The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-06-16
THE PERFECT MIND,

True Happiness Dependent Upon . Cheer
full Submission to the Unerring VIII of
God.
Every warrantable consideration
serves to give assurance that it is alto
gether best that there should be one
perfect mind according to which all
things shall be ordered. Such is the
mind of Coda perfect, all-controlling
mind. The fullest confidence is to be
reposed in all its determinations. 1t is
infinitely discerning, supremacy intelli-
gent and absolutely infallible. What
ever is according to this mind is in all
respects for the best. God, in His inf
mite mind, knows all things, and fore
seeing all possibilities, He can direct
all things by His unlimited wisdom
and absolute power, to the most desir-
able results, whatever they may be.
He is ever of the same mind, never
changing His mind, so that the fullest
dependence can be placed upon its de-
cisions, none of which can be reversed.
His capacities are boundless, His re-
sources unlimitable, His plans match
less. He can make no mistake, nor
can He do any wrong.
1t is indeed we'll that God is the Sow
ereign OF the universe, whose "king-
dom ruleth over ALL" This is the only
ground Of hope thai any of His
creatures and subjects can have in re-
spect to their true welfare. Concern
ing God rs the disposer of all things,
all who dwell upon the earth may hear
the song of Heaven: "Great and mar
velous are Thy works, Lord God
Almighty; just and true are Thy
ways, Thou King of saints He who
controls all things is no cruel despot,
to be dreaded, if not hated. Whatever
is according to His will Is for the good
OF His creatures. Their nearest and
dearest friends may be taken away;
their plans, however promising, may
be frustrated; their expectations,
though the tondest, may be disappoint-
ed; their undertakings, hopeful as
they may be, may prove failures; their
efforts, though the most assiduous, NAV
be contravened; but they are not to re-
pine and call in question the justice of
the interference with their wishes and
endeavors, or deem the interruption of
their happiness unkind and unright-
eous. Rather should they say with
Charles Wesley:
"Whate'er ask. I surely know
And steadfastly believe,
Thou wilt the thing bestow.
Or else better give.
10 Thee therefore, Lord, submit
NY every fond request,
And own. adOring at Thy feet,
Thy will is always best"
Unquestlonably, the greatest happi-
ness of all mankind depends upon
their submissiveness to the will of
God. Nothing could be more per-
sonally serviceable than for each of
them, from the very heart, to say unto
God: mot as l will, but as Thou
wilt" This would serve to abate
much of their impotence, and allay
much of their irritation, under their
trials. mitigating the psinfulness of
their defeats and disappointments, and
tightening the burdens of their sfiic-
tons, even though they may be calam-
tiles. In the true spirit of this utter
ance the greatest agitations of mind
would be Gained, and the blessedness
of 'peace as river" would be expert
enced. Certainly it would tend to
smooth the troubled sea on which any
may be tossed, if they would Yield
themselves to be borne quietly on its
waves instead of entering into contest
with its surges. With many it is their
self-will, their controversy with events.
or rather with God, that is the great
source Of their unhsppiness under the
trials that befah them. Could they
make their will one with Gods will, Il
would greatly soothe and cheer their
troubled minds in all their earthly ex-
perlence, and multiply and intensity
their foretastes of heavenly felicity.
The language Of the Christian heart
is: Thy will be done;" and this is its
spontaneous utterance, whatever NAV
be embraced in that will. Inability to
say this indicates that the heart is less
Christian than it ought to be. Nothing
should silence this utterance. Though
called to give up what is most priced
on earth. though deprived of earthly
possessions, thou bereft Of nearest and
dearest friends, still the Christian
heart, at it should be, can say: "Thy
will be done" Severely as it may be
tested, its prayer is:
Renew my will from day to day,
Blend Il with Thine, and take away
All that now makes II hard to say,
Thy viii be DONE
Waterman.