The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-04-30

There are two different conditions in
which a man receives without bewildering
surprise the changes which come to him
in life. One is the condition of the man
who believes in no government of life at
I'll. The other is the condition of the
man who thoroughly believes that God
is governing his life. To both Of these
men mystery Is not merely conceivable;
II is inevitable. To one 1t Ii the vague.
hrcary mystery of chance To the other
It Is the rich, gracious mystery of loving
care. To one IL is the mystery OF acct
dent, the most awful and demoralizing
atmosphere for a man to live in. To the
other II is the mystery OF personal life.
which Is the noblest end of thought which
man can reach on any side. Neither Of
these men can be surprised. One OF them
cries 1T is another accident" The other
cries, 1T is my father!" when any most
hnlooked-for thing occurs. Between the
two there stands the man with his own
tight self-made plan Of living. which he
looks to see fulfilled. denying both mys-
teries. refusing TO believe In accident,
and yet ignoring God. He Is the man
whose life Is all battered and buffeted
with surprises He is like a man who
calls the ocean and refuses to believe
In tides. No wonder that after long and
weary voyage he dracs at last a broken
ana wrecked life up on beach which he
never dreamed OF when he started
The other consequence Of the great re-
Relation Of life. the revelation that the
soul for which we care is Gods soul, for
which he Is caring too, will be that the
true man will have one great surprise In
living. and only one. He will try to come
70 harmony with God. TO perfect under
standing Of what God wants and is trying
TO do. Let me not be trying to make
one thing out OF this soul of mine while
be Is trying to make entirely another.
Once more return to the story which has
given US our suggestions for to-day AS
Mary went back with her son, realizing
out OF his own mouth that he was not
only her son, but Gods; as she settled
down with him 10 their Nazareth life
again, must not one single strong question
have been upon her heart, What does
God want this Son of his to be? o let
me find that out, that ] may work with
him. And as you go into the house
where you are to train your soul. realizing
through some revelation that has come
20 1t that II is Gods soul as well as yours
one strong and single question must be
pressing on you too: What does God
want this soul Of mine to be? o let me
md that out. that ! may work with him."
tnd how can you find that out? Only by
Ending him out, Only by understanding
T'Hoe Ac is, NdH Sou ullucIStdHu WUdt ne
wants you to do. And understanding
comes by love. And love to God comes
by faith "A Jesus Christ. See then what
Is the divine progress of self-culture.
You let Christ give you his blessings.
Through gratitude to him you come to the
love of God. BY loving God you under
stand God BY understanding God you
come TO see what he wants you to be,
and so you are ready to work with him
Ter your own soul From the first touch
of Chrst's hand In blessing, on to the
eternal work of laboring with God for
Dur own sanctihcation, that Is the pro-
sress Of the Christian life
The Son of Mary was a revelation TO
the mother, in whose care he lived. So
mans soul. his spiritual nature, which
Is intrusted to his care, is a perpetual
revelation to him. II you can only know
that your soul Is Gods child. that he is
caring for 1t and training IL, then II
may become 10 you the source OF deep
divine communication. God will speak
20 you through your own mysterious
life. He will show you his wisdom and
goodness. not In heaven above you. but
in the soul within you. He will make
you his felow-worker In that which Is
the most divine work of his OF which
we can have any knowledge. the training
and perfecting OF a soul. That is the
privilege of every man who knows and
finds his life and JOY In knowing that the
soul which lives within him, the soul
which he calls his SOUL Is the child OF
God