Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-11-16

/ N'NNA As4 hAtsOAtAs tstI L ne ANA Vi VIZ
ers. Our thoughts influence their
thoughts
THE DESERT SHALL REJOlCE.
| BY Rev Robert Bruce Clark.
The wilderness ane the solitary
place shall be glad for them. and the
/ desert shall rejoice ana blossom as the
rose. II isaiah 50: /.
Isaiah was poet His pictures were
tigurative. but always thrilling, Often
he exeites our interest by contrast as
here; first he describes the doom of
| Edom then brightens the entire view
with the gladneSs of better day, so
from eerie gloom the prospect passes
/ Il nope and cheer
That is the message the world
wants. The continuous thread run
! ming through history is Kindness and
| goodness, the providence of God that
| sweetens aud cheers life. Things that
are bitter and acrid and dark abound
too much. The struggle has ever been
to clear the wilderness. to populate
the solitary place. to irrigate and make
| fruitful the desert
The heavenly Father 5 a rare gar
/ dener and the best friend of men.
/ what he plants blossoms and yields
| richly. We look for the anemone ant
| the rose. for waters in the wilderness
/ and streams in the desert. for springs
/ in a thirsty land and grass and YER
| dure where sand and waste were be
| fore, and we are not disappointed. The
wilderness and the solitary place are
! glad Cor them So Jesus at Nazareth
said He was anointed TO preach glad
| tidings. TO Wind up the broken hearted
! t. comfort MI that mourn, to repair
1 the desolations
| What is done to replevin the ground
| is being done to benefit and improve
/ men, who are dearer TO God than the
| ground and its fruits. AMI if there be
I JOY when u sand waste OF jungle is re-
claimed there will be rejoicing when
| the life of any of us IS filed with
| goodness and moved by mercy that
| droppeth as the gentle rain from heav-
! ~. when notes of unkindliness and
: Sharp-edged prejudice and ill-omened
/ thoughts ana rcStive and intrusive self
| seeking, which forgets alike both God
/ and man, are weeded out and we be-
come like trees, which are the planting
of the Lord. tall, stately, strong. fruit
| full
4 pretty legend tells how when Je-
I sus left the tomb on the resurrection
morning flowers sprung up in the path
I behind Him. and this is true in bet
( ter way than the legend tells. for from
! His influence more fragrant things
than flowers have sprung-forbear-
ance. consideration. though mess.
/ gentleness. These are the ,s that
grace character and render ssocia-
tons happy. \ garden of Il bios
/ SONS viii 20 far toward ret, ming a
waste place
/ The prophet describes a scene OF
! ''parched' ground and all over il is
. the mark of desolation. This illus
trates the forbidding and sordid and
| unwhoiesOme elements of existence:
| things that poson and hurt and despoil
| us. and that 20 to make life sterile
| and dreary and hard for others to live
\ single garden spot helps to beau
/ tify an otherwise unsightly district as
! sometimes merely a window flower
| box cheers a sitting tenement, or bit
( Cf park gladdens the dirty city. AMI
much more does genial and goodly
I life scatter sunshine everywhere.
GladnesS and joy are to dispossess
desolation. Men are to grow better. to
catch the spirit Of Jesus 10 be moved
by His mastcrful love away from er
cry Sneaking sin. put down the wheel
( ling of self, to leftted unto the gentle.
ness and sweetness of Jesus. To be
| steadied nj the weak points of all our
| intirmities and To have His light cen
tered upon the dark disk of our con
| science. To draw ever nearer His
I cloudIesS presence Good people
actively being and doing goot-breath
/ ing the atmosphere Of .od and health
I ful with tie yigor which that imparts
and l,y the love Of God within .hem
are to rid the world OF its meannes1
and irritations and guile, and so the
| Lon l God viii cause righteousness and
praise to spring forth before all ma.
I tions.