West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1883-03-07

through. He had no intention that
you should fail. | know it seems
hard for you at times, but Christ is
with you. You say, "Oh, if l had
such lot in life as this one, or
that one, | should be so different"
No, | remind you again that YOU
must be yourself, and not some 9TH
er one, and that your life is to be
lived amid your own peculiar ex-
periences. But God adapts his
help to our circumstances. There
is a text that says, "Thy shoes shall
be iron" That means that if you
have stony paths to walk over, God
is not going to send you forth with
paper-soled slippers on, but with
shoes strong and enduring, equal to
the need of the journey. Or, in
simple words, Christ is Just as able
to help you to live truly beauti-
full life in your peculiar circum-
stances, as If you were in the east
est and most sheltered position
possible on earth. And he will, if
you but learn to trust him.
Then the last thought that |
shall suggest to you is, that you
must resolve, through Gods grace,
that you acilL live a sweet, lowly,
Christ-like life, in your allotted
place. Every life must grow up
in this world amid antagonisms.
But you may overcome. You are
at school now, and you must be a
good, apt scholar. Processes are I'M
important; it is results we want.
If a tree grows into majesty and
strength, it matters not whether
it be in the deep vale or on the
bald peak. If character develop
into Christ-like beauty and symme-
try, what matters it whether it be
in ease and luxury, or through
hardship and sharp attrition p? The
important thing is not the means,
but the end-spiritual loneliness.
To be made truly noble and Cod
like, we should be willing to sub
nit to any training and disci-
pline.
You must resolve, then, that you
will use every experience to help
to develop in you the likeness Of
your Lord that you will regard
your provocations, annoyances, and
all your hardships and trials, as
practice lessons in the application
of your Christian knowledge. The
tree that grows where storms sweep
is stronger and grander than the
one that grows in the quiet vale
1t is no heroism to live patiently
where there is no provocation,
calmly where there is nothing to
perturb. Not the hermit's cave,
but the stress of busy life, tests
character. If you can live gently,
patiently, unmurmuringly, amid
all your frets and irritations, day
after day, that is heroism. That is
your task. You are TO resolve to
do it. No one, not even God, will
do it for you. Heaven does not
put features of beauty in our lives
as the jeweller sets gems in clus-
tiers. The unlOvely elements are
not drawn out and replaced by
lovely ones, like slides in the ster-
opticon. You must win your way
through struggles to all noble at
tainments. 1t is he that overcom-
eth that is made pillar in Gods
temple You must accept the task.
You will fail more than once.
Many a night you will go to your
lonely room to weep at Christ's
feet over painful defeats. But new
er give up.
You spoiled many quire of pa
per before you could write well. l
did, and even yet cannot write
legibly. So you VIII make many
poor efforts, crooked lines, land many
a page will be blotted and blistered
with tears of regret. But through
all keep brave heart and an I'M
faltering purpose. Endurance and
continuance will accomplish any
thing. And Christ will hell you.
Trust Him. Let every failure or
defeat only cause yor to lean on
Him more perfectly. Heaven is
on the side of every one who is
struggling to do the divine will,
And that means victory.