Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-09-20
"As Thy Day 50 shall Thy strength Be-"

How apt we are TO borrow trouble-to look
forward TO the cares and anxieties of the
morrow, instead Of remembering the blessed
promise, As thy day so shall thy strength
be-" One step at time, and but one,
should the earnest, trusting Christian ever
think of taking; for this is all God requires
of His children, and all upon which we can
rely, for His help to guide and direct us
right.
Another reason for confning our thoughts
10 present time is, that we escape the weari-
ness and dependency which creeps over US
in view of the ever-recurring trials and
struggles OF the Christian life, which is
aptly compared to warfare. 1t shuts them
all out of the mind, save those which end at
the nightfall
II we have cross TO bear surely we can
bear that cross for one day. If We are sorely
beset by the annoyances and vexations of
the work on our hands, surely we can endure
them patiently while the day lasts II we
are wearied by the struggle of manifold
temptations, we are not further and unnec-
essarily wearied by the thought that they
are 10 return tomorrow and the next day,
and through perhaps many future years OF
life. And this further and really needless
borrowing of trouble is the most fatiguing
element in them. A little longer endurance,
and the night comes 1t is an encouraging
and inspiriting thought.
We can imagine the effect upon us Of
knowing that we had but one day TO live.
As Christians, putting out Of view all that
might appall Us with the consciousness that
we were unprepared for the last great
change, the effect would be to make every
burden light, and every trial comparatively
easy. The cheering thought that they were
the last, would send new strength into the
heart to bear them while, indeed, with our
might would we do what our hands found TO
do. We could not think of rest that day
we should not need it. The night of death
would give US all the repose we could ask
Aud such, comparatively, would be the effect
of living each day as though it were the
the last. The night does come--the long
est day has an end-and with 1t does also
come, or may come, an end to labor and
care. A blessed sleep to weary eyes and
aching hearts
Temptations leave us for a season and
await the morning light. Ishe morrow
dawns upon spirits invigorated and renewed,
and as ready for duty as they were the day
before--a day which was passed in safety.
If with the morrow's dawn, fresh trials
come, they will find us eudued with strength
to bear them. 1t is, indeed, blessed as
surance to those who thus live, " As thy day
so shall thy strength be-
On the other hand, they who live and
labor On without a break, save that which
the night and darkness ecessitates-whose
thoughts are ever outrunuing the work OF
their hands, and overlapping all the barriers
and divisions Of time which God has merci-
fully erected along their paths--who mind
neither day, nor night, nor summer, nor
winter nor seed time, nor haryest-what a
dull and tedious mouotony is theirs. They
cannot measure their spiritual progress
they lose sight of themselves as travellers
| over a stretch Of desert land.
There is no encouragement TO such life.
1t has no goal but the grave; and even that
goes out Of sight like every distant object
gazed after from dead and broken level
| And this is not the worst. The future, to
such persons is always peopled with spectral
/ trials and terrors.
They cannot bear what thus comes upon
them And why not Simply because
they overload their strength with the need
! less burdens Of the future These burdens
have not yet come around, even if they are
/ to come. Leave them where they are, a,
God mercifully leaves them. They will
come one by one, and not as we have forced
them, altogether upon our already burdened
spirit, and with them will come the blessed
assurance, As thy day so shall thy strength
be."--Ne,c York O6server.