The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1898-03-26

embrace Him, to take His hand,
to kiss His feet, to run our
fingers along the scars of an
cient suffering; to say: This is
my Jesus! He gave Himself for
me. l shall never leave His presence.
/ shall forever behold His glory.
shall certainly hear His voice. Lord
Jesus, now see Thee! behold where
the blood started, where the tears
coursed, where the face was distorted.
/ have waited for this hour. l shall
never turn my back on Thee. No more
looking through imperfect glasses. No
more studying Thee in the darkness
But, as long as this throne stands, and
this everlasting river flows, and those
garlands bloom, and these arches of
victory remain to greet home Heavens
conquerors, SO long / shall see Thee,
Jesus of my choice; forever and for
ever-face to facet"
The idea of the text is just as true
when applied to Gods providence.
Who has not come to some pass in life
thoroughly inexplicable? You say:
''What does this mean? What is God
going to do with me? He tells me that
all things work together for good.
This does not look like it," You con-
tinue to study the dispensation, and
after awhile guess about what God
means. HE meaus to teach me this.
| think He means to teach me that.
Perhaps it is to humble my pride. Per-
| haps it is to make me feel more
dependent. Perhaps to teach me
the uncertainty of life" But
after all, it is only a guess-a
looking through the glass, dark
| ly. The Bible assures US there shall
be satisfactory unfolding. what |
do thou knowest not now; but thou
shalt know hereafter" You will know
why God took to Himself that only
child Next door there was house
hold of seven children. Why not take
one from that group, instead of your
only one? Why single out the dwell
ing in which there was only one heart
beating responsive to yours? Why did
God give you a child at all, if He
meant to take it away? Why fill
the cup of your gladness brimming,
if He meant to dash it down?
Why allow the tendrils of your heart
to wind around that object, and then,
when interlocked with the child's life,
with strong hand to tear you apart,
until you fall, bleeding and crushed,
your dwelling desolate, your hopes
blasted, your heaat broken? Do you
suppose that God will explain that?
Yea. He will rnakeit palmer than any
mathematical problem-as plain as
that two and two make four. In the
light of the throne you will see that it
was right-all right Just and true
are all Thy ways, Thou King OF
Saints"
Here is a man who can not get on in
the world. He always seems to buy at
the wrong time and to sell at the worst
disadvantage He tries this enterprise,
and fails; that business. and is disap.
pointed. The man next door to him
toners. A new prospect opens His
; income is increased. But that year his
family are sick and the profits are ex
pended in trying to cure the ailments
He gets discouraged look. Becomes
faithless as to success. Begins to ex
pect disasters. Others wait for some
thing to turn up; he waits for it to
turn down. Others with only half az
much education and character, get or
twice as well. He sometimes guesses al
to what it means. He says: Perhaps
riches would spoil me. Perhaps poverty
is necessary to keep me humble. Per
! haps might, if things were otherwise
be tempted into designations. Blu
there is no complete solution of tn,
mystery. He sees through glass
, darkly, and must wait for higher
unfolding. viii there be an explana
ton? Yes; God will take that man il
the light of the throne and say: 'Chil(
immortal, hear the explanation You
remember the falling of that great en-
terprise-your misfortune in 1858; you
disaster in 1867. This is the explana
ton" And you will answer: 1T j
all right"
see, every day, profound mysterie
of Providence. There is no question
!, we ask oftener than Why? There ar
hundreds of graves in Oak Hill an,
, Greenwood and Laurel Hill that nee,
: to be explained. Hospitals for tn
blind and lame, asylums for the IDIOT
and insane, almshouses for the desti
tute, and world of pain and misfor
tune that demand more than human sc
luton. All! God will clear it al
up. In the light that pours fror
!, the throne, no dark myster
l can live. Things now utterly in
scrutable will be illumined as plainl
. as though the answer were written o.
the jasper wall, or sounded in the ten
pie anthem. Bartimeus will than
God that he was blind; and Lazaru
that he was covered with sores; an
Joseph that he was cast into the pit
S and Daniel that he denned with lion:
t and Paul that he was humpbacket
l. and David that he was driven into Js
!, rusalem; and that sewing-woman tina
S she could get only few pence for mai
: ing garment and that invalid tina
o for 20 years he could not lift his hea
n from the pillow; and that widow tina
h she had such hard work to earn brea
Il for her children. You know that in
d song different voices carry differen
Z parts. The sweet and overwhelmin
d part of the hallelujah of Heaven wi
e not be carried by those who rode i
,. high places, and grave sumptuous Ell
" tertainments. but pauper childre