Growth of Passion

   An old man was once walking with a little boy. They came across four shrubs. The old man said to his youthful companion:

   "Pull up the least one."
   He obeyed with ease.
   "Now the next."
   He obeyed, but it did not come so easily.
   "And the third."
   It took all his strength to move its roots, but he succeeded.
   "Now the fourth."
   In vain the lad put forth all his strength. He only made the leaves tremble. He could not move the roots. They had gone strongly into the earth, and no effort could dislodge them.
   Then the wise old man said to the ardent youth:
   "This, my son, is just what happens with our passions. When they are young and weak one may by a little watchfulness over self and the help of a little self-denial easily tear them up, but if we let them cast their roots deep into our souls there is no human power can uproot them. For this reason, my child, watch well over the first movements of your soul and study by acts of virtue to keep your passions well in check."

Mosaic of The Kingdom

        Bishop Simpson gives this illustration of the composition of Christ's completed kingdom:

       In some of the great halls of Europe may be seen pictures not painted with the brush, but mosaics, which are made up of small pieces of stone, glass, or other material. The artist takes these little pieces, and, polishing and arranging them, he forms them into the grand and beautiful picture. Each individual part of the picture may be a little worthless piece of glass or marble or shell; but with each in its place, the whole constitutes the masterpiece of art. So I think it will be with humanity in the hands of the great artist. God is picking up the little worthless pieces of stone and brass, that might be trodden under foot unnoticed, and is making of them part of His great masterpiece.

Moods of The Spirit

        Pantheism, atheism, agnosticism, materialism, pessimism - how many ugly, dangerous words there are in the dictionary, and how many young people imagine that they have all these spiritual diseases when, as a matter of fact, they are only in the way of normal spiritual development. A person comes to say of certain things that are mysterious, of which he or she thought they knew, "I don't know." Then people label themselves or allows himself or herself to be labeled an "Agnostic." No religious life for them. Another person sees that the great God can not stand apart from His universe, but must be working in it and through it all. They label themselves "Pantheist," or are so labeled. Other people suddenly discovers the abyss of actual wo in the world, the evil that, for the present at least, is without remedy. They are called "Pessimists" And still more people look to the right hand and to the left hand, and for the time do not see God. The final word for them is "Atheist." Now, we can not have a free expression of what people from time to time are actually believing until we get over our fear of all such names. We must have a faith that is wholesome enough and large enough to keep us from being afraid of our own thoughts. The fact is, that we are continually mistaking the passing moods of the spirit for the finalities of thought. These moods  through which we pass have been familiar to the most profoundly religious minds. - Samuel M. Crothers.

Moods Determining Desires

 An unidentified writer points out how different moods affect our minds:

When I am tired and weary.
And nothing goes my way.
I thank the heavenly Father
For two nights to every day.

But when, once more, I'm rested.
And all the world looks bright,
I thank Him that He sends me
Two days to every night !

There's the pause before the battle,
There's the respite from the fray ;
And that is how I reckon
Two nights to every day.

When the sunset glow has faded,
In a little while 'tis light!
And that is how I reckon
Two days to every night.

And so 'tis due, believe me,
To the way we look at things,
Whether we sigh and falter
Or whether we soar on wings !

The Unknown God

 The Unknown God by George William Russell

Far up the dim twilight fluttered
Moth wings of vapour and flame:
The lights danced over the mountains,
Star after star they came.

The lights grew thicker unheeded,
For silent and still were we;
Our hearts were drunk with a beauty
Our eyes could never see.

Altruism In Nature

        ''The flower does not live for itself. Beautiful, fragrant-making, the tree an incense-holder, hang the apple-blossoms for a day; tomorrow they have let go their hold upon the tree and are scattered over the ground in order that the fruit may grow. The fruit guards the seed until it is mature, then the fruit goes to decay that the seed may be released; the seed gives up its life that a new tree may come. What a glorious parable is this: life for life, the old dying for the new; every tree in the orchard, every grain-stalk in the corn-field, every dusty weed by the roadside living for others and ready to die for others. The doctrine of unselfish love and of sacrifice comes to us fragrant with the odor of ten thousand blossoms and rich with the yellow fruitage of ten thousand harvests. Self-preservation is no longer the first law of nature. The first law seems to be preparation for that which is coming next.'' John K. Willey.

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Mark 10:45

Aimlessness

        It is told of Professor Huxley that once, when the British Association met in Dublin, he arrived late in the city; fearing to miss the president's address, he rushed from the train to the station platform, jumped on a jaunting-car, and said to the Celt in charge, "Drive fast; I'm in a hurry." Cabby whipt up his horse and proved to be another Jehu. Suddenly it flashed upon the passenger, bounding about the vehicle in a most undignified way, to shout to the driver above the rattle of the car, "Do you know where I want to go?" "No, yer honor," was Pat's laughing rejoinder, "but I'm driving fast all the while."

There are many who keep up a great activity, but who, for want of a definite aim or a great guiding ideal, accomplish little good in the world.

Uses of Affliction

 The Scriptures say that "It is good to be afflicted," and experience has her own confirmatory word:

       The waters go out over the fields, leaving a waste, where pasture and corn-field had been, and then gradually subside. What have the waters done? Have they ruined the labors of the year? They who do not know Egypt might think so indeed, but the peasants know that to that yearly flood they owe the fertility of the land, that it is that which makes the crops grow and enables them to gather in the harvest. So it is with the river of the grace of God: the waters at times overflow their banks, and one seems to be overwhelmed; the soul is borne down by the flood, all her fruitful land is covered by the waters - waters of desolation, bereavement, affliction. 'I am overwhelmed, undone; God has smitten me; my life is all wrong; I shall never smile again." Nay, the flood which terrifies thee is the water of the river of God. The water is washing away the impurity of thy soul, giving thee fertility; the fruits of love, patience, charity, shall grow now; it is not a flood of desolation, but of blessing and fruitfulness.

Dispise Not The Little Things

        A plainly dressed woman was noticed to be picking up something in the street; a poor slum street, where ragged, barefooted little children were accustomed to play. The policeman on the beat noticed the woman's action, and watched her very suspiciously. Several times he saw her stoop and pick up something and hide it in her apron. Finally he went up to her, and with a gruff voice and threatening manner demanded: " What are you carrying off in your apron?" The timid woman did not answer at first, whereupon the policeman, thinking she must have found something valuable, threatened her with arrest if she did not show him what she had in her apron. The woman opened her apron and revealed a handful of broken glass. "What do you want with that stuff?" asked the policeman. The woman replied: "I just thought I'd like to take it out of the way of the children's feet." Dear soul, she was doing what she could. How much sweeter the world would be if each of us would be careful to save the bare feet of the young and the weak!

''Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel's hand.'' Zechariah 4:10

 

Manhood Recognized

 Jesus saw in the meanest man the possibilities of character. This is what Charles Wagner urges us to do in the following extract:

      '' Maintain toward the poor man and the infirm a courtesy, an attentiveness; find in your heart and in your love a sign that makes him recollect that he is a man. His misery is like a tomb in which self-respect sleeps buried. It is something to respect this tomb, to approach it with piety, to care for it and to keep a flower growing there; but each of these attentions is addrest to one that is dead, shows that you accept his death, and that you confirm it. Do more and do better. Remember that it is a living man that lies under the dust, slowly amassed, of days of suffering. Breathe upon this dust, disengage the human form; speak to Lazarus and make him come forth from the shrouds that surround him, from the night that covers him,'' "The Gospel of Life."

Willing Service

       A musician is not recommended for playing long, but for playing well; it is obeying God willingly, that is accepted; the Lord hates that which is forced, it is rather a tax than an offering. Cain served God grudgingly; he brought his sacrifice, not his heart. To obey God's commandments unwillingly is like the devils who came out of the man possessed, at Christ's command, but with reluctancy and against their will. Good duties must not be pressed and beaten out of us, as the waters came out of the rock when Moses smote it with his rod; but must freely drop from us, as myrrh from the tree, or honey from the comb. If a willing mind be wanting, there wants obedience, and make it a sweet-smelling savor unto to God. - T. Watson.

Falling Of Angel Tears

   And David spake unto the Lord when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said: Lo! I have sinned and done wickedly. II Samuel, 24:17

How loving are the angels to men; for they rejoice over one sinner that repenteth. There she is in that garret where the stars look between the styles. She is dying fast; but she cries, "Lord, I repent! Have mercy upon me, I beseech Thee." Did the bells ring in the street? Did men rejoice? An no! But, stay! There was one standing at her bedside who noted well that tear, --an angel who had come down from heaven to watch over this stray sheep, and mark its return; and no sooner was her prayer uttered than he clapped his wings, and there was seen flying up to the pearly gates a spirit like a star. The heavenly guards came crowding to the gate, crying: "What news, O son of fire? Has she turned to Christ?" "'Tis even so," said he. And then they told it through the streets to other bright angels, and the bells of heaven rang marriage peals, for Magdalene was saved.  Rev. C. H. Spurgeon.

Oh, for the sacred energy which struck

The harp of Jesse's son; or for a spark

Of that celestial flame which touched the lips

Of blest Isaiah, when the seraphim

With living fire descended, and his soul

From sin's pollution purged!

Hannah More

Angels to beckon me

Nearer, my God, to Thee,

Nearer to Thee!

Sarah Flower Adams

Chorus from Kenya sings, "Nearer My God To Thee"