Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1902-12-25

this: il YOU will only dwell in the secret
place" YOU shall abide under the shadow
of the Almighty; and as if that would not
be tender enough to WOO us, we are t I1.
again, "He shall cover thee with his
feathers, and under His wings thou shalt
trust"
Home is the place for explanations,
There we tell our secrets. If the people
of the world do not understand US, our
loved ones in our homes do.
It would be impossible for one to read
the verses Immediately following the text
without being impressed with the fact
that the most remarkable results will
follow our abiding and dwelling In the
"secret place"
In order that the subject may he the
more practical and helpful [ desire to sug'
gest some things which will surely be ours
when we fulfill the conditions.
l. In the "secret place" there is peace;
"In the world We shall have tribulaticn.,"'
our Master said, "but in Me We shall
have peace" I have read that certain
insect has the power to surround Itseit
with a film of air, encompassed IN when
it drops into the midst of muddy, stag
nant pools, and remains unhurt. And the
believer may be thus surrounded by the
atmosphere of God. and while he i. in the
be filed to overlooking with the peace
of God, because God is with him.
This is true whatever your occupation,
If it is ever so mental. The Rev. f. b.
Never tells us of Lawrence. the simple
minded cook. who said that ''for more than
sixty years he never lost the sense of the
presence of God, but was as conscious
Of it Will, performing the duties Of n, ms
humble office as when partaking OF the
Lords Supper" What peace he must
have had!
IF Won are constantly engaged so that
you have said it was impossible for you
to enjoy your religion very much because
you were so busy, still you NAV have this
peace because you are in the Secret
place" / know that it is imnossihe for
one to keen two thoughts in the mind at
the same time and do them bot,h, justice;
but there is the heart as well as the
mind, and while the mind is busy the
heart may be rejoicing in all the fullness
of God, The orator is conscious of the
presence of his audience. and his heart
is touched by their appreciation while
his mind is busy in presenting the
thoughts that move them. You may have
all your mind taken M. with the book
YOU are reading or studying. but YOU
one vou love and who sits by your side
The mother NAV be very busy in one part
OF the house: her mind may he greatly
engaged. but her heart is conscious of the
fact that her little babe is in another part
of the house. and the least cry will draw
her to the child. So the mind may be
occupied to the very fullest extent, anC
even be disturbed by the things about us.
while the heart may be abiding in sweet
cause we are dwelling in the Secret
place"
Those were comforting words Of the
Masters when He said "Peace | leave
with you, NY peace give unto you, not
as the world giveth. give | unto Won
Let not your hearts be troubled. neither
let them be afraid" So that ! may have
peace even when trial comes. David found
this to be true, for in that beautiful
Psalm, the 9th. he says: 'In the time
of trouble He will hide me in His pavilion
hide me-" The pavilion was a great tent
in the very centre of the camp. and whcr
he was there nothing could harm him;
he could be at peace even 1t he should
hear the sounds of his enemies But the
expression is even stronger than that. foI
David says that if it were necessary God
would even put him in the secret oi
His tabernacle" that is the same as the
Holy of HOLES; and who would not have
been safe there? Here is our Secret
place" again. and this is Just where God
has given us the privilege of going. Why
should we be disturbed if troubles are
about US and our enemies rise up to do
US harm?
.. In the Secret place" there is purity.
If our surroundings were only better IN
this world, our lives would be purer. 1t
is very easy to be good IN the company OF
some people we know; they seem to draw
Ill h, II, In cd
by certain kinds OF scenery Is to be lifted
near Heaven; to touch little child pure
as the angels of God is to receive bene.
dicton. What could not the presence OF
God do for us If only we were. all the
time conscious of it? This is just what |
may have, did but dwell in the secret
place" One of the reasons which DAVID
gives for desiring to dwell in the house OF
the Lord was that "he might behold the
beauty of the Lord
| wish that it might be possible for me
to make plain to You as l might I'm.
derstand it myself all the beauty that
waits lis in the secret place" Think OF
the gorgeousness of the Holy of Holes
in the ancient tabernacle, which is
type of this! The wonderful curtains and
hangings of the place, its blue and purple;
gold. Think of the beautiful veil with the
cherubm, with the embroidery so fine
that angel fingers must have wrought
them. the table of pure gold holding the
bread, and the seven-branched candle
stick? Who from the outside looking upon
the badger-skin tent would have imagined
how glorious it was within? So do not
think it would be possible to make, plalr
to you all that awaits you in the secret
could not tell his JOY if he had an angel,
speech; but this | know, that if You vii
but enter in and dwell there, the yer!
beauty of the place will make you pure
and you remember that it is only unto
"the pure in heart" that the vision o.
God is promised. -,
suppose we might have, been will
Jacob when in his dream he. saw the
heavens opened and beheld the angels
voice Of God, and we only should have
seen the dreary mountains round about
| doubt not by that we might have
been with Paul when he was caught up tt
the third heaven, and we should have
seen nothing but the humble surrounding!
of his tent. And l doubt not but that
if Paul were here to-day he would sec
have walked on the street with Hin
yesterday. Is not the trouble with
ourselves instead of our surroundings OF
our time,'? Every permitted sin encrusti
the windows of the soul and blinds on,
vision; and every victory over evil clears
the VISION of the soul, and we can see
Him little palmer.
The unholy man could not see God il
he were set down in the midst of Heaven
but men and women whose hearts are
pure see Him in the very commonest walks
of life. And there is rot a place in the
world if it is right that we should have
been there, but after we have passed by
we may say, Behold, God was in this
place, and knew it not And il we car
no, say it, it is wrong for Us to go.
3. In the secret place" there is power:
Oh. that we might all of us possess real
power! This is our cry by day and by
night, and yet there is nothing we may