Evening Republican, Volume 59, Number 77, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 April 1917 — The Quietness of God [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Quietness of God

By REV. J. H. RALSTON, D. D.

Secretary ol Correopondenc* Department, kloody Bible loititute, Chicago

TEXT— For God la not the author of confusion, but of peace.—l Cor. 14:33. yathin the last two and a half years, many have had their faith shaken in

the teachings of the Christian religion generally, and some hnve had their faith In God shaken. They ask Insistently, “Is the God that we were taught t q believe in, what we were taught? If there is a God, is he not just what othe r men ar e—swayed and controlled by what Is | transpiring In the world, or the unl-

verse, and governing his words' thereby?” A distinguished Christian nobleman of England has recently written a book entitled “The Silence of God,” and after discussing the proposition, whether God, who Is holy, Infinitely powerful and unchangeable, can permit the present world-wide care to exist or not, he comes to the conclusion that God is the same as he was yesterday, and will be the same. God forevermore. Gur topic is “The Quietness, or the Tranquillity of God." Is that justified? Is he just as quiet lnd:he tribulations of the nations of the_earth as Jie was when peace ruled supreme? We strongly believe so. Our text says, “God is not the God of confusion, but of peacethat is, he is an orderly God. His character is brought into contrast with the turbulent religious assemblies of emotional orientals. Never for a moment does God become excited, lose his head, or act hastily, or under passionate Impulse. When David came to his best self, he saw that the steadfastness of Zion wa9 Secured by the fact that God dwelt in her, and therefore she could not be moved. That was what steadied Martin Luther and Melancthon In the stormy days of the Reformation, as they sang, “God Is Our Refuge and Strength,” especially as they heard God speaking to their very souls, “Be still, and know that I am God.”

A Vivid Contrast. In the second Psalm, the raging nations are brought into vivid contrast with the quiet of God. God Is sitting on thb 'Circle <>rrtfie\ heavens and laughing, as though utterly indifferent, unconcerned by the earthly commotion. At one of the crucial moment? in our national history, when the beloved Lincoln was stricken down, James A. Garfield; then a congressman, spoke In New York as to the dire event, and said: “The Lord reigneth; he is clothed with majesty, the government at Washington still lives.” This quiet of God is based on hla infinite character. Nothing is more needed in these trying days of the shaking of nations, than the thought that God is sovereign, that he has majesty, is infinite in his power, holiness, goodness and truth; before him the nations are but as the small dust of the balance; he sets up kings and casts them down. Can Man Attain This Quality? Chn this characteristic quality of God be transmitted to men? Can man be tranquil and quiet in the midst of human commotion, contention and battle? The days in which we are living are described by the Lord as those in which “men’s hearts shall be failing them for fear and looking for these things which are coming on the earth." Three years ago, men were predicting the entering In of the day of universal brotherhood, of amity, of altruism, and as a consequence material prosperity, the wise diffusion of wealth and realizing millennial conditions, but now they are so overwhelmed with the facts that stare them in the face, that they are in consternation and confusion and fall into rage when asked to think about these things.

It is natural that the children of God should partake of his nature; consequently they may be quiet, If the link of faith Is strong. Is it not true that God will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind Is stayed on him? The voice of wisdom is the voice of God; and wisdom says, “Whoso hark»_ ens nntn me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from fear of evil.” Many of the children of God have testified to this quiet that comes from .believing in his Word. .The patient going to the- operating table, or the soldier going into the battle, or the merchant seeing his being .swept away from him, can remember that God Is his friend and be quiet. The early Christians as they were thrown Into the arena to be torn into pieces by the lions were quiet abd sang togethez to tne honor of their Lord. Today God is not excited. The wrath of the world IS not confusing him, and he is Just as really interested in the fall of the sparrow as ha la in the adjusting of relationships of empires, kingdoms and republics. : Be this my Joy that evermore Thou rulest all thte«* at thywrfH, Thy eovereign wisdom, 1H adore And calmly, sweetly trust Thee *UB