The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1886-01-20
For the Central Presbyterian.
All Things Well.

LII may De That most lives are happy.
Lilies laughter does outweigh its tears.
Yet sorrow is abundant, and engages
greatly our attention. A pain in the
finger receives more consideration than
all the rest of the body sound and well.
One black cloud attracts more eyes than
all the vast blue sky. A month of JOY
is forgotten in the anguish of an hour OF
grief.
Paul being witness, life has its tribu-
lation, its distress, it's persecution, its
famine, its nakedness, its peril, and its
sword. Yet in full view of this cata-
logue of ills, he declares that all things
are well-"work together for good"
The Apostle, ever logical in what he
states, gives us the ground for this won
derful and blessed proposition. He bases
it upon single reason, For whom He
did foreknow, He also did predestinate
to be conformed to the image of his Son"
He has determined that his child en- shall
be like his Son, and this being his pur-
pose, it is not in the power of grief to
harm them. A sculptor has a great
block of marble, rough, uncut, and un-
slightly. He determines that it shall be
made into a statue of exquisite mould
He has perfect ideal, and it is his pur-
pose that this marble be conformed to
the image of the model. Christ is the
model, and the great artist would have
each of us like Christ. Whom He did
foreknow-His loved ones-He also did
predestinate to be conformed to the image
OF His Son, as the sculptor did the mar
BILE to be conformed to the ideal model
~ l, l.,
power over the material to conform it to
the blessed and heavenly image of his
Son.
How beautiful and complete the argu-
ment. The purpose of the sculptor to
conform the rough block of marble to the
model before him saves that block.
Would you buy it2 The owner has it
for another purpose. Would you mar
the block of marble? 1t is for a given
purpose and will be preserved. Will the
sculptor so use saw, chisel, or rasp upon
it as to ruin it? Never; for his purpose
to make it into the ideal statue will not
fail.
Satan would buy US. Will the Father
sell his own? No more than the sculptor
will the block of marble. An immuta-
JIG pun POSS uSSISuS hlS OnN W O0 Con-
formed to the image of his Son. Will
He allow the blow of an adversary or
the cutting of sorrow to ruin them2 No:
each blow, each stroke of the Ghisel brings
them but the nearer to that for which
they were destined. The purpose OF
Christ CONTROLS everything that affects
his child. All things work together for
good. This doctrine of divine purpose
is not dry, hard one-a problem for
the theologian alone to deal with-but a
very blessed, sweet doctrine to them that
love God. 1t is the golden chain that
links together every event of our lives
and fastens the whole to the throne OF
God. 1t is Just because He has predesti-
mated US to be conformed to the image of
His Son that no sorrow or trial, grief or
disappointment shall ever do us anything
but good. The Spirit, then, which indites
our petitions according to His will,
teaches US to pray:
Great sculptor hew and polish u.s. nor let
Hidden and lost, Thy form within us liel'
Not in the beginning, bat at the close of
every "In Memoriam" of sorrow and
trial, those that love God shall see
That all, as in some piece of art,
Is toll co operant to an end"
A. r @.