Hebrews 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God… In that beautiful part of Germany which borders on the Rhine there is a noble castle which lifts its old grey towers above the ancient forest, where dwelt a nobleman who had a good and devoted son, his comfort and his pride. Once when the son was away from home, a Frenchman called, and, in course of conversation, spoke in such unbecoming terms of the great Father in heaven as to chill the old man's blood. "Are you not afraid of offending God?" said the baron, "by speaking in this way." The foreigner answered with cool indifference, that he knew nothing about God, for he had never seen Him. No notice was takes of this observation at the time; but the next morning the baron pointed out to the visitor a beautiful picture which hung on the wall, and said, "My son drew that!" "He must be a clever youth," returned the Frenchman, blandly. Later in the day as the two gentlemen were walking in the garden, the baron showed his guests many rare plants and flowers, and, on being asked who had the management of the garden, the father said, with proud satisfaction, "My son; and he knows every plant almost, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop on the wall!" "Indeed!" observed the other. "I shall soon have a very exalted opinion of him." The baron then took his visitor to the village and showed him a neat building which his son had fitted up for a school, where the children of the poor were daily instructed free of expense. "What a happy man you must be," said the Frenchman, "to have such a son!" "How do you know I have a son? "asked the baron, with a grave face. "Why, because I have seen his works; I am sure he must be both clever and good, or he would not have done all you have shown me." "But you have never seen him!" returned the baron. "No, but I already know him very well, because I can form a just estimate of him from his works." "I am not surprised," said the baron, in a quiet tone; "and now oblige me by coming to this window and tell me what you see from thence." "Why, I see the sun travelling through the skies and shedding its glories over one of the greatest countries in the world; and I behold a mighty river at my feet, and a vast range of woods, and pastures, and orchards, and vineyards, and cattle and sheep feeding in rich fields." "Do you see anything to be admired in all this?" asked the baron. "Can you fancy I am blind?" retorted the Frenchman, "Well, then, if you are able to judge of my son's good character by seeing his various works, how does it happen you can form no estimate of God's goodness by witnessing such proofs of His handiwork?" Parallel Verses KJV: Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. |
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