The Newtown bee., 1902-07-18

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edge of our Connecticut harbors, and
should see some tidal mill pond at low
tide; it is empty and bare, a lot of mud
flats, the water all run out through
the gates and over the wheel, and as
he looked at what was manifestly a
pond damned of, and saw the few
inches Of muddy water he would say,
now what's that? What is the use of
a mud pond like that; you can't expect
the rain will ever fill it. And then as
the hours went by he should see the
waters come swiftly in, and the gates
open to receive them, and then
the gates close to hold them
fast, and SO gave them for
power when the waters have again
flowed out; how clear it would all be!
Now he could understand; even SO we
have this gift of life and carelessly,
frivolously, selfishly used it all comes
to seem stale, and fat, pond emptied
out, and unsightly, and of i'll odour
may be. But then the teachings of
Christ, the word Of eternity and of
God, and Of service, and of high duty,
and personal conservation these are
the tides that flow in; these great
thoughts and demands come throb-
bling up to the gates of this worldly
life; and then if the gates open to re-
ceived them and the whole life is filled
by them and the heart is exalted, and
the power is received and preserved; oh,
then life's meaning begins to clear, life IS
purpose and end are no longer enigmas;
we can see why and how and for what
good life is given. So Jesus gives the
water of life. A God above to greatly
adore. and gloriously serve; immortal
beings about us depending on us, meet
with us, whom also we can love and
serve, and a glorious hope set before
us grand and beautiful unto which we
strive forward continually; is not this
worth living3 Is not this exalting
and purifying, and making glad? We
do not need to ask what is such life
human life given for when we see
Christ's teaching any more than we
have to ask why the gates and pond
are made when we see the ocean tide
come flooding in. 1t is to receive
this we say; it is to take this in and
keep it, and use it, and be made
worthy Of it; it is for this reason
these mortal days are given.
And for us brother mortals, for US
there is only one question; and that is
we are going to have the gates open,
and receive the life and power, or do
we keep them closed SO that it reaches
US but finds no entrance? Are we
heirs of the life that is life indeed,
that is worthy living? The we'll OF
life is deep in very truth, but have we
vessels that will for US be let down
to its waters or shall it be said of
us in truth, s'You have nothing to
draw with and the well is deep?" Are
we taking only the surface currents OF
physical satisfactions, and worldly
gains, and useless occupations which
dry up so rapidly as the years go by; or
are we preparing ourselves by thought
fulness and faithfulness and gener-
GUS service for the living waters? Be-
cause the first things we enjoy do not
always prove enjoyable is no proof
that there is no permanent joy in liv-
ing; because the surface waters dry up
or grow stagnant it is 90 proof that the
deeperswaters are not still flowing;
THE SOUL CAN GROW STRONG,
even tho the body grows
weak; the heart can grow
large even tho the income
keeps or grows small. Pleasures NAV
give place to joys; happiness may give
place to blessedness; earth fails but
heaven remains. Like those who live
down on Long Island they may be miles
from the shore, yet.put their ears to the
ground and they can hear the surf of
the sea; even so there Is no place and
no time in life, but pause, and listen
and you shall hear the deep sounding
of the eternal life far beneath all other
ways, all lighter voices. 1t pleads
with us to live for righteousness, and
for the kingdom of God. God has
made us that there is no rest for our feet
until we turn them to obey the spirits
leadings. You have things which we
eniOv. and things which YOU desire