Consciousness of the Divine.

"Before Me" (Gen. 17:1).

We know very little about Tennyson's inner religious life. His biography is remarkably silent concerning his religious experiences ; but a favorite niece of his, who had many walks and talks with her uncle, has related more of his inmost religious life than the world has ever before known, and proves that the great poet, though so reticent concerning his inner life, was, in the deepest sense, a comrade of the Quiet Hour. 

As they were walking together on the beautiful downs on the Isle of Wight, with the

sounding sea ever in their ears, and God's bright skies and great plains above and about them, he said to her: "God is with us now on this Down, just as truly as Christ was with the two disciples on their way to Emmaus. We cannot see Him, but the Father, and the Saviour, and the

Spirit are nearer, perhaps, now, than then, to those who are not about the actual and real presence of God, and His Christ with all who yearn for Him."

"I said," writes the niece, "that such a near actual presence would be awful to most people."

"Surely the love of God takes away, and makes us forget all our fear," answered Tennyson. "I should be sorely afraid to live my life without God's presence, but to feel that He is by my side now, just as much as you are—that is the very joy of my heart."

"And I looked on Tennyson as he spoke, and the glory of God rested on his face, and I felt that the presence of God overshadowed him."

The Lord's desire and command are plainly inculcated as we ponder the following passages of Scripture in connection with the words, "Before Me."

 

1)   God's Appreciation.—'Thee have I seen righteous before Me" (Gen. 7:1)

 

     2) God's Command.—"Walk before Me, and be thou perfect" (Gen. 17:1).

 

     3) God's Claim.—"Thou shalt have no other gods before Me'' (Ex. 20:3).

 

     4) God's Expectation.—"None shall appear before Me empty" (Ex. 23:15; 34:20).

 

     5) God's Verdict.—"Thy way is perverse before Me" (Num. 22:32).

 

     6) God's Mandate.—"Keep silence before Me" (Isa. 41:1).

 

     7) God's Care.—"Thy walls are continually before Me" (Isa. 49:16).

 

To recognize the presence of the Lord by faith is to realize His company to our joy.

 

Taken from PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.