The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1870-02-16
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN
CHRISTIAN COMFORT.

sA things work together for good to them that
loveGod."
O, the comfort breathed in this beautiful
promisel. Fear not storm-tossed pilgrim
though the tempests roar and the pillows
beat, thy God is only working all things for
thy good. In the days that are gone have
we not felt forsaken of God, cast down and
oppressed? Yes; those were dark days,
when the sorrow storm burst in all its fury,
shattering the green boughs of h5;e, and
dimming every sunny ray in the sky of life ;
how the desponding thoughts welled up, and
in the language of Job, We exclaimed, go,
that l were as in months past, when His
candle shined upon my headl" "How has
He turned my harp to mourning, and my
organ into the voice of them that weep "
God had withdrawn His face, and covered
Himself with cloud that my prayer could
not pass through" Thus did we think in
the darkened past, when the storm king
reigned; but nOw, in the light cleaning
from the trail of affliction's fire, may we
look back through the mists of years and
see that Jesus was in the storm working to-
gether all things for our good" Now, we
gratefully kiss the rod that smote us, ex-
claiming, "Father, it was best Thou leadest
US by way that we knew not, through the
winding wilderness-through the peltng
storm, but, it was the right way; we see it
all SO plainly now!" Poor, despairing,
murmuring worms that we are Why can
not we always "trust and not be afraid ,"
knowing that our Father shaving loved His
own, will love them to the end" "The
drought may consume us by day, and the
frost wither by night but the path invisi
bic to mortal sight, is ever open to the eye
Omnipotent; He sees the hidden abyss COW
cred over with the green sward, and fair, in.
viting flowers, so tempting to our short
sighted vision, and if left to ourselves, blind
ly would we wander on to destruction. We
see not the "devouring lion in the way, the
adder in the path but He whose watchful
eye is ever over us, working all things for
our good, in His own good time and way,
turns our wandering feet aside from the
hidden danger. 1t may be through dark,
unseen path, but we will come out safely in
the end, the light seeming all the brighter
after emerging from the shadow and the
thicket
But do we really love, with undivided
hearts, that kind and watchful God, who
leads us SO safely along The life.path? Let
us, as Christians, pray more earnestly for
the guidance of the Holy Spirit, working
in us to will and to do" inspiring zeal,
love and faith, as bright in adversity's storm
as in the smiling sun of prosperity.
When, by our Fathers mercy, we cross
the trolling river" and knock at the golden
gate, awaiting the starry crown and the
blood-washed robe; when we gaze back, with
undimmed vision through all our journey
past, from the cradle to the grave, then will
we behold, in the Light eternal, how wisely
a God of love has "worked together all
things for our goodl" "What He does we
know not now, but we shall know hereaf-
ter"
"Deep in uafathomless mines,
With never failing SKILL
He treasures up His bright designs,
And works His sovereign will"
NJ. L. A.