, 1877-11-02
OBEDIENCE THROUGH FAT II.
u T.


10 Al one with God: no less IN one thing
,han another In great as well a. small.
There are few trials that We are called
upon 10 20 through In this lite, more 'e-
yere aad searching 10 the human heart
than that Of loosing those who are dearest
10 us: and Il does seem that II the heart i
reallr whole and sweet, aud at peace,
rms is the time when il will all appear.
For in so great mystery as death we
.,rm plunged In a vast abyss; If our faith
only lights 1t up for us With the colors oi
,rustfilpess and love, We may be alto
gether happy even then, and think OF
those dear ones Is having gone TO the bet
ter land only little while before US;
otherwise this Is a very dark abyss full of
gloom and sorrow. 1t is only this lack of
trust in God that clothes dissolution with
such dread.
Yet how can we conceive Of state in
which spirit that Is resigned is really
less so, than that In this just described,
literally we cannot; yet some persons SUI
fer their feelings merely to relapse into
morbid and sulen condition, AS if God
might be tyrant as well rs father, and
say they are willing that He should do
exactly as he chooses; not simply because
like little children they LOVE him. but be-
cause they think they are quite in HIS
power, and so feel the folly Of making
complaint. There is just such resigna-
tion AS this in the world But it Is false
hOod the whole oft!
We should be grateful for everything.
We should consider nothing as sorrow;
there are no sorrows; they exist only in
the diseased imagination, and spring out
OF sefishness impatience, and puny ambi-
ton. II we wOnd only cast behind us
this AMBITION, put it entirely beneath our
feet, mock at 1t, despise 1t as not at all
worthy to associate with our lofty capsci-
ties; ii We would but DO THIS, and let our
ambition become a noble and spiritual
aspiration, how different the result to all
of u.s.!
But we trust ourselves, before We will
trust any one else; we are choked up with
our prejudices, so blinded by our passions,
SO eaten up with seltlshness and avarice,
that it seems almost a miracle how grace
abounds as 1t does.
Ii seems to NE to be the corner stone Of
all true faith, that man should first be
brought to form the right conception of
Gods character. If this is not, we wor-
ship blindy, and are but little better off
spiritully than II we fell down before our
own idols.
How true that is! Idols indeed! There
is where we are still at fault. The world
Is just as full of idols to-day as ii ever was
during its long history. They may not be
OF wood, or OF brass, OF hay or stubble; yet
there are idols enthroned within the secret
temple Of almost every heart, and few
lives that can deny it.
The whole object of our Fathers care
and kindness, of His providence and dis
cipline, IL to draw US away from the fol-
lies with which we are surrounded, to the
true worship of him. In that worship
Ia happiness. 1t Is the only thing that
can satisfy for one moment the cravings
OF the unq,iet spirit, and it is abundant
to satisfy those inward desires for ever.
Then how necessary 1t is for us to get a
true conception of the character OF our
Father from the first; such thoughts of
Him as will throw our spirits, so ospeak.
into an attitude of worship, Of gratitude
ana thanksgiving, the instant our con-
sciousness takes hold upon Him. Unless
we understand wiatwe are to believe how
can true and joyful believers ever be ex-
pected TO abound.
The first important step In our spiritual
culture is to learn that "GOD Is LOVE"
This 1t Is that draws us to Him; shat feeds
our poor faith so constantly; that lets into
our souls every day we live such views as
cannot be spoken by lips, nor written for
The eyes; that raises emotion within such
AS no description can hope to answer to,
and no other soul can understand except
world will only believe this! Then what
would take tile place of murmurings and
9mplalnings but joy and thanksgiving
what would abound, where distrust and
seihsllness and tear now so much abound,
put oOediente and trust and perfect faith?
ihe Obedience that comes by fear can
not conceive to be Obedience. The true
obedience, aud that which brings re-
signed state Of feeling under all circum-
stallces and on all orvasions, ia life or
ueat'l, la sunshine or cloud, among
friends or among fearful pcrils, In riches
OF III poverty. with kind hearts all about
las, or IN the midst Of malicious aud de-
signing elIeInies--that kind Of Ob,dlcncr
can oniy come by iaiIh. BY faith that
Keeps itself alive by feeding on the very
substance hoped for, yet now In one sense,
unseen; not a izith that drives Que TO
ue ends OF the created universe with
leAr' but that draws continually nearer
And nearer by the strong cord Of love; the
periec1-loye that cssteth Out Tear; the love
uiat sweiis la our hearts because We know
That - lie first loved u.s.
such i the faith that seems 10 me 10
work ol'edieuce, and works besides all its
manifold Aud blessed fruits. Il grow.
greater by tie steady contemplation u
the Gtd who has given Il TO Us 10 enjoy. |
u takes Ia all conditions, all classes. all /
circumstances. Il enfolds the soul In a
garment OF hs own, ~ that IL walks
through The world spotlSss and holy. Il
make. us childreu aud full VI humility;
siid az the ssme time it enlarge, rs. eK-
p''il'ls us, AID prompts ~ all tl,e time 10
aspire, uil We learn that oNLI by oleuiencp. /
osLf by perfect aud willing re.lgnatlon.
tzn We md the true centre q our being.
what a beautiful world this would b. I'll
sach ieeiillgf were general; II fear was
arVeh out, and only love and trust
Teiglel; II would h. lhe reign of .. t.,n,''