The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-03-30

Fen though il be u
That raisefii me:
Still MI my sou. shall be,
Nearer. my God, to thee.
Nearer to- thee.
There let my way appear
Steps unto heaven;
All that thou sendest me
In mercy given;
Angels TO beekou
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee.
Then with my waking thoughts
Bright with thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs
Affairs I'll raise;
So by my woes 20 be
Nesrer. my God. to thee,
Nearer to thee.
Thus we see how to use affection. We get a
principle explaining the conduct OF Job. MAY
his example inspire US in every future trial
We are very interested in knowing how mat
tiers turned out in the case of Job. After
losing all his children and property, he yet
remained true TO God, firm in his religion It
was then said that if nc were personally afffict-
ed if his body were attacked if he were
called to suffer excrueiating pain, he would
rebel and denounce God At length the trial
came His body became storehouse of agony,
a nerve-center of horrible pain, an offensive
pUtrifaetioD ioathing to himself and disgusting
to his friends. How now? Even his wife, in
stead of comforting him, whets her tongue for
ridicule, sarcasm. abuse. Does Job become
pessimist skeptie, infdel?
1t must be granted that job at first exhibited
feelings and expressed sentiments not match
ing exactly with our ideas of resignation and
patience. He was utterly stunned. For seven
days he was utterly speechless. We cannot
aBalyze his state of mind during that time.
When at length he gave utterance TO his feel
ings he is full of complaints. He seems to have
lost his grip on Providence. He would have
At. -. Il. l.
hauer, Hartmann. aud Leopardi. than with his
three friends, Eiiphaz, Bildad, and Zophar.
e: H. He was ripe for pessimism. He had
not got his moral equilibrium established.
Job was first TO break the silence. For
week the four sat without remark. After JOB
had expressed his mind, Eiphaz cautiously but
wisely and thoroughly oYerhauls the rash
statements of Job. (Eliphaz is always the one
to lead off in the several discussions.]
Our lesson is part of the reply of Eliphaz.
The complete answer covers chapters and 5,
and is in response to Job's lamentations clothed
in the third chapter.
The last chapter of job is a splendid COM
mentary this lesson. 1t shows Job COM
petely recovered as to family, property. phys
ical soundness, mental quiet and spiritual
strength.
Notes.
l. Behold. " H. Eliphaz was to declare
a strange uOclrlNe- ne W0TIu mas De6O SLOW
to accept it. Suffering may be made useful.
Wonderful fact-God has a way of utilizing
trouble to our own advantage; God can so in-
vest pain as to make it desirable stock to
own.
2. Happy. ". III The word refers rather
to the state resulting from our investment to
the time when our interest is paid. We do
not understand the process of distress is per Sc
happiness, nor that the sufferer is happy in his
hear rIu
happy while undergoing great physical mutt
lations. castigations, ETC., but we can hardly
class such experiences among normal processes.
Pain is pain. and neither religion nor philoso-
ply can convert it into bliss.
g. Correcteth. ". L. We recall what
been afflicted" Cps, 119 II. Add Prov. 8 : IL,
~; Heb, 12: 5-I1, inclusive. Notice the
Golden Text is Heb, -: 49, The method of
correction is not mentioned. The word cor
recteth in the original Hebrew means to
argue, convince, judge, punish reprove. Any
plan adopted by God to set right evil-doers is a
correction. The process implies wrong on the
part of the victim. 1t is plain that sin is
harmful and that to permit man to continue
would be an injury to him. Any plan success
full in turning the man from evil to good is
blessing. Good as Job was the start, it is not
probable he was without SIM Chapter
shows he had not foundation for trial, and
hence was morally defective. The last chapter
of the book proves he acquired by his trials
great spiritual strength. Moral correction of
us by God is an assertion of His paternal rela-
tion to US. and proves He is not Father
less of our greatest religious good. He cares
enough for us to correct us. We are 10 remem-
Der all the time that we are passing through
probationary period; that suffering is not to
last long: that time is as nothing to end
lessness; that distress in time in order TO
nlI fali itu IL, ityra nt bo
garded an unmtigated affection The idea of
Christening must never be separate from the
idea of correction. Christening is q means
the reaching corrected condition; the being
rights the end. That a man feel the pain of
correction; that he vince under it, that he
cry out in the agoDy-may be expected as sinless
products. If however, man have faith in
his Father; if he see beyond the present if he
philosophize upon the ofiice-work of ehasten.
ing he will endure without bitter murmur-
ing What is the consequence of all this?
Despise not thou the Christening" Men are
willing to work for results to struggle for sue
cess; to sacrifice now for future good. Apply
the same principle to Gods discipline of US.
4. Sore. ". 49, "Sore" and woundeth "
are items in the general word "corrseteth" of V.
IT, So of TROUBLES" aud evil " in 10. So
of famine and war" and power of sword
in Vs. 20, %. So of "scourge of tongue" and
destruction in VS.. 81, %, D. The word
"correcteth covers all forms of discipline.
On sores and wounds being bound up, see
Isa., IS CT. 80: 81.
The sentiment in v. 10 is the opinion of
Eliphaz, and is not authoritative deelara-
ton of the divine method of manipulating
human affairs. Was he correct? One denom.
ination has prayer for the Sick" based on
the assumption God can intervene and regu-
late matters of health. ALI prayer in fact