The San Francisco call., 1899-02-26

the small blind wean sits near him
Bunyan In the dark encrusting shell
poring over the flint of evil circum-
stances the ichor which has won the
worlds worship in his matchless pearl
of the Pilgrims Progress to the City
of God"
And Robert Burns, tormented by the
pang of the flint. fighting the parasite
or mourning the frustrated hope-for
here all the plaques seem to meet in the
shell of one human life-Robert Burns,
pouring out the ichor of his heart, great
as the world in it's sympathy, and sweet
in its tenderness as His heart who
spake the parable; the grandest man of
his time in grand old Scotland, making
his motherland glorious in songs that
stir you like the sound of trumpets on
the eve of great battles, draw you to a
mouse in tender pity. and to his hui
man family with the chords of the man,
to SO sweet and true a purpose that.
of all our great singers and strong and
true, he is to me the sweetest and
strongest, the man above all other men
of our age who was sent from God to
hasten the time
When men to men the world DER
Shall brothers be for a. that.
And Charles Lamb, turning from his
youths fair dream of. maiden peer
less he would some day call my wife. y
purylng his dream in a level grave that
he might make home for that hapless
sister Mary, through more than forty
years, lin single doubleness'-as he
writes his friend-this man giving Ms
the jewel shining with a light that
never lay on land or sea, made precious
by the angels tear that fell through
the bolt of doom on the troubled home
OF his early manhood. and the rich and
rare beauty born OF the flint.
Shall we turn to the sacred story-the
ii1e which holds for us the very light
or this supremacy of heaven and of
God? 1t Is the story which touches the
prophets and saints of all time, and the
things said and the deeds done in dun
eeons, while the headsman was waiting
at the gates. These in all the ages have
given us the pearls of great price
through tribulation and distress. while
to my own heart he sits enthroned Of
whom 1t was written 1T pleased him in
whom all fullness dwells to make the
captain Of their salvation perfect
through suffering" - the man Christ
Jesus, who bore the cross and despised
the shame that we might possess the
pearl beyond all price. and hold 1t for
all time.
And / have brooded over the lovely
similitude as memories have touched
me of the many have known and loved
in all these years, some OF them far
away in time and space. and some no
more on earth-thosc who had borne
sore burdens so bravely and SO sweetly
that, as the poor human shell wore
away. the pearl shone ever the clearer
through; of those who had fallen on
sad and sore Illustration OF our human
hope and joy, but had stood firm by
the white banner of faith-faith in the
supremacy Of heaven and of God over
ell, and had kept their rank and num-
Der to the end and left US the pearl Of
great price.
And ever as I have listened to voices
speaking so tenderly of courage and a
patience which seemed to be one with
the patience of God, while the ichor of
their life was enfolding the flint-then
the shadows have seemed to be sweeter
than the light. because of the pearl.
Is 1t not indeed true, and forever true.
that treasure can come to US through
this supremacy Of heaven in the pearl,
that can never come THROUGH the joy
and strength of life? And that the di-
vinest truths life can reveal to you and
to me lie within this mystery?