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addresses-第25章

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the forces of the will; and keep the surface of the mirror bright

and ever in position。  It is to uncover the face which is to look

at Christ; and draw down the veil when unhallowed sights are near。



You have; perhaps; gone with an astronomer to watch him photograph

the spectrum of a star。  As you enter the dark vault of the

observatory you saw him being by lighting a candle。  To see the

star with?  No; but to adjust the instrument to see the star with。

It was the star that was going to take the photograph; it was;

also; the astronomer。  For a long time he worked in the dimness;

screwing tubes and polishing lenses and adjusting reflectors; and

only after much labor the finely focused instrument was brought

to bear。  Then he blew out the light; and left the start to do its

work upon the plate alone。



The day's task for the Christian is to bring his instrument to bear。

Having done that he may blow out his candle。  All the evidences of

Christianity which have brought him there; all aids to Faith; all

acts of worship; all the leverages of the Church; all Prayer and

Meditation; all girding of the Willthese lesser processes; these

candle…light activities for that supreme hour; may be set aside。

But; remember; it is but for an hour。  The wise man will be he who

quickest lights his candle; the wisest he who never lets it out。

Tomorrow; the next moment; he; a poor; darkened; blurred soul; may

need it again to focus the Image better; to take a mote off the

lens; to clear the mirror from a breath with which the world has

dulled it。



No readjustment is ever required on behalf of the Star。  That is

one great fixed point in this shifting universe。  But THE WORLD

MOVES。  And each day; each hour; demands a further motion and

readjustment for the soul。  A telescope in an observatory follows

a star by clockwork; but the clockwork of the soul is called THE

WILL。  Hence; while the soul in passivity reflects the Image of

the Lord; the Will in intense activity holds the mirror in position

lest the drifting motion of the world bear it beyond the line of

vision。  To 〃follow Christ〃 is largely to keep the soul in such

position as will allow for the motion of the earth。  And this

calculated counteracting of the movements of the world; this holding

of the mirror exactly opposite to the Mirrored; this steadying of

the faculties unerringly through cloud and earthquake; fire and

sword; is the stupendous co…operating labor of the Will。  It is

all man's work。  It is all Christ's work。  In practice it is both;

in theory it is both。  But the wise man will say in practice; 〃It

depends upon myself。〃



In the Gallerie des Beaux Arts in Paris there stands a famous

statue。  It was the last work of a great genius; who; like many a

genius; was very poor and lived in a garret; which served as a studio

and sleeping…room alike。  When the statue was all but finished; one

midnight a sudden frost fell upon Paris。  The sculptor lay awake

in the fireless room and thought of the still moist clay; thought

how the water would freeze in the pores and destroy in an hour the

dream of his life。  So the old man rose from his couch and heaped

the bed…clothes reverently round his work。  In the morning when the

neighbors entered the room the sculptor was dead; but the statue

was saved!



The Image of Christ that is forming within usthat is life's one

charge。  Let every project stand aside for that。  The spirit of

God who brooded upon the waters thousands of years ago; is busy

now creating men; within these commonplace lives of ours; in the

image of God。  〃Till Christ be formed;〃 no man's work is finished;

no religion crowned; no life has fulfilled its end。  Is the infinite

task begun?  When; how; are we to be different?  Time cannot

change men。  Death cannot change men。  Christ can。  Wherefore PUT

ON CHRIST。











Dealing With Doubt。









There is a subject which I think workers amongst young men cannot

afford to keep out of sightI mean the subject of 〃Doubt。〃  We are

forced to face that subject。  We have no choice。  I would rather

let it alone; but every day of my life I meet men who doubt; and I

am quite sure that most Christian workers among men have innumerable

interviews every year with men who raise skeptical difficulties

about religion。



Now it becomes a matter of great practical importance that we should

know how to deal wisely with these。  Upon the whole; I think these

are the best men in the country。  I speak of my own country。  I speak

of the universities with which I am familiar; and I say that they

men who are perplexed;the men who come to you with serious and

honest difficulties;are the best men。  They are men of intellectual

honesty; and cannot allow themselves to be put to rest by words;

or phrases; or traditions; or theologies; but who must get to the

bottom of things for themselves。  And if I am not mistaken;



Christ was very fond



of these men。  The outsiders always interested Him; and touched Him。

The orthodox peoplethe PhariseesHe was much less interested

in。  He went with publicans and sinnerswith people who were in

revolt against the respectability; intellectual and religious; of

the day。  And following Him; we are entitled to give sympathetic

consideration to those whom He loved and took trouble with。



First; let me speak for a moment or two about



The origin of doubt。



In the first place; WE ARE BORN QUESTIONERS。  Look at the wonderment

of a little child in its eyes before it can speak。  The child's

great word when it begins to speak is; 〃Why?〃  Every child is full

of every kind of question; about every kind of thing; that moves;

and shines and changes; in the little world in which it lives。



That is the incipient doubt in the nature of man。  Respect doubt

for its origin。  It is an inevitable thing。  It is not a thing to

be crushed。  It is a part of man as God made him。  Heresy is truth

in the making; and doubt is the prelude of knowledge。



Secondly:  THE WORLD IS A SPHINX。  It is a vast riddlean unfathomable

mystery; and on every side there is temptation to questioning。

In every leaf; in every cell of every leaf; there are a hundred

problems。  There are ten good years of a man's life in investigating

what is in a leaf。  God has planned the world to incite men to

intellectual activity。



Thirdly:  THE INSTRUMENT WITH WHCIH WE ATTEMPT TO INVESTIGATE TRUTH

IS IMPAIRED。  Some say it fell; and the glass is broken。  Some

say prejudice; heredity; or sin; have spoiled its sight; and have

blinded our eyes and deadened our ears。  In any case the instruments

with which we work upon truth; even in the strongest men; are feeble

and inadequate to their tremendous task。



And in the fourth place; ALL RELIGIOUS TRUTHS ARE DOUBTABLE。  There

is no absolute truth for any one of them。  Even that fundamental

truththe existence of a Godno man can prove by reason。  The

ordinary proof for th
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