The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-05-06
The Walk of Faith.

Nv "iiOlO JOulhCJ W utdNHn Is a
walk of faith: Obey and trust is all
mat God requires of us. Our poor
bllnd tlmidity often falters and whim-
pers-" Lord, how can we know the
way?" Our divine Leader replies:
" Follow Me. l will lead the blind in
the paths that they have not known; l
will make the darkness light. before
Them" Blessed is the soul that has
learned to take hold of Christ's hand
and be led
AS for the trials that await us, it is
far better tina, we cannot foresee them.
Why damp the joys of newly-married
pair by pointing out all possible contin-
gencies of domestic friction, or hard
ships or calamities? 1t will be time
enough to meet the hardshirs or the
trlals-to watch beside sick beds or to
weep over empty cribs, when those
painful scenes are reached in the Jour-
ney Of welded life. Sufficient unto the
day is the evil thereof-and the Joy like
wise. 10 forecast our sorrow would
only increase the suiferngs without in-
creaslng our strength to bear them,
How many of life's MODEST and hottest
enterprises might never have been I'M
dert ken if all the difficulties and de-
fects could be foreseen. Had the fish
ermen OF Galilee foreseen the dungeons
and the bloody martyrdom that awaited
them, perhaps they would not have left
their nets so promptly to follow Jesus.
God did not reveal to William Wilber-
force that he would be defeated for
eighteen consecutive years before he
should carry negro emancipation
through the British parliament. 1t was
fight of faith from the first stroke.
Christ does not reveal to every young
convert all the opposition that he must
encounter, or the failures he may make,
or the obstacles that he may meet. 1t
must be walk of faith from the start.
All that the NJ lster assures the new be.
ginner is g am with thee. NY grace
is sufficient for thee; to him that over
cometh will l give the crown of life"
Ought sincere believer to ask any,
thing more?
The real conflict is between choosing
our own way or walking in Gods
way. The sin of every sinner lies lust
in this-that he follows the path that
seems most pleasant to his own evil in
clinations; and the end of it is-helll
Even Gods people are too often willful
and hayward. Lot chose his own way
and 1t led him into Sodom; and Sodom
soon got into his demoralized house
hold. When he took Gods directions
they led him in safety to Zoar. Jonah
chose his own way, and it sent him
overheard into the raging sea. Then
he took Gods way and it brought him
to Nlneveh, on mission of love.
Peter undertook to take care of himself.
and he turned out poltroon and liar.
Afterward he let God take care of him.
and he went to sleep calmly, with chains
on his wrist, in dungeon, to be walked
up by a delivering angel. When we
walk with Christ we must be willing to
drink of Christ's cup, and t. bear
Christ's cross; but every step lifts us
higher and brings us nearer to the I'M
fading crown.
Abraham's journey towards Canaan
was entirely journey of faith. He
had no maps, and no guide-book; he
literally event out, not knowing
whittier he went" Yet one thing he
was sure of; he knew that God was his
guide and that he was heaven bound.
He sought the city that hath founda-
tons. Towards that resplendent CAPT.
tai of the Great King, he bent his
steadfast eye through all his wander
ings. So may we march on, day by
day, from duty to duty, from one toll
or trial to another; but by and bys
comes the sunset gun, and the morn of
eternal gloryl That is enough. Let
the waves pitch, and the tempest rave;
yonder are the harbor-lights! What
though we catch sometimes gusty sea,
if we can only see the Master treading
the pillows, and hear him say, A" 1t is L;
be of good cheer, be not afraidl' That
divine voice brings the calm. That di-
vine hand guides us into the haven.
1t will be great Joy to compare log
books when we get home to glory.-Rev.
7. L. Cuyler, in Netc York Evangelist.