The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1880-12-25
The Drill of Life.

Suppose a man who is largely endowed and in
good health saying to himself &" Everything in
my nature is to be recast, and at once Why,
that requires drill, patient beginning, exercising
again and again, and in failing he commits no
transgression yet there are more men on mourn
ere seats on that account than for any other
cause. God does not look for the same sort of
fruit in one man that he looks for in another. L
don't expect my apples to be ripe in June they
have to wait until October and some of them till
November. Rawness is not sinfulness. l stand
under the arched canopy of that God who has
said, IS Like as a father pitieth his children, doth
the Lord pity those who fear him." The attempt
to realize an ideal conception of life is generally
more perfect, or attains nearer to perfection, in
great natures. But great and fine natures are
likely to suffer more than others, and they are
also likely to make more suffering for others.
There may be times in a mans life when he may
with truthfulness say to himself that his right
eousness is as filthy rags. When it was said by
one of old il was true but when it comes down
to our own time and every hoary-headed deacon
says his righteousness is as filthy rags, it is an
outrage, it is an insult to religion. When a man
commands his temper under provocation, is that
filthy rags? When a man makes great sacrifices
for another, is that filthy rags? Try it, tell these
men some time that all their righteousness is
filthy rags, and see what will come of it. The
voice of wisdom is sounded over a thousand years
of history, urging men to try and try again, and
be not discouraged in such phrases as these
" Come unto me" says the great Master, =" all
ye who are weary and heavy laden, and 1 will
give you rest :" =. take my yoke upon you, and
you shall find 1t easy. and a rest for your souls"
The religion OF the New Testament is hopeful.
God says to men, {" I'll forgive transgressions of
every kind so long as your faces are set heaven
ward - but when a man says he doesn't want to
be saved, and goes deliberately on the dark side
of life, no one but himself knows what the dark
ness of that mans life is and what that dark
ness will be In the future neither you nor l know
anything about. Then comes the second test
that sets men free from this life of sin and
sorrow. What is it? Why, it is simply grace.
What is grace? Why, it is love and benignity.
God waits for men, is gracious to them. as the
phrase is, holds men up by every step they go.
Man goes to the school of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and in the language of the Old Testament, Christ
says, IN never make mention of your sins
they shall be cast as a milestone into the sea-
Il is by such influences as these that man comes
into an administration of love that is helpful and
forbearing in every way. No man in one single
step becomes a Christian, but he can take one
step, as a man leaving here for New York, will
take one step on his return toward there, and if
be continues taking them, he will, probably, get
there. Our life is woven, as the weaver weaves
on bis loom, by single threads, and it is for our
selves to make the garment of our life glorious
II. W. Beecher.