If we extirpate religion moral life will wither away and die; for we can not have the fruit when we have dug up the root of the tree that bears it. In the light of the vision of God by the soul the sturdiest virtue lives and grows. God must be seen as the Almighty before a man will dare the bravest and purest endeavors .after goodness. This faith is the force of life.