The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-11-14

WuoT0 III Will never D0
Oh that we might feel and believe.
even with faith that passeth into
knowledge. this truth, that peace is
found only within our own lives, and is
born only of pure, trustful and con-
trite spirit.
We may for time be satisfied with
the pleasures and even the superficial,
frivolous affairs of the world.
This world is indeed a beautiful
dwelling place. 1t is our duty to love
it and cling to it. and be happy
in it; but there may come times to
US when all that it contains will not
suffice to give US peace; times when the
world which has seemed full Of sun
shine, and song and laughter. seems for
US to be turned into clouds and mourn
ing; times when human sympathy is
but an idle word, and friendship but
dream. Sometimes in this busy. noisy,
crowded world we may feel ourselves
forsaken and alone, unless we feel that
wi n us is the presence Of the Infinite.
Lopgfelow, after the death Of his wife,
wrote that immortal poem which con,
tains these words;
''Alonel walk the crowded city,"
Alone even in the din and clamor and
throng of great city.
10 such hours us those we need some.
thing more and different than wealth or
social position to give us peace. Then
we need the faith which Alice Carey
had when she wrote these lines:
Here are the heart strings a-tremble
And here is the Christening rod;
There are the songs and the symbols
And there is our Father and Cod"
There is something in affiiction that
calls US to our better selvee. That makes
us forget all the vain follies of life; and
leads US to consider things that are real
and sublime.
And forgetting what is around and
below us. our souls long for something
above and beyond, and better than
we have known. Ard then from the
depth of our hearts comes this cry:
Lead me to the rock that is higher
than l." We need not be unhappy even
in sorrow. There is often more salts
faction in being sincere and thoughtful,
and earnest, and even sad. tfa an in the
gay. careless thoughts of life. A tear
means more than smile. 1t is said that
there are flowers which bloom beneath
the sea too deep for sunbeams. But
underneath the food of waters, they
blossom unseen. 1t is thus with our
inner life. There are sometimes virtues
lying hidden so low, that the sunbeams
of life which are not deep, but glazing.
cannot reach them. And it needs
food of sorrow and tears to reveal their
beauty. We think we have no need of
trials or misfortunes, that they are only
thorns in the garden of life choking out
the flowers of comfort, but this is not al
ways true.
Once in neglected garden, there
grew some TALL rank weeds; worthless
things indeed they seemed to be.
But one morning, twining round. and
clinging tenderly to one of the tallest,
most ugly Of these weeds. there was seen
to be morning glory, blossoming there
in purple splendor. And from this OBJ
ject lesson came thought. After all,
this unsightly. noxious weed was not
worthless. because it gave support to
that beautiful flower.
And thus sometimes around the thorn
of affection there Irvine the flowers Of
submission. patience, trust, and love:
and they whose lives possess these attri-
butes are not unhappy.
There are sweet, sad, faces written all
over with the lines of affection and yet
we read in them the secret of calm.
submissive spirit.
There is so much in every life to be
thankful for. and happy over.
If people would educate themselves
to be thankful each day for something;
if at eventide. when night let's down her
sable curtain. and hides from view all
the outside world, and leaves us to our
inner and better selves. if we would
count the blessings of only one day at a
time, how soon would sad counter aoces
become cheerful. and dreary lives happy.
We are so ungrateful sometimes for the
benefits we receive.
When Jesus cleansed the ten lepers
but one turned to give him thanks.
One great storm will be remembered
for ages, even to the day and date, but
the thousands of sunshiny days will all
be forgotten, or thought of only as COM
mon place things. Thus we magnify
trouble, and overlook pleasure.
The greatest lesson that people need
to learn. ia how to be happy. And the
world will never be saved from sin. until
this one problem is solved. When peo-
pie will heed the lesson which Jesus en-
deavored to teach the multitude when
he said, Labor not for the meat which
perisheth" and when they cease looking
outside themselves. all will believe that
satisfaction which is real comes only
from a pure. unselfsh, humble heart.
Then, and not until then. will wrong be
transformed into right. When this
time shall come crime will cease.
Then the prison doors may be thrown