Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 301, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 December 1915 — AT THE CROSSWAVS [ARTICLE]

AT THE CROSSWAVS

God’s Admonition to Bewildered Pilgrims Who Seek the Eternal Life. “Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find, rest for your souls.” —Jer. 6:16. To whom is the Lord speaking? To. a traveler at the crossways; wherefore it concerns us; for, sooner 'or later, we all come to the crossing of the ways. The deepest longing in the heart of the average man is that of a. young ruler who said, “Good Master, what shaH I do that I may inherit eternal life?” But there are many voices calling this way and that. What is the bewildered pilgrim to do? The good Lord has something to say in these premises. It is here expressed in five significant words. The first word is “Stand"; that is, stop where you are and do a little thinking. Unfortunately, this is not an easy thing to do. We are under the momentum of life; entangled in “the rush hour” of business and pleasure, with the crowd pushing us on. Would It not be prudent to call a halt long enough to get our bearings? The second word is "See”; that is, look about you. There are diverging roads; and eternal Issues are Involved in choosing the right one. The Bible is our road-map. The third word Is "Ask.” But wpom shall the traveler ask? Other travelers? Alas! many of them are as bewildered as he. Guides along the way? They are not infallible. The only safe plan is to ask the Lord. To your knees, therefore, O traveler! Will God answer? "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” Can you hear him when he speaks? That depends on whether you listen or not. “Ye shall hear a voice behind you saying, “This is the way; walk ye in it.” The voice is behind you; the speaker is unseen; but if so disposed you can surely hear him. The right way is the narrow way. "And Jesus said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” There are sins to be given up, there are duties to be taken on. The higher life is not the easy life; certainly not until one finds the compensations which were in the mind of Jesus when he said, "My yoke is easy and my burden light.” There is a burden —a burden like the wings of a bird. There is a yoke; but the yoke is for two, and the other bears the heavy end of it. "A highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the way of holiness; the wayfaring man, though a fool, shall not err therein." The things that are hid from the worldly wise are revealed to a child on the Master’s knee. The king’s highway leads through the. Valley of Repentance. What the Lord said of the self-righteous Pharisee and the contrite publican is as true as ever, “This man went down to his house justified rather than the other.” The king’s highway leads over the Hill of Calvary. For without the shedding of blood —and without a vital faith in the efficacy of the blood — there is no remission of sin.

The Lord did, indeed, lift up hia voice against the blowing of trumpets in the giving of alms, and against the makng of lofig prayers on the streets to be seen of men; but he also said, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” So the king’s highway leads on, clear to heaven’s gate. A multitude of soulb redeemed are entering there just now, “the ransomed of the Lord, with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads.” “I saw and heard them as they passed in,” says the pilgrim, “and I wished myself among them!” The fourth word in the Lord’s direction is “Walk”; that is, having found the pathway of life, proceed to walk in iC At this point everything depends on the first step. If I were intending to make even a very short journey on foot, I could not reach my destination in a thousand years without lifting my foot and taking the first step. Therefore, do it now. Take the first step on the King’s highway by clasping hands with Christ in a covenant of faith and faithfulness; “walk therein.” The last word is “Rest”—“and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” When shall we find it? Hereafter? Surely; in heaven we shall rest in., the delight of clear-eyed knowledge of the great verities, but we are- not waiting for rest. Is it not written, “He that believeth in the Sonthath everlasting life?” That is, he hath -it • here and now. “Celestial fruits on earthly ground from faith and love do grow.” Let us rest now. and be thankful.’ for the joys by the wayside, and trudge on with a keener anticipation of the rest which is prepared for the people of God.—Rev. David J. Burrell, DJJ. ’7 * * U.'