Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-07-22

& not the less our God because
the Creator of all worlds and the : amer
of all spirits. Strange that the se,y
thought of the greatness OF Coz CT .ne
vastness OF the universe, of the NUM-
berless multitude of kings for whom ne
must individually care, If He cares 1or
say, causes many people to doubt his
personal care for them. Is it not proof
enough thar He is my God that He has
created me in His image. is my Father,
has redeemed me 1T TIE costliest price
He could pay, and assures me of His
constant care? The idea that God is
the refuge of every SOU, that He loves,
thinks of, cares for each individual
separately, pcrvades the Bible from be-
ginning to end. 1t is one of the truths
that IS as clearly taught in the
Old Testament as in the New.
TIE confidence of the patriarchs,
of the psalmist and of all the
prophets in Gods personal sympathy
and care was as strong as Paurs.
Witness Abraham's unwavering faith
in the supreme trial of his life, and in
all its journeyings and changes. How
perfect must have been Isaah's con-
scionsness of refuge and protection in
God, when he wrote the Divine assur-
ance: 'rFear thou not, for l am with
thee; be not dismayed, for l am
thy God; / will strengthen thee;
yea, l viii help thee; yea, will
uphold thee with the right hand of nay
righteousness. When thou passcst
through the rivers they shall not over
flow thee; when they walkest through
the fire, thou shalt not be burRed, nei-
ther shall the fame kindie upon thee. "
And noteven the Saviour's declarations
that He who feeds the ravens, clothes the
lilies with beauty. notes every falling
sparrow, must certainly shield and pre-
vide for us, can inspire astcongerconi-
dence in Gods tender, personal leve
and care that the psalmist possessed:
''God is Cur refuge and strength, a
very present help in trouble; therefore
|, will not we fear, though the earth BIZ
removed. I will say Of the Lord, He
is my refuge and my fortress; my God;
in Him will trust; yea, in the shadow
of Thy wings will l make my yefuge
'luntil these calamities be overpast-
Sooner or later every soul muft make
God his refuge in sorrow or be utterly
crushed by it. There is something pa
thetic in the way in which the pressing
need of Divine support comes to every
body. No man has lived 10 mature
years whose life has mot been broken
again and again by terrible diappoint-
ments, disasters, bereavements. The
only sufficient shield and refuge in such
trials is God. blessed is that man
whose trust is in God andwhose hope
the Lord ISL but dreadful beyond de-
scription is the case of, those who come
suddenly into heart breaking sorrows
| and know not how to find refuge,
strength. consolation in God.
If we would know how to make God
| our refuge when trial comes we must
make Him our refuge from sin; for
the consciousness of sin bars out the
strong consolation (which the loving.
plying God longs to pour into every
stricken soul. We must have the habit
of trusting and obeying God in health
and prosperity if weSWOuld be able to
hide in His pavilion when calamity
comes. Only the manwhose life is hid
with Christ in God is prepared to make
Him his refuge and strength. his very
present help in trouhe--N. W. Chris
tia, Adc0caLe.