Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1904-06-09

> Stiedln, IesC IN IHe Valey ana cnmD to the
hilltop, and in everything and everywhere
you will find happiness. It springs up like
a well of life, filling the air with it's
music, flooding the earth with its joys.
How much more does our heavenly Father
desire you, His children, to be happy The
only condition of happiness is to be good.
To the untutored, this looks like an i'm
possible thing, and many ask: Glow can
l do this? Easy enough. All that is
needed is the disposition, and the effort.
First of all, look at your bank account.
Did you know. yon had bank account?
Well, you have. See, please, what stands
to your credit, the gift of another. These
twentieth century, and because we are
Anglo-Saxons. "All things are yours.
Whether Paul or Apollos, or Cephas, or
the world, or things present, or things to
come; all are yours; and We are Christ'S
and Christ is Gods" That is wonder
full statement. It places us under tremen-
dous obligation. What an incentive to
attempt something, what an inspiration to
noble achievement. The great personalities
of history-Paul, Cephas, Apollos. Past,
present, future. The world, God and
Christ, all yours, to make the goal and
win. Then there can be no excuse for
failure
A practical question which meets us is,
''How may I utilize these many gifts Of
ment?" The answer is, ''By right appro-
priation." Just as the parched earth
drinks in the gentle rain drops, making the
grass to grow; just as the bee sips the
honey from the fragrant flower, so we must
learn to appropriate the good in every
thing, to our own growth and refinement
Life everywhere is sustained by appropriate
ing the outward to itself. The great in
tellects which teach and bless the world
to-day are great and capable because of this
appropriation of knowledge. To the good
belongs the best of two worlds. It was
once thought that the Christians world
was exceedingly limited. The Bible.
hymnal, long sermon and dreary prayer
meeting were all that the Christian had
any right to. Anything else would chill
his fervor and narrow his vision and
tarnish his soul. Thank God, that day is
so far behind us. To-day we know that
everything within reach and everything
within sight is ours, if we love God, to be
used in the advancement and enrichment
of our lives.
Look at it a moment. Take an inventory.
Try to itenize the blessings of the good
God. Explore the world Of art, the product
of the centuries, it is ours, for God made
the beautiful. What store house of les
sons and inspirations and soul delights are.
the art galleries of the world! The win
dows in cathedrals and churches have for
ages been telling the story of Christ. s.The
Nativity" by Burne-J Jones, is the pride of
England; S'The TRANSPORTATION" by Raph-
ael, the glory Of Italy. These are but SAM
pies Of the beautiful in art, which are. ours
| for the delight and culture of the SOUL
! All sciences and iteratures belong to US,
| for God is the Author of all truth. Shakes.
peare and Booth and De Reszke, these
and the host of others like them, are ours
| to charm away our cares and rest of mind.
The marketplace crowded with the yield of
the field, the wealth of the mine, the prod
uct OF the factory, is ours, for God is immi-
nent in nature and industry and human
skill. The advance in surgery and medi
cine, the hmltless pleasures in travel-al
this is ours, available and usab,e assets
to make life rich and happy and good.
All this is the product of the past, the
gift of the good God. Its presence should
shame badness out Of existence. How can
people be bad when they think of the
goodness Of God? What are we doing with
| life's assets? They are the raw materials
out Of which we may weave the souls SER
! aphic robe; they are the steps by which
we ascend to the home of perfect day.
| They are to our spirits what air and dew
and sunlight are to the seed. Plants
grow by appro2priating things alb extra to
| their use; souls grow by doing the same
way. The business Of life is to convert
all these forces and gifts into life and
| character. The soul must drink in it's
full of God and rise to the perfect life in
| the endless day beyond the stars.
What we need to know to-day is the
| proper use of things. That means study,
| the exercise of the mind. Others have
| studied and thought for u.s.. The result is
| the locomotive, carrying us sixty miles an
| hour; the electric wire, by which we talk
to friend 1000 miles away. If wealth
is to benefit the owner of it. he must use
it and use it wisely. So, if we are to feel
the stimulus and reap the benefit of the.
accumulations OF the ages, as lfe's assets;
| II these are to answer their need, in the
making Of manNwe must study and
think and pray. In the right use of these
| is the making of a holy character.
| All that has been said is, we believe,
| true. But it is not the whole truth We
must go a step further. Man has heart
! conditions and soul needs, which neither
nature, nor science, nor Scripture, can
where. God is in the sunlight which
bathes us every day with its warmth and
glory. He is in the bread which we eat,
He IS in the music which comes floating
through the air, making the heart to dance
for JOY. But this God is too. vague, too
personalized? It is Gods eternal purpose
to adapt Himself to the limitations and
needs of His children. We do not think
| of God merely as Power, or Majesty, or
| Holiness. God is Love. Love is the win
ming thing. Love conquers. Love is bent
on drawing home to the Fathers heart all
His wayward and lost ones. The human
heart cries for God. What kind of God2
Not the God of the atheist, not the God of
the Deist, not the God of the narrow
theologian, but the Eternal God. And
Jesus Christ has revealed Him to the
world. This Jesus Christ and this God
are ours. This completes the hist. There
is nothing more that can be added. Flow
ers, pictures, music, ships, railroads, tele-
phones, philosophy, science, religion, hu-
man feilowships, friendships, loves, plus
/ God and Christ. All are yours Don't
complain of poverty any more; never be
afraid Of failure; never again say Il can t, =
Goodness does not mean exemption from
the common ills of life. Every life has its
burdens, every heart has its own secret
| sorrow. We would not minimize the cares
which are inevitable. They are not Joy.
Gus, but grievous. Many tears are shed in
the private chamber. Many feet are tread
ing lonely paths. And blessed be God, ouI
heav eniv Father knows it all. The Christ
, the Saviour of Men, is touched with the
feelings of our infrmities. All the love oil
, the Deity, all the power of the Almighty.
, all the compassion OF the Lover of Somls
J is for US. Look up, then Be o. good