The Hazlehurst signal., 1883-12-20
CHRIsTS COMING.

Tho church year, which brings the
world every twelve months face to face
with the great facts and events In the
history OF the Savior's earthly life,
finds In each annual recurrence some
new hearts to be touched. some new
experiences u be sanctilicd by the d.
vine Spirit and illuminated by the Di-
vino truth. We are always redisc0vcr-
ing the truth which Christ taught eight
cen centuries ago. because the power
Of entering into II depends so largely
on our own personal unfolding OF heart
and life. We never approach the great
events in the Christian Calendar In the
samo attitude; each year some change
of mind. body or estate makes n new
approach inevitable. And so 1t Is that
the yearly recital Of that sublime his
tory which brings the Divine life within
the circle of human knowledge, instead
Of weakening by familiarity the i'm
pressiOns OF those solemn scenes, gives
new and deeper views of their signiii-
cancc by throwing over them the lights
and shadows of growing experience.
In Christ the riddle Of mans life Is
solvcd: in Him Is disclosed that "Open
secret" Of the universe which Carlyle
was all his life long striving TO read
from his own standpoint. Before His
coming there had been glimpses Of the
mind of God, but in Him alone the heart
of God was opened to men. Christ
came into world which men had
strivcn with passionate but unavailing
carncstncss to comprehend. Philosophy
had made q sublime effort TO reach the
Eternal One back Of the armies OF
images into which art had put It's
thought; but the search had failed, and
the Master. had He taught In the cen.
tcrs of intellectual movement, would
have found the noblcst minds painfully
living on tho husks Of stOicism. The
universe and mans life bound up within
Il were hopeless problems until He came
who was Truth itself. In Him all life
found significance and value. and. read
in the light of His words, history fell
into order aud answered His pcnctrative
declarations with facts that repeated
and emphasized them.
And in all the world no individual
life Is comprehensive or true until His
presence shines upon It's darkness. BE-
fore His coming there Is no key To read
It's experiences. They conflict tho ono
with the other, and are but the acci-
dents of an existence which Is tho prey
of circumstances. Event follows fast
upon event, and one is caught In sea
whose tides answer no law from above,
but sweep irrcsistihy on to the shores
which they have sircwn with wrecks
since time began. Before His coming
sorrow Is only bitter and barren
agony. It strikes the things that were
best, Il scattcrs tho flowers and leaves
the weeds luxuriant along the smitten
ways. No wisdom guides its coming,
no love directs its shafts, no hope shines
over its path. Clouds and darkness,
anguish and despair. are It's only COM
panions. Before His coming death
drops the curtain, and the drama. which
was only poor show Mt the best, Is
over; tho spectators 20 their way to
other plays rs meaningless. The golden
promise Of youth, the fitful energies OF
maturity, the gathering shadows of age,
the impcnetrablc and final darkness OF
the Crave--the story Is briefly told.
Dust to dust and ashes TO ashes Is all
the wiscst can say over the grandest
lifc.
But now for the individual, rs once
for the race, Divine life is born In that
poor shelter, the heart; star breaks
out of the darkness; q chorus OF angels
unheard by mon breathe out upon the
upper air song of thanksgiving over q
SON that has found his Father; and
strai, ,htway tho broken and shattered
life gathers purpose and Is full Of mean
ing, the onrushing experiences become
ministries of Heaven to nature that
needs the molding Of stronger and
truer hand, the overwhelming sorrows
after they are overpast leave behind q
peace that passeth understanding and a
hope that fadeth not away, and over
the gate of death It Is written: This Is
the way to everlasting life. ."-Christian
Union.