Faith in Christian preaching is trust and confidence in God’s promises, often unseen but deeply assured (Hebrews 11:1). Illustrations use images of mental attitudes, overcoming barriers, and spiritual vision to show how faith shapes perception, sustains believers through trials, and directs their focus toward Christ’s ultimate goal (2 Corinthians 5:7).
Invisible truths and principles endure beyond material things and keep people spiritually alive.
The things which most concerned men in past ages—food, raiment, wealth, place, personal honor—are all forgotten now; but those things which seemed to them the most shadowy and unsubstantial,—their faith, their ideals, their principles,—these are now the only abiding remembrancers. Thus men are kept alive on earth by that which is invisible, and sunk to the bottom by that which is material. Time is made up of waters so thin, that nothing may float thereon which is heavier than unseen truths and heart-treasures. Beecher.
Life is uncertain and limited like water in a sealed reservoir; prepare now.
John Foster compares the uncertainty of life to a man shut up in a fortress, with only a concealed reservoir of water to draw from, whose waters are daily diminishing, and can never be replenished. When they will be exhausted he knows not.
Faith trusts God's testimony even when reason doubts or seems uncertain.
A traveller, going to a certain village to see a friend, met an old man, and asked him the way. The old man said, "Go straighton, sir, and, when you come to the end of this path, turn to the left." The gentleman went on, and, coming to the end, found two turnings, and thought, "Surely the old man is wrong: this must be the way,—to the right." So reason seemed; but faith is the simple belief of competent testimony: so he took the turn to the left, and found faith proved itself a better guide than reason.
Faith overcomes the devil by simple trust in God's word, beyond human reason.
When we go into the region of reason with the great reasoner, the father of lies, we meet him on his own platform: no wonder he overcomes us. But when we meet him in the simplicity of faith, "I believe it because God says it," his fiery darts are quenched in a moment. Evans.
Faith grasps truths beyond reason, trusting God's word despite lack of experience.
Faith may lay hold of truths far transcending reason or experience. An African king had never seen water become solid so that men could walk on it; but he did right to believe it on the testimony of Englishmen. Reason can climb high mountains; but faith is like the eagle, which can soar upwards from their summits. The cashier at a banker's counter uses his utmost skill in deciding whether the signature in a check be the genuine handwriting of a customer of the bank who has funds there; but, having once decided the point, he hesitates no further, and pays over the amount. So reason is usefully employed in answering the question, "What hath God spoken?" but, that settled, we must doubt no longer.
— Union Magazine
Faith is stronger and more expansive than reason, especially in trials and difficulties.
REASON, Weakness of Faith having seated itself upon the high tower and mountain (God's omnipotency and all-sufficiency), it hath a great prospect: it can look over all the world, and look into another world too. But now Reason, — it gets upon some little mole-hill of creature ability, and, if it can see over two or three hedges, it is well. And therefore, oh, what a pain it is to be tied to Reason! I suppose you will all say, that, if a man were able to go on a journey of two or three hundred miles afloat, he were a very good footman. Yet, if you will tie him to carry a child of four or five years old with him, you will say it would be a great luggage to him; and the man would say, "Pray let this child be left at home, or though he may run along in my hand half a mile, or go a mile with me, yet, notwithstanding, I must carry him the rest of the way; and when I come at any great water, or have to go over any hill, I must take him upon my back, and that will be a great burden to me." And thus it is between Faith and Reason. Reason, at the best, is but a child to Faith. Faith can foot over mountains and difficulties, and wade through afflictions, though they be very wide; but when Reason comes to any affliction, to wade through that, and to go over some great difficulties, — then it cries out, and says, "O Faith, good Faith, go back again! good Faith, go back again!" — "No!" says Faith; but I will take thee upon my back, Reason." And so Faith is fain to do indeed, — to take Reason upon its back. But, oh, what a luggage is Reason to Faith! Faith never works better than when it works most alone.
— W. Bridge
A maniac's first tear in years brought relief, showing the healing power of tears.
A maniac, while listening to a thrilling recital, was moved to tears. Liling her withered finger, she exclaimed, "Do you see that tear? It is the first tear that I have shed for seven years; and it will relieve my poor burning head. I have often wished that I could weep; but I could not."
Patrick Henry valued the Bible above all books but regretted not reading it attentively sooner.
This distinguished man was a native of Virginia, of which state he became governor. He was eminent through life as a statesman and an orator. A little before his death, he remarked to a friend, who found him reading his Bible,
"Here is a book worth more than all the other books which ever were printed; yet it is my misfortune never to have, till lately, found time to read it with proper attention and feeling."
Dr. Johnson urged daily Bible reading as vital before facing God.
Dr. Samuel Johnson is distinguished as a writer on morals; his compositions have seldom been excelled in energy of thought and beauty of expression. To a young gentleman, who visited him on his death-bed, he said, "Young man, attend to the voice of one who has possessed a certain degree of fame in the world, and who will shortly appear before his Maker: read the Bible every day of your life."
On his deathbed, Franklin advised firm belief and acquaintance with the Scriptures.
At the time when the celebrated Dr. Franklin lay upon his death-bed, he was visited by a young man who had a great respect for his judgment in all things; and having entertained doubts as to the truth of the Scriptures, he thought that this awful period afforded a suitable opportunity of consulting the doctor on this important subject. Accordingly, he introduced it in a solemn and weighty manner, inquiring of Franklin what were his sentiments as to the truth of the Scriptures. On the question being put, although he was in a very weak state, and near his decease, he replied, "Young man, my advice to you is, that you cultivate an acquaintance with, and a firm belief in, the Holy Scriptures: this is your certain interest."
Poet William Collins carried only the New Testament, calling it the best book.
Collins is well known as a celebrated English poet. In the latter part of his life, he withdrew from his general studies, and travelled with no other book than an English New Testament, such as children carry to school. A friend was anxious to know what companion a man of letters had chosen; the poet said, "I have only one book, but that book is the best."
A poor cobbler confidently affirmed Christ’s divinity despite his inability to read.
A poor man, unable to read, who obtained his livelihood by mending old shoes, was asked by an Arian minister, how he knew that Jesus Christ
80. 81
Lord Bacon concludes true philosophy leads back to religion and faith in God.
Lord Bacon, towards the latter end of his life, said, that a little smattering of philosophy would lead a man to Atheism, but a thorough insight of it will lead a man back again to a first cause, and that the first principle of right reason is religion; and seriously professes, that, after all his studies and inquisitions, he durst not die with any other thoughts than those of religion, taught, as it is professed, among the Christians.
True faith rests confidently on Christ's cleansing blood, removing anxiety about sin.
A good man was considerably harassed as to the nature of true faith, and very properly resolved to ask the assistance of his minister. Going to his house, he stated that his fears had been great, that he had sinned beyond the reach of mercy; but that while he was thinking on the subject that portion of Scripture was suggested to his mind, "The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin," and that resting on this truth, he had lost all his anxiety. The minister very properly told him that this was nothing else than true faith.
# 170. Necessity of Faith.
Simple, genuine faith is more comforting than complex theological explanations.
A king of Sweden was under great impressions of spiritual religion for some time before his death. A peasant being once, on a particular occasion, admitted to his presence, the king, knowing him to be a person of singular piety, asked him, "What he took to be the true nature of faith?" The peasant entered deeply into the subject, and much to the king's comfort and satisfaction. The king, at last, lying on his death-bed, had a return of his doubts and fears as to the safety of his soul; and still the same question was perpetually in his mouth, to those about him, "What is real faith?" His attendants advised him to send for the Archbishop of Upsall: who, coming to the king's bedside, began in a learned, logical manner, to enter into the scholastic definition of faith. The prelate's disquisition lasted an hour. When he had done the king said with much energy, "All this is ingenious, but not comfortable; it is not what I want. Nothing, after all, but the farmer's faith will do for me."
Even at death, faith rests solely on Christ's finished work as the ground of hope.
Mr. Edward Riddle, an aged Christian in Hull, remarked, a few days before his death, to one present, "Some may suppose, that a person at my time of life, and after so long making a profession of religion, has nothing to do but to die and go to heaven; but I find that I have as much need to go to God, through Christ, as a sinner, at the last hour as at the beginning. The blood of Christ, the death of Christ, his victory and fulness, are my only ground of faith, hope, and confidence; there is the same need of him to be the Finisher of my faith, as there was to be the Author of it."
Orphan boys treasure their Bible above all, showing deep trust and love for God's word.
Some years ago, two little boys, decently clothed, the elder about thirteen years of age, and the younger eleven, called at a lodging house for vagrants, in Warrington, to stay for the night. The keeper of the house, very properly, took them to the Vagrant Office to be examined, that, if proper objects, they might be relieved. The account they gave of themselves was very affecting, but no doubt was entertained of its truth. It appeared, that but a few weeks had elapsed since these poor little wanderers had resided with their parents in London. The typhus fever, however, in one day, carried off both father and mother, leaving them orphans. Immediately after their parents were buried, the children, having an uncle in Liverpool, resolved to go and throw themselves upon his protection; and, tired and faint, they arrived in the town of Warrington, on their way thither.
Two bundles contained their little all. In the youngest boy's was found neatly covered and carefully preserved, a Bible. The keeper of the lodging house said to the boy, "You have neither money nor meat, will you sell me this Bible? I will give you five shillings for it." "No," exclaimed he; "I'll starve first." "The keeper then said, 'there are plenty of books to be bought besides this; why do you love the Bible so much?'" The boy replied, "No book has stood my friend so much as the Bible." "Why, what has the Bible done for you?" He answered, "When I was a boy about seven years of age I became a Sunday scholar in London where I learned to read my Bible. This Bible showed me that I was a sinner, and a great one too. It also pointed me to the Savior, and I thank God, I have found mercy at the hands of Christ, and I am not ashamed to confess him before the world." To try the boy still farther, six shillings were offered to him for his Bible. "No," said he, "it has been my support all the way from London. Hungry and weary, often have I sat down to read my Bible, and have found refreshment from it, and I have experienced the comfort David felt, when he said, 'In the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my soul.'" He was then asked, what he would do when he got to Liverpool, should his uncle refuse to take him in? His reply may excite a blush in many other Christians; "My Bible tells me, 'When my father and mother forsake me the Lord will take me up.'" The children had in their pockets tickets, as rewards from the Sunday school to which they belonged, and thankfulness and humility were visible in all their deportment. At night they committed themselves to God in prayer, and the next day pursued their journey to Liverpool.
Faith believes to see and finds peace; unbelief demands sight and remains unsettled.
Unbelief wants to see (v. 25). Faith believes to see and finds peace (Ps. 27:13). Some claim to be "doubting Thomases" who are not, like Thomas, ready to go all the way to know the truth
Taking eyes off Jesus leads to failure, as Peter's sinking moment shows.
Folly of taking the eyes off Jesus. Peter in his sinking moment looks unto Jesus' face and cannot say a word for himself in answer to the question, "Wherefore?"
Faith obedient to God’s commands can accomplish what human wisdom deems impossible.
Fall of Jericho accomplished by means and upon principles utterly foolish and inadequate in the view of human wisdom (1 Cor. 1:17-29). If faith is absolutely obedient to divine precepts, it can remove mountains
Faith trusts God’s promises beyond human expectation to receive His blessings.
Faith expects from God what is beyond all human expecta- tion. Those who cannot take God at His word forfeit the benefit of His promises.
Remembering God's past blessings strengthens our faith for future challenges.
Value of devising some means to especially remember God’s past works of wonder on our behalf, that our faith might be strengthened in the future
Recalling God's past providence encourages cheerful service and trust in present trials.
Touch on Israel’s experiences in the wilderness and show the ways of God's providence and grace. Remembrance of past experiences of faith encourages faith to trust Him now and prevails upon us to serve Him cheerfully.
Faith in God's Word, not spirit apparitions, saves and guides.
Based on the craving for better evidence than the Word of God. We are saved by faith in the Word, not apparitions. The latter lead men into darkness
Elijah risks all on God's honor, showing faith's power over scoffing opposers.
Elijah the man of faith is not afraid to risk his all on the honor of God (v. 23). Let opposers who scoff at testimony of Christians, do what Christianity can do—bring down the cleansing, consuming illuminating power of God into the lives of men
True gratitude focuses on God’s work, not just the means of healing.
A blind man, who had never seen from his birth, found a lady who, appreciating his worth, became his wife. Several bright children became theirs, who tenderly loved their blind father. An eminent physician met the blind man and informed him that his sight could be restored. The operation was performed successfully. The father was handed a rose; he had smelled one, but had never seen one before. Then he looked upon the face of his wife, who had been so true; and then the children were brought who he had so often fondled. All at once he exclaimed: “Oh, why have I seen all these before inquiring for the man by whose skill I have been enabled to behold them! Show me the doctor!”
A believer renounces all else and declares Jesus as the only Savior.
Tremellius was a Jew, from whose heart the veil had been taken away, and who had been led by the Holy Spirit to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God. The Jews who had condemned our Saviour had said, “Not this man, but Barabbas.” Tremellius, when near his end, glorying in Christ, and renouncing all in competition with Him, said: “Not Barabbas, but Jesus.”
Openly denying God is worse than foolishness; it is a reckless rejection of truth.
An infidel, conversing with a farmer, began to ridicule the Bible and the existence of God. The farmer at last said, in substance: “I understand what kind of a man you are. My Bible says, ‘The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God,’ but you are worse than a fool, you just blab it right out.”
Selfless labor for others' benefit bears fruit for future generations.
In the early days of Ohio, a man who was considered a little strange in the head, and who seemed to have bad no particular home, spent his time in wandering through the wilds of that new country, scattering appleseeds. Sometimes he would sleep in a hollow log or tree, and, doubtless, he often wandered about without food or shelter. But he had one object, and that was to plant apple seed for the good of others, until the people named him “Apple-seed Johnny” but future generations enjoyed the fruit of his labor of love.
Even a small measure of true faith secures salvation through Christ’s blood.
It is not the quantity of faith that shall save. A drop of water is as true water as the whole ocean; so a little faith is as true faith as the greatest. A spark of fire is as true fire as a great flame. A sickly man is as truly a man as is a well man. So it is not the measure of faith that saves,—It is the blood that saves. The weak hand of a child, that leads the spoon to the mouth, will feed as well as the strong arm of a man; for it is not the hand that feeds, but the meat. So, if we grip Christ ever so weakly, He will not let us perish.
George Muller’s holy life gave power and blessing to his simple preaching of Christ.
During one of his visits to Mentone Mr. Spurgeon had an opportunity of listening to the preaching of Mr. Muller. "It was," says he, "just such an address as might be given to a Sunday-school by an ordinary teacher, yet I never heard a sermon that did me more good and more richly profited my soul." "How was it that it was so powerful?" "Well," says Mr. Spurgeon, "it was George Muller in it that made it so useful. There was no George Muller in it in one sense, for he preached not himself, but Christ Jesus the Lord; he was not only there in his personality as a witness to the truth, but he bore that witness in such a manner that you could not help saying, 'That man not only preaches what he believes, but also what he lives.' In every word he uttered his glorious life of faith seemed to fall upon both ear and heart. I was delighted to sit and listen to him; yet, as for novelty or strength of thought, there was not a trace of it in the whole discourse." "What, then, was its special power?" "Holiness was the preacher's force; and if God is to bless us, our strength must lie in the same direction."
Faith means trusting God fully, like a child leaping into a parent's arms.
Some years ago I wanted to teach my boy what faith was and so I put him on a table. He was a little fellow about two years old. I stood back three or four feet, and said.
“Willie, jump.”
The little fellow said, “Papa, I’se afraid.”
I said: “Willie, I will catch you. Just look right at me, and jump.”
The little fellow got all ready to jump, and then looked down again, and said, “I’se afraid.”
“Willie, didn’t I tell you I would catch you? Will papa deceive you? Now, Willie, look me right in the eye, and jump, and I will catch you.”
The little fellow got all ready the third time to jump, but he looked on the floor, and said:
“I’se afraid.”
“Didn’t I tell you I would catch you?”
“Yes.”
At last I said: “Willie, don’t take your eyes off me”; and I held the little fellow’s eyes, and said, “Now, jump; don’t look at the floor;” and he leaped into my arms.
Then he said to me, “Let me jump again.”
I put him back, and the moment he got on the table he jumped, and after that, when he was on the table and I was standing five or six feet away I heard him cry, “Papa, I’se coming,” and had just time to rush and catch him. He seemed to put too much confidence in me. But you cannot put too much confidence in God.
God darkens our earthly view so we can better see the glory of the eternal land.
“When a panorama is to pass before an audience, the artist darkens the room in which they sit, so that the picture may be more fully seen. So God sometimes darkens our place on earth, puts out this light and that, and then before our souls He makes to pass the splendors and glories of the better land.”
People fall into three classes: those who do, those who oppose, and those who fail.
Someone has said that there are three classes of people: the “wills,” the “won’ts,” and the “can’ts”; the first accomplish everything, the second oppose everything, and the third fail in everything.
Faith without roots fails under trials, showing the need for a strong spiritual foundation.
Suppose I hire two men to set out trees, and after a day or two I go out to see how they are getting along. I find that one man has set out a hundred trees, and the other only ten. I say:
“Look here; what does this mean? That man has set out a hundred trees, and you have set out only ten. What does it mean?”
“Yes, but he has cut off all the roots, and just stuck the tops into the ground.”
I go to the other man, and say: “What does this mean? Why have you planted all of these trees without roots?”
“I don’t believe in roots; they are of no account. My trees look just as well as his.”
But when the sun blazes upon the trees, they all wither and die.
There are a lot of people running around who haven’t got any roots. A good many live on negations. They are always telling what they don’t believe. I want a man to tell me what he does believe, not what he does not believe. And I like to meet a positive man. We just want to know what men do believe. We don’t want trees that haven’t any roots, for they will dry up when the sun blazes on them. There are a good many persons that are going on without any foundation; they have no faith.
Unbelief is the ultimate insult to God, equivalent to calling Him a liar.
You cannot offer a man a greater insult than to tell him he is a liar. Unbelief is telling God He is a liar.
Suppose a man said, “Mr. Moody, I have no faith in you whatever.” Don’t you think it would grieve me? There is not anything that would wound a man much more than to be told that you do not have any faith in him.
A great many men say, “Oh, I have profound reverence and respect for God.”
Yes, profound respect, but not faith. Why it is a downright insult!
Suppose a man says, “Mr. Moody, I have profound respect for you, profound admiration for you, but I do not believe a word you say.”
I wouldn’t give much for his respect or admiration.
I wouldn’t give much for his friendship, God wants us to put our faith in Him. How it would wound a mother’s feelings to hear her children say, “I do love mamma so much, but I don’t believe what she says.” How it would grieve that mother. And that is about the way a great many of God’s professed children talk. Some men seem to think it is a great misfortune that they do not have faith. Bear in mind it is not a misfortune, but it is the damning sin of the world.
Testing God's promises personally proves their truth and reliability.
I knew an old lady that marked in the margin of her Bible, opposite the promises, T. P.; T. for “tried,” and P. for “proven.” What we want is to try the Bible and see if it is not true.
Faith is the essential principle by which the just live, summarizing all virtue.
The Jews in the Talmud have the saying, "The whole law was given to Moses at Sinai, in six hundred and thirteen precepts." David, in the fifteenth Psalm, brings them all within the compass of eleven. Isaiah brings them to six, Isaiah 33:15 ; Micah to three, Micah 6:8 ; Isaiah, again, to two, Isaiah 56; Habakkuk to this one, "The just shall live by faith." Habakkuk 2:4 .— Lightfoot FAITH—Triumph of
Faith carries reason through challenges that reason alone cannot overcome.
An old writer says:—Faith and Reason may be compared to two travellers: Faith is like a man in full health, who can walk his twenty or thirty miles at a time without suffering; Reason is like a little child, who can only, with difficulty, accomplish three or four miles. "Well," says this old writer, "on a given day Reason says to Faith, 'O good Faith, let me walk with thee;' Faith replies, 'O Reason, thou canst never walk with me!' However, to try their paces, they set out together, but they soon find it hard to keep company. When they come to a deep river, Reason says, 'I can never ford this,' but Faith wades through it singing. When they reach a lofty mountain, there is the same exclamation of despair; and in such cases, Faith, in order not to leave Reason behind, is obliged to carry him on his back; and, "adds the writer, "oh! what a luggage is Reason to Faith!"
Faith is often dismissed as fanaticism by those unwilling to believe.
When William Huntington wrote his "Bank of Faith," some people called it a "Bank of Nonsense." I could write twenty "Banks of Faith," and every word should be as sure as an honest man could write; but the only result would be, that people would say, "Oh, well, you know, that is the resuli of the good man's fanaticism." The moment that the moderns do not like to believe a thing they call it fanatical.
Faith and repentance occur together as inseparable parts of new life in Christ.
Which is first, the new birth, or faith, or repentance? Nobody can tell which spoke of a wheel moves first; it moves as a whole. The moment the divine life comes into the heart, we believe: the moment we believe, the eternal life is there. We repent because we believe, and believe while we repent.
Faith is the foundational faculty for growing in wisdom and spiritual maturity.
In the school of grace, faith is the greatest faculty by which we make advances in wisdom. If by faith thou hast been able to say, "A and B and C," it must be by faith that thou shalt go on to say, "D and E and F," until thou shalt come to the end of the alphabet, and be an expert in the book of wisdom. If by faith thou canst read in the spelling book of simple faith, by the same faith in Christ Jesus thou must go on to read in the classics of full assurance, and become a scribe well instructed in the things of the kingdom. Keep, therefore, close to the practice of faith, from which so many are turning aside.
Faith is the central virtue that attracts and sustains all other Christian qualities.
The other day I saw my bees swarming; they hung on a branch of a tree in a living mass; the difficulty was to get them into a hive. My man went with his veil over his face and began to put them into the skep; and I noticed that he was particularly anxious to get the queen bee into it; for if he once had her in the hive the rest would be sure to follow and remain with her. Now, faith is the queen bee. You may get temperance, love, hope and all those other bees into the hive; but the main thing is to get simple faith in Christ, and all the rest will come afterwards. Get the queen bee of faith, and all the other virtues will attend her.
Believers set their seal on Christ's testimony, affirming their faith in Him.
In olden times men did not often write their names, because they could not write at all. Even kings set their seals, because they could not give a signature. To this day, how often does it happen to me, as a trustee to a chapel or school, to have a paper laid before me, and I not only sign my name, but I put my finger on that red wafer, which represents my seal, and I say, "This is my act and deed!" When you believe in Jesus, you have set your seal to the testimony of Jesus, which is the revelation of the Lord. You have certified that you believe in God as true.
True faith values the journey and search for truth more than possessing final answers.
It was Schelling who said that if he had truth in one hand and the search for truth in the other, he would let truth go in order that he might search for it. Something of this philosophy is in these verses:
For me the loitering of the road,
The hidden voice that sings;
For me the vernal mysteries,
Deep woods and silent springs.
I covet not the ended road,
The granary, the sheaf;
For me the sowing of the grain,
The promise of the leaf. (Text.)
--_Lippincott’s Magazine._
Aspiration itself is valuable for the soul, even if the goal is not reached.
* * * * *
Theodosia Garrison points out in these verses that aspiration, even when it fails of realization, is good for the soul:
Let me remember that I failed,
So I may not forget
How dear that goal the distance veiled
Toward which my feet were set.
Let me forget, if so Thy will,
How fair the joy desired,
Dear God, so I remember still
That one day I aspired. (Text.)
--_Ainslee’s Magazine._
Blindness can be a blessing that leads to greater trust and service to God.
See DARKNESS; GENIUS PERSECUTED.
BLINDNESS A BLESSING
Moses endured, it is said, as “seeing Him who is invisible.” And “there are others,” thank God!
Fanny Crosby, in the eighties, has fulfilled the vow which she made at eight, and has never mourned over the fact that she is blind. What an impressive lesson of trust and resignation is her declaration that her blindness has proved not a deprivation, but a real blessing!
If the gift of sight were offered her now she has said that she would elect to remain as she is. For she says cheerfully:
“If I had not been deprived of sight, I should never have received so good an education, nor have cultivated so fine a memory, nor have been able to do good to so many people.” (Text.)
Women’s calm bravery in disaster exemplifies faith and courage amid suffering.
Henry Savage Landor, one of the many passengers on the _Baltic_, added chapter after chapter to the good story of the bravery and coolness displayed by men and women when the _Republic_ was struck, and throughout the hours of waiting and of rescue:
In all my travels through the countries of the two hemispheres, never have I seen displayed a spirit of womanhood that could be better in such an extreme than was that of the women of the _Republic_. When we of the _Baltic_ met them, it was as they were being brought to our vessel in a tossing sea in small boats after nearly a score of hours spent on the crowded Italian emigrant vessel, to which they had been taken from another wreck. Yet not only was there no whimpering, but they actually came aboard with smiling faces. They forgot that all their traveling possessions were doomed, forgot all the ordeal they had encountered, and showed themselves happy and contented because they thought, most of them, that in the face of disaster, all that the hands of willing men could do to help them had been done.
Faith and enjoyment often precede full understanding of complex truths.
It is not necessary for a child to know all about the lenses of the eye in order to see its mother’s face, or to understand gravity in order to enjoy the summer’s day. We use, enjoy and are saved by food and drink and sun long years before we know anything about their laws. It is one thing to pick to pieces your faith, and another thing to reconstruct it. A thousand boys can take a watch to pieces, and not one can put the wheels together again.
— N. D. HILLIS
Even great believers can have earthly faults but still maintain strong faith.
See SUCCESS IN FAILURE.
DEFECTS OF THE GREAT
Handel, whose seraphic music lifts us to the gate of heaven, and whose faith was so clear that when he was dying, on Good Friday, said that his wish was fulfilled, and that he looked forward to meeting his good God, his sweet Lord and Savior, on Easter day, was yet a man with a very earthly, irritable temper--so much so that he had a quarrel with a brother composer which ended in a duel.
