Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1902-07-02
THE STAR OF HOPE.
BY Rev. 4. z. Conrad


IL
There are set in the human sky bright
stars which are like the diadems Of the
night, llumining, assuring. Frightening,
identifying. There is one star of the
first magnitude which shines on un-
dimmed while day and night succeed each
other. seasons come and go, and hfe's
race is run.
What is this star? Hope hope-the
undimmed star of the ages and the light
of God; hope. which is like the inbreath-
ing Of the peace of heaven in the midst
OF tae disturbances of earth; hope, which
is the healing touch which drives away
the maladies of our bodies and minds
hope. that is the brightest star that is set
in the armament of life.
The light of that star cheers the sailor
upon the storm-tossed sea, and the rum
Bile of the thunder and the CLEAN of the
lightning cannot so terrify his soul that
he is unconscious of the light which
comes from his starlit firmament and no
curtain of darkness can be hung before
him which shall make him oAlivious of
the fact that piercing the gloom there are
the rays of this star in the armament of
his life. set there by an infinite God, of
which no tempest can rob him, and which
no darkness of the night can prevent
shining into has soul.
The light of this star guides the ex-
plorer when the days seem dark and
dreary and MS toll of search seems fruit
less This star 1t is that brightens the
desk of the student who is porting over
his hooks continually for a larger wis
dom and ability for life's great under
takings and when he grows weary of his
task and begins TO think that he has not
the ability to cope with the problems
which present themselves. then he is en-
couraged by the rays of this star which
fall upon his desk The professional man
in every department of life is cheered on
by the same light
This is the star that enables the man
whose arm is barred. and who is working
at the anvil, TO prosecute his laberious
tasks. II is the star which leads the hus-
bandman of the soil to scatter his seed
and wait for the coming of the harvest.
1t is the star-the bright star--which
leads the mother in the routine duties OF
the home when the tasks seem irksome;
it is the star which cheers her on-the
light from this star-and she takes up
same round Of duties five hundred times.
bit it seems brighter to-day because
can see the light from the star. She
sings her lullaby to her babe, and per-
forms the humblest duties under the light
of the star.
And the little child just coming to con
seriousness has its sorrows and trials and
difficulties. but they are driven away
because even to the child there comes
the same glow OF gladness through the
,winkling star in the armament of the
childlife. Childhood passes on TO youth
with its castle building, with its disap-
pointments; youth also is stimulated by
the star. In the yigor Of life, when the
heart beats strong and the temple throb
tells of abundant life, then it is that ev-
cry man becomes hundred men. because
che light Of the star cheers him on his
way. Youth passes on 10 middle life and
10 eventide, and still it is the star.
1t is the star Of light which pierees
even to the innermost parts of the valley
of disconsolation that cheers man on in
his great tasks. And when. by and by
the heavens themselves seem to close in
upon us and the darkness of night gath
ers about us. we feel the chill of some
strange bereavement. and our hearts are
hurdened more than we can bear and
Ii seems to us as though we would be
in abject despair and life were not worth
living: the voice which was sweetest to
us silenced-then we are not in despair
FOR it is the star which God has set in
our armament which sends down its glad
dening rays to us and says: Gods in his
heaven; alls right with the world
Hope-what is it? The strange some
what which has made history and saved
the world For We read in the epistle to
the Romans: I'VE are saved by hope
What is hope? 4 rational expectation
of good as yet unrealized; something bet
ter farther on. from the morning of life
TO the setting of the sun. something bet
ter farther on.
Nations from their infancy until their
present degree OF development attest to
the sam, great truth What is our own
nation bun that? What Is the tremendous
industrial energy OF our day but the ex-
pectation that We shall acquire greater
wealth. that I shall be distributed for
the blessing of the world! There is no
craftsmanship but that which builds
hopefully. with she expectation of some
thing better and something greater. Man
may fall a hundred times in his plans.
yet hope does not die.
Blessed be God for this writing of him
self into our hearts which causes us to
believe that in spite Of ten thousand ills
and disadvantage there are better
things before US than the world has ever
dreamed Of. There is no labor Of life
i5sl then. because 1t mergcs into larger
Pooa and wider blessing. There is no
discipline Of life winch falls Hat and use
less There is no trial, no hardship, lost
forever. God knows how to conserve the
energies Of life.
Homemakers. some Of sou have not yet
realized what you had expected You
find Il necessary 70 live humbiy. Henrik
en- to the song Of hope. Expect better
things material God is on our side He
will help us. we are being enriched by
a discipline which could not be received
in any other way.
There are disappointed ones. Some Of
you have not known the joy you hoped to
receive DO not lose sight for moment
Of the star OF hope the hope Of better
things. II viii come. 1t will come. God
viii not disappoint US. We are the chill
dren Of the king who has rich treasures
Of truth and grace. and If he does not
always grant US what we want at the
time we expect IL. he win keep rs in heart
and hope. and WI.l ultimately reward US
with better thing than this world dreams
Of. I preach this not as dream or a