Arizona republican., 1900-12-03


 nature never fails
 This is clearly a most important part of Christian culture. Joyfulness is everywhere commended as a Chris tian duty. Discomfort is most cetss- table fault. Morbidness is a sin. Fret fitness grieves God It tells of unbe- lief. It destroys the souls peace. It disfgures the beauty of Christian character
 What are some of the elements of the divine philosophy of living?
 One is patient submission to ills and hardships which are unavoidable.
 No lot is perfect. NJ mortal ever yet found a sst of circumstances with out some unpleasant feature Some times it is in our power to modify the discomforts. Our trouble is often of CUT own making. Huch of it needs only a Ectle energetic activity on our part to remove it.
 We are foolish if we live on amid ills and hardships which a reasonable in dustry would change Ito comforts, or even pleasures. But if there are in evitable ills or burdens which We can not by any energy of our own remove or lighten, they must be submitted to without murmuring.
 We have a saying that what cannot be cured must be endured" But the very phrasing tells of an unyielding heart. There is submission to the in- evitable, but no reconciliation. True conitentment does not chafe under dis appointments and losses, but accepts them, and at once looks about to find something good in them.
 I tell you. the peril ofsthis country IS not in the few great or rich, but it is m the thousands of lazy, discontented communists who are always crying equal GiviSion,'' and will neither do anything to help themselves or anyone else.
 There are several considerations that ought to modify this miserable feeling which brings so much bitterness. If We could know the secret history of the life that we envy for its splendor and prosperity, perhaps we would not ex- change for it our lowlier life with its homely circumstances.
 Certain it Is that ccntentment is not so apt to dwell in palaces CT 'cn thrones as in the homes of the humble.
 The tall peaks rise nearer the skies. but the winds smlte them more fierce ly.
 Then why should I hide my one tal- ent in the earth because it is not ten?
 Why should makes my life a failure in the plare allotted to me, while I sit down and dream over unat:ainlr.lc thine-s?
 Why should I miss my one golden op- portunfty, however small, while I envy some ether one what seems his greater opportunlty?
 Countless people make themselves wretched by vainlv trying to grasp far away joys. while they leave un- touched and despisedl the numbarlass little joys and bright bits of happiness which lie close to their hand. As one has written, Stretching orIr his hand to catch the stars. man forgcts the flowers at his feet. so beautiful, so fra grant, so multitudinous and so vari- ouS''
 The secret of happiness lies in ex- tracting pleasures from the things We have, while we enter no mad, vain chase after impossible fancies.
 We need but living faith in God to enable US to take a cheerful view of any eErslience. There is another pure lv Christian element in the culture of contentmenlt which must not be over looked. The more the heart becomes engage'1 with God and its affections enchained about him, the less is it dis turbed by the little roughnesses and hardships of earth. Things that fret childhood have no power to break The peace of manhood. As we grow inso higher spiritual manhood and become more and more filled with Christ We shall rise above the power of earth's discontents. We shall be happy even amid trials and losses, amid discom- forts and disappointments, because our life is hid with Christ in God, and We have meat to eat of which the world knows ret. Thus we may train our selves away from all gloomy and de- spondent habits and experiences, to- ward cheerfulness and hope. The les son, well learned, will repay the sorest discipline. It will bring some new pleasure into every moment. It will plant flowers for us along every step and rugged road. T. will bring music for us out of every signing wind and wailing storm. It will fill the darkest night with star-beams. It will make us sunny hearted Christians, pleasing God and blessing the world.