Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-10-05
Jesus said. Take ye away the ston,

BY Rev. herbert ShipE1aH.
Jesus said. Take sc away the stone.
st. John XII 30.
Jesus said this nj the grave Of Lag
arus. The question naturally suggests
itself. why could not the power about
. restore the dead To life do this small
ef thing as well: The answer is that
it could, but so could human power.
ana therefore it was required Of human
power 10 do it.
This incident reveals Il principle Of
Gods working in the world. 1t is Gods
win TO help men: it is also His will
that men shall develop by using their
own strength Hence his settled pur-
pose is TO do nothing for us which we
can and should do for ourselves. lie
lays no burdens Oh us which we cam
not bear He helps us bear the bur-
dens we must to the limit of our need.
but He viii not let us unload on Him
any work or dnty or responsibility
which belongs TO us. Ii we shirk or
throw it off 1t lies where we abandon
ed it until some better man takes IT
from us. Mans work--and there IL Il
great deal of ii which we are praying
God to do and wondering why He is
so long about it; wondering, it may be,
whether He is, since He does not do it
mans work must be done by men
1t would be easy TO imagine a differ
ent world, n world where all we fail
to do would be done for us, all our
mistakes set right and the conse-
quences of our actions Tended of by
God. But. however, this would not
be our world; it would be IL padded,
candy surfeited nursery. We would
not he men, but boneless, selfish, non
entities. God would not be God, but
a fussy, easily wheedied kind OF nurse.
remarkable only for size and to be con.
sidered only because He held the key
to the larder Such a being being
who cared more that his creatures
should be comfortable than that they
should develop character-would not
be strong or loving or holy he would
not be even moral So far from ador-
ing him. we could not even respect
him
More and more as we grow into the
meaning of life, We ought to thank al
mighty God that He holds us to our
work; thank Him for the rough and
the strong, and the climb and the fight
of life through which come the
strength and health and victories
Thank Him that He lays responsible
ties upon us; that He leans down,
Father that e is. and says to each of
us: There is work to be done, our
work. Here is right thing to be for
warded: here a truth to be brought to
light; here wrong to be swept away:
here q soul to be given life. Tho mira
Gle beyond your power IS Mine, but
take We away the stone. put away this
habit, this influence this self-conceit.
this ignoranee-wh whatever it is that
blocks the way. That is the fair con
dition.'
1t happens. however. that some of us
are fond of this very thing, and SO we
keep it a day longer and another day,
till a day comes at last when it is sunk
and imbedded, and we are satisfied
that the life behind should die. Anu
some of us are certain that it would do
no good to try-thc stone is too heavy.
And SO we content ourselves with say
ing. calling it perhaps a prayer:
II am very weak. it is too much for
me You do it, Lord, and let it go at
that.
And some of us are frightened when
we think what strange, unearthly thing
may be behind the stone; what its
coming forth might mean. whitefaced
and holy from Gods near presence.
What changes it might demand; what
new duties it might lay upon us. what
dear companionships it might bid us
break. aud so we do not try to roll the
stone away but say in our hearts, like
the fool of old. There is no God. there
is no soul crying to come forth" and
go away and try To forget.
Around us. too. there are things
ready to enter and glorify this hrtnan
life of ours-new standards of man
hood and womanhood, higher ideals re-
allied in business and society. In poll
tics and religion: more generosity
more love, p0re hope, more truth than
ever the world has seen. Before the
door Of each. blocking it's entrance lies
stone of human Seifishness or indif-
ference, or greed or fslsehood, To re-
move these is not Gods work. but ours
TAKE ye away the stone.' lift ut any
rate your share 1l.at is our response
bility and our bearin1 toward IL will
at the last be the true measure OF our
LIZ. sitr,l fl .aartnn