The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1892-01-06
GODS CHRISTENING.
1t Is That We May BE Purified ana
Strengthened That in All Love He SENDS
Trials Upon Us.

It Is That We May BE Purified and
Strengthened That In All Love He Sends
Trials Upon Us.
Bereavements, losses and disease are,
no doubt, sent to humble us. All allie"
tions are not Establishments. The thorn
in the flesh was sent to Paul not be-
cause he was exalted above men, but
for fear he would be.
AS when we catch glimpse OF some
rough scaffolding and hear the harsh
sounds of the workmen's hammer, we
can little devise the goodly building yet
to be reared, so in the shaping of our
life the blows we receive which to us
seem so needless and so hard to bear,
how much less can we judge of Gods
designs, making US ofttimes mistrust-
full, discouraged, and sometimes very
rebellious-yet unknown to us the good
work is still progressing, and one day
we shall see even here, perhaps, order
and beauty brought out of strange con-
fusion, when all that is now unsightly
shall be taken forever away.
No matter what our earthly portion,
'If God be for us ach0 shall be against
us?" Let poverty come as ravening
wolf, there is comfort in even this dark
hour of need: ''He who spared not His
own Son." Are loved ones in peril or
disgrace, there is One whom no power
can divide: ''Who shall separate MS
| from the love of Code" Shall tribula-
| ton or distress or persecution come, If
we could only in full confidence of the
| justice of God, not only with our lips
but heart, say: NAY, in all these things
we are more than conquerors!'
Is there nothing to make our life
gladstone in the thought that if all
others forsaze, the King of kings is
surely our friend? that all sorrows
shall only work in His hands for our
good; that our sins are pardoned; that
our debt has been paid; and even If
blessings come and how many do
come to us all amid the darkest days
the richest and best are yet to come?
Who would be sad or gloomy when
about to inherit crown?
Did you ever sit of a winters evening
and watch the coal in your CRATE when
as yet untouched by the flame? It's
dark enough, neither beautiful nor
bright; but wait until it is touched by
the fire; how it CLOVIS and sparkles and
casts it's genial warmth all around.
SO it is with our hearts when the
grace of God has changed them in the
furnace often seven times heated.
He takes our softened hearts and beats them,
The sparks fly off at every blow;
He turns them DER and DER and heats them,
And lets them cool and makes them glow;
Yet this is for our profit purely,
Affections glowing fiery brand,
And All His heaviest blows are surely
Inflicted by Master hand.
Let us say, trusting, as God will!
And at His heaviest blows hold still.
We may have to suffer much in this
world. many of us. but let us not shrinl
from tribulation. The white-robe(
throng by and by, remember
when thou passest through the wa
ters l will be with thee" The roads il
the east are often through marshes an(
-.Sbwamps which during the rainy season
are generally overfown with water
Passing through these, the travele
often has cause to say: II sink in deel
mire where there is no standing. an
come unto deep waters" They ar
also intersected by streams, over which
there are no bridges, through which i
is always dangerous to pass. On tn,
banks of these waters persons station
themselves to conduct travellers through
If mounted, by the bride; if on foot
) carrying them across on the shoulders
What the guide does for the travele
in passing through these waters, Go,
promises to do for the traveller Heaven
ward, when passing through the water
of affection and trial.
'As many as l love / retuke an
chasten." This rouses the fainting sou
like trumpet blast. And then, if w
could only realize how safe we are il
, the hands that so try us-a great lovin
God above us watching over us by da
and by night, caring for us since tn
day we came into being as the tenderes
mother for her child-we should NOR
readily accept the disciple here, an
look forward with more steadfas
faith to the joys not yet revealed in tn
glorious Kingdom of that God who S
, tests His children while upon earth. =
Christian at Work