The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-05-03

y.
ruipr are two cotnsels Of the great
AnostIe to the Gentiles, foundin one Of MS
epistlcs, which seem to have an a1ul. ,
significance BY reason OF tneir loca. a, ~
ranpement. He says: he1oice SseI-
more. Pray without ceasing. lhese
two admonftions are put close Ioge!nel;
two of the shortest verses IN me NSw
Testament, two OF the welgnuest, .a,u
right in immediate contact that they migns
helm each other. The unceasing prayer
goes exactly hand in hand with the JOY
Gus heart. Let it be understood always
that this "joy Of the Lord" is direct
answer to definite supplication, and then
we need not be suspicious OF i'll, or pc
afraid we are getting too happy TO be safe.
The man who will pray ami then com,
plain. the man who can pray and then pc
wretched. had better just keep praying
tin he feels himself becoming q more
charitable brother, or getting into q more
comfortable mood. +" Is any one among
YOU affiictedf Let him pray. Is any
merryP Let him sing psalms. y
It Is high time that Gods children sui
fered themselves to live on more gener-
GUS spiritual diet. Away with all dull.
ness Of countenance and all heaviness OF
soul! No man need willingly affiict him.
self in order to keep his dangerous spirit
down. A Christian ought to be the hap
piest being on all the earth. The JOY. OF
the Lord is the keynote OF everything
which has right to be called religion.
True holiness has no sackclOth among Its
habiliments; the Bride of the Lamb
never wears mourning, never puts ashes
on her head 1t is sin that makes SORROW !;
grace in the humble believers heart gives
relief from both sorrow and sin.
You will be astonished at those multi
piled and voluminous passages in the
Word of God which half hour would
point out with common concordance.
The whole Bible is full, not only of en-
couragements. but of positive commands,
10 Christians to be cheerful and happy.
Paul says this again and again: Re
joice.' He puts it at the supreme height
of his affectionate counsel: /" Finally, my
brethren, rejoice in the Lord" And,
even after this, he comes back to it anew.
As commentator of the olden time
quantity phrases it, he fires gun OF con-
graduation to show he has got out Of the
woods: /" Rejoice in the Lord always"
and then he lets off the other barrel
"And again | say, rejoice"
That Christian does most good in his
day and generation who leads his fellow
men up into the more elevated heights Of
divine clemency and care. For it is upon
an errand of cheer that we are all to go
forth. Gospel" means glad tidings. A
generous hand extended, friendly word
spoken, slight ministration of heartfelt
sympathy, has more than once filled a
desolate life with encouragement and
made gloomy path to grow radiant with
peace. These ages are full enough OF
woes and worries, without our attempting
to increase them by melancholy fore
boding. tits the cheerfulest spirits every
where, which after all are doing the most
good, and bringing most souls to the cross.
"Oh, this world might be better,
Ii each would do his part;
If each hand would break one fetter,
Binding now some saddened heart
A happy Christian family is one of the
very best gospel sermons ever preached on
earth. Let the boys play, and let the girls
sing, and try little quiet fun yourself
We should all accomplish more, if we did
not somehow produce the impression that
Christian endeavor is such dishearteninq
and such melancholy business for all con.
ID n ny.