Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-12-23
REST.


After he had sent the multitudes
away, he went UP into a mountain
apart to pray: and when even was
come he was there alone.-St. Matt
10: %.
There is a law of our life in ac-
cordance with which a man spends a
part of each twenty-four hours In
work and after that he yields to re
pose. 1t is first work and then rest.
The higher the recognition of this law
the finer becomes the quality of man
hood. The better the man, the better
the products of the man.
While man works he gives out, he
expends When he rests he stores.
1t is folly to suppose that man can
draw ceaselessly against his bank ac-
count and never make a deposit. 1t is
equally a folly to imagine that man
can work on and on without the rein
forcement, refreshment that alone
comes with repose, The great thing
in every department of life is TO recog-
nize this law and to get the right
proportion between work and rest.
The wise man studies this law. under
standing that it is of God; that obedi-
ence thereto means fulness. richness of
life, and that disobedience means de-
terioration and last of all ends in
death.
In every man there is lodged three
fold life-the physical, the spiritual,
the mental-the life of the body. of
the soul, of the mind This law of
activity and then repose applies equal
~ in all three domains. A man may
respect the law so far as it applies
to his body alone. Then In his I'M
folding he is merely an animal He
is soulless and he is mindless. 1t is
a vital part of our COG given intelli-
genee that we recognize this law on
all three sides of our life; that we get
hold of and keep the proportion of life;
that we do not cultivate one side of
life at the expense or to the neglect of
another.
The Master understood the law and
he respected the same. For example,
he ever preserved a sound body. 1t is
nowhere recorded that he was ever
sick. He must have been physically
robust, or he could not have left be
hind him such a splendidly full life.
Then, he was ever a deep student.
From his youth he increased in wis
dom. He was learned in the literature
and law of his church and nation, and
he was profoundly learned as stu
0p IS ffu
reflects his mind Where is there an
other mind which could have given
the world the Lords prayer and the
sermon on the mount? There is not
a student of the highest rank who
does not bow before the mind of Jesus
Christ OF the spiritual side of his
life who shall presume to speak and
do it justice? He lived ever with God
and in God. God was his life and
light. His was a perfectly proportion
ed, well rounded life. 1t has become
the universal pattern, which finds its
grateful imitators in every age and
every cline. But that life recognized
and followed great, a profound prin-
ciple or law The Master had just
ended, finished an intensely interest
day. He had been surrounded by a
great throng and he had healed their
sick; then, lest the people should faint
on their homeward way. he first fed
them-a company of about 5000 men,
besides wO' zen and children. 1t is
easy to understand what the exhaus-
ton of such a day must mean for any
man, especially when it is known that
he puts his whole heart and soul into
his work.
The Master has dismissed the multi
tude and taken leave of his disciples.
He had gone, alone, into a mountain
solitude, there to commune with God
to place his wearied head on the bos-
ON of God and to put his heart close
by the heart of his Father. The even
ing had come and he was alone. Je-
sus Christ must have underst u that
his life and ministry were to only
a few years, ard he did rea how
much was to be crowded that
brief space of time. Yet he made and
he took time to so apart, to be alone,
In solitude, in mental repose, he found
the restoration of all his powers. He
understood and grasped the fact that
unless a man lives in closest touch
with God he is not. he cannot be,
a divine man, he cannot attain the
purpose of his life.
What a strange message this to our
busy. busting age, We are apt to
think that our rank or place in life
is settled by the intensity and cease
1essness of our activity. We sap the
foundations of our physical life, we
stunt our minds, and our spiritual be-
ing lacks richness of blood 1t is
impossible for US to attain the full
measure of the life for which we were
intended, and we fail to grasp "th
prize of the high calling o. God in
Christ Jesus"
Would you attain a well rounded,
useful. happy life? Then note well
The lesson of the Master. Daily send
your multitudes away, If only for a
few minutes. then go apart for silent
communion with God. When even
comes. before your sleep. let it always
find you alone with God, your Father,
who watches over you through the
hours of the night
ALL MUST BE GOOD.
~ 2eY Pesrce Pinch