Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1904-03-11
THE ANGELUS.
BY Rev. J. r. Berg

THE ANGELUs.
BY Rev. J. r. Berg
Like the silver tones Of an evening
Angelus sounding the hour when work
shall give place to prayer falls this
restful call on the ears Of the worlds
workers, telling them that the time
for struggle and toll has passed and
the time for prayer and peace has
come. From the minaret of his own
experience the divine Watcher sees
world engaged in labors from whose
dreary monotony there is no release.
Come unto me all such," is the in
vitation, "and l will give you rest"
How urgently the world Of to-day,
with it's mad hurry and haste and su-
perficial rest, needs to heed this call!
IT is repeated in scripture IN many
forms, but the burden of its cry is
always Come" Here Is no vague
invitation, ''come now' is the plain
meaning and rest Is Immediately given.
No one can doubt the sincerity of such
an invitation, there is constraining
power in its tenderness that appeals
to the weary and heavy Laden" to
whom it is extended
Tired and overweighted" Is anoth-
er meaning of these words, and while
physical troubles are not alone or ev-
en- chiefly intended it would be a mis-
take to suppose them to be excluded.
Our difficulties are often complex in
their origin and we do not always know
from what source they arise There
is form of soul weariness which
arises from deep sense of failure.
NO matter what a mans religious
creed, provided it is creed and not
a mere catalogue of opinions, he will
find it no easy matter to live up to it.
To many this is a discoura ging fact
and the conviction of failure is one of
the hardest burdens to carry. But
that Is not the hardest form of re-
ligion which makes us satisfied with
ourselves; indeed, certain self -dissat-
isfa ction will alone furnish us with in
centive to attempt to better our past.
The creed that man can live up to,
and that without half trying, is moi
worth the having. 1t is not the sat
isfied conviction II have reached my
ldeaI' that gives us peace, but the
thought Il am nearer to it than
was while ago" The knowledge that
in spite of mistakes we are making
progress means tranquility. 81 will
give you rest means 1 will teach you
how to succeed"
However unable we may be to dag
nose our disease, we are always srffi
ciently aware of the symptoms. VIII,
we are tired and overweighted we may
not always know, but we are never il
: doubt as to the fact. Perhaps times
have been hard and work is scarce
whether due to strikes or cold wealth
er, you have struggled hard to suppor-
your families, and have worked a.
faithfully as you know how. Your re
ligious beliefs may be many or few
perhaps you have never formulated
them clearly in your own mind; that i.
not, however, the important point IL
regard to this invitation. 1t is this
You are discouraged, the call make,
no exceptions; it does not read, "Com,
. ye discouraged Christians" or "Com,
; We faithful disciples;" it's a broader
call than that; the invitation include,
you.
Or perhaps health has failed ant
you have become disqualified for work
you cannot dig, and you are of course
ashamed to beg. Possibly you have
almost reached the point when vol
feel 1T is better for you to die than
! to live. You ''have never subscribed II
any creed" you say; well. none tht
7 less, the invitation Is for you. Offer
death visits the home. The son is try
ing to supply the place of the father
{ OF the daughter of the mother. Duties
are many and onerous, vexations fre
, quent and not always trivial; the bur
den Is heavy on your young shoulders
: 1t Is certain the invitation Is for you.
Many hear this Angelus who do no.
| stop their work to pray. Perhaps yo,
= think you have no time. Try 1t. Sc,
II he will not give you rest. After all
, 1t Is not SO much what God gives vol
as what he is to you that means res
to the discouraged heart. In its full
est meaning the Angelus is this
, Come unto me all We dlscoura gee
ones and / will be your rest"
Short Meter Sermons.
Love cannot be leased.
|
Silence is the eloquence OF sympa
thy.