The Universalist., 1897-03-27

As never before, worldwide view
of things is taken. and taken with an
ever increasing interest. Though
oceans roll between our shores and
the suffering peoples of the old
world, interest in them is not lessened
nor sympathy chilled. To satisfy
this interest the newspapers spread
before anxious readers, every morn
ing, full accounts of the worlds stu
alton. Broad minded men, with
hearts quickened by the spirit of the
life of Christ, are seeking ways for do
ing the most good abroad as well as
at home. This is significant. Gods
workers-his comfort bringers -ig-
more national divisions, denomina
tional lines, and separating seas, in
their ministrations Of love. This is
divine, it is God like, it is the spirit
of the Cross. Like St. Paul, the
nearer one is to God, the deeper his
interest in the UNIVERSAL; his hopes,
his aims, his faith, embrace all man
kind.
Among the last lines written by
the immortal Whittier are these:-
'Life is indeed no holiday; therein
Are want, and woe, and sin,
Death and it's nameless fears, and over all
FOL
All life needs comforting. "It is
no holiday" Gaiety often covers an
unsatisfied heart. A merry laugh is
not always felt. Boldness many
times hides inward fears. A flow of
good feeling often has its source in
mere animal content, in which the
soul has no part.
A faithless life has its hours of hor
ror. Despair is an open door to deep
er depths. Sin makes its own hell,
however deeply it may be covered. A
starved heart is worse than starved
stomach. A lean soul is walking
skeleton, however we'll the body may
be groomed and fed. In the palace
there often may be found more misery
than in the hut. But however de-
plorable these conditions there is no
wretchedness that can appeal to God
in vain. The first great truth needed
most of all to break through into
these wretched conditions is the truth
that God is not only the Friend, but
that he is the Father of every human
soul. Into whatsoever life this truth
may dawn it brings the promise of
day. All Gods true comfort -givers
proclaim this truth. 1t means there
is way of return for every prodigal;
it means that forgiveness awaits peni
tence; it means nourishment for hum
CRY souls; it means hope for the hope
less and JOY for the joyless; it means
that there may be such repair of brok-
en- lives, such renewal and recovery,
thata song of everlasting peace shall
be put upon lips unused to sing.
Though your sins be as scarlet, they
shall be white as snow; though they
be red like crimson, they shall be
white like WOOL" The words with
deepest comfort fraught, are, 'Behold
the Lamb of God that taketh away
the sin of the world" The 'God of
all comfort" speaks through his Son
to the world, sin-burdened and rest
less, "Come unto me and find rest"
This is, indeed, comfort-the sun
shine of new life filling the soul with
a sense of unspeakable good. Into
this new life all may come. All
may come! Aye, even the most
desperate, utterly vile with the lepro-
sy of sin, may come. The door is
never closed.
Comfort for Gods comfort-givers
is also provided. Comfort for those
who comfort! Love bears many bur-
dens; sYmpathetically, love bears the
worlds sufferings, its woes and its
sorrows. 1t hears its sighs and feels
its tears, and counts them one by one.
The chief comforter of all-our Lord
Jesus Christ-is called the "Man
of Sorrows and acquainted with
grief" The love that bore the Cross
and all love kin to that must suffer.
1t is among the marvellous wonders
of Gods wisdom, ordaining love to
this sympathetic suffering. 1t is the
eternal hope for the world. Love will
not let go, will not falter, will not
rest, but will brave every danger, en-
dure every trial, accept the crown of
thorns and kiss the Cross, that it may
save the world Sin must yield, and
hell must fall and every sigh be
hushed and every tear be wiped away
by the power and in the ministry of
love that can so endure and suffer,
and grow strong. The disturbed and
maddened world once sought to kill
it by mailing the body in which it
lived to the Cross; but the nails could