Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-03-06
PATIENCE.

PATIENCE.
There Can BE No Joyful or Happy Chris
tian Experience without Its Exercise.
In the Greek of the New Testament
two different words are used repeatedly
and sometimes INTERCHANGEABLE to de-
scribe this distinctively Christian grace,
each of them being translated into our
English version-patience. The primal
sense of the one is endurance, perso-
verance, permanent continuance, a
steady bearing up under the trials and
Affections of life. This idea is correctly
given in Rom. ii. z, when St. Paul sayss
''God will give eternal life to them who.
by patient continuance IN WcN-doimg,
seek for glory and honor and immor-
t%ality." The other Greek word indi-
Gates the state OF mind Or feeling with
which the tolls and trials of life are
borne, and is about equivalent to mag
nanimity, forbearance, fortitude, slow
ness to anger, great-heartedness. In
our English version this second word
for patience is sometimes rendered
long-sutcring or J~orbearancc, asl
when the Apostle Peter says,
'.Thc long suffering OF our Lord is
salvation" G. Peter iii. 15). St. Paul
sets before us the true ideal of this
great-hearted Christian virtue when hoi
says: BE patient toward all men, not
rendering evil for evil unto any man,
but following that which is good both
among yourselves and to all men,"
The Epistle of James, which may in
deed be called a treatise on patience
and good works, sets before us the same
exalted ideal OF holy living, when it,
says: "Be patient therefore, brethren.
unto the coming of the Lord. Behold
the husbandman waiteth for the pre-
cious fruit of the earth, and hath long
patience for it, until he receive the
early and latter rain. BE we also pa
tent; stablish your hearts; for the COM
ing of the Lord drawcth nigh. Take
my brethren the prophets, who have
spoken in the name of the Lord, for an
example Of suffering affection and of
patience. Behold we count them happy
who endure. Yc have heard of the pa
thence of Job, and have seen the end of
the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful
and of tender mercy" q Thes. v. IA;
James '. 7-10). * g =
There are two aspects or conditions Of
human life, in each OF which we need
to let patience have her perfect work.!
In fact, under each of them alike there
can be no joyful or happy Christian ex-
perience without it.. First. we need its
continual presence. as q sustaining
principle, under the manifold trials, af-
t1ictions, disappointment>, ~bereavemcnts
and orrow of life. What is a man to
do who has never learned to be patient.
when the day OF calamity comes; when
the fierce storms Of adyersitv beat upon,
his habltation and his heart? Soon or
late these must come to every human
heart. There is no exemption from,
these trials. With many they are the
daily experience of life. To all thew
must come at some time. How are we
to meet them? How is any troubled
soul OF man to bear up under such bur-
dens, eNceptin the exercise of that calm.
serene, heroic patience which is learned
IN the school Of Christ? Here it is, and
here only, that the believing soul has
heard that voice which stills the tenn
pest OF all human passion, and cries:
"My son, despise not then the chasten-
ing OF the Lord, nor faint when thou
art rebuked Of Him. For whom the
Lord loveth He chastcneth, and sco,,rc-
eth every son whom He r~ecciveth."
linen, again, patience, as Il working
principle, Is needed in all the tolls 81
business, in all the calls of duty. in all
the changes, and the work of daily life.
Inc h~usbandman must pillow the ground
ana SOW he seed in the patience of
nope; he must wait for the early and
the latter rain; nor can he reap in ioy
tlll ne has long and patiently waited
ior the harvest. And precisely SO is il
IN all spiritual work, in all Christian
Lon. Indeed, all true, successful Chris.
tlan work is conditioned on patience.
anu Is never fully crowned except bv
the grace OF patience. -Iuteriior.
10 make The Man I Ann ona
WIN "Ihe Man l Might Have Been, is
.he great end of II lives; it was for
c ce,r ehaf we Were t%;r created g; To have ac-
missed it is failure. Hell itself is Int
me- measure Of disparity between ..Tha
Nan l Might Have Been and ..The
Man l Am" To behold with a