Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-06-07

which he received his commission tn
become the apostle to the Gentiles.
In the same way, akin to the vision
received by Paul, many of us are Civ
en- our better moments, our luminous
hours, our times of vivid realization
of higher truths, higher aims and high,
er and better life than we ordinarily
live. These are our heavenly visions
to be true to which calls for a moral
courage and resolution. In such words
as these, Adelaide Proctor tells of how
vision came into her life;
Seated one day at the organ, I was
weary and i'll at ease,
And my fingers wandered idly over
the noisy keys.
l do not know what / was playing, or
what l was dreaming then;
But I struck one chord of music like
the sound Of a great Amen.
1t Hooded the crimson twilight like the
close of an angels psalm,
And 1t lay on my fevered spirit with
a touch of infantile calm.
1t Quilted pain and sorrow, like love
overcoming strife;
1t seemed the harmonious echo from
our discordant life.
1t linked all perpleXed meanings into
one perfect peace,
And trembled away into silence as if
it were loath to cease"
These vision voices are 10th to cease,
but we may stifle them if we will.
By our luminous hours which come
to us at our most rational moments,
we are lifted almost to the heights
of prophecy. We see life and duty in
the clear, warm light of heaven. We
see more clearly at such holy seasons.
1t Is significant to note that the
earliest name for a prophet was a
seer, which describes him as one who
sees above and beyond the ordinary
man. OF course our luminous hours
are but pale lights as compared with
the MONDAY glory of their visions as
sages, seers and prophets of the king
dom of God. The select apostles,
Peter, James and John were permitted
to see their Lord TRANSPORTED on the
mountain, and ever after that he was
a different person to them. They had
seen somewhat of the glory that ne
had with the father from the beginn-
ing. Sometimes it is with us that the
rare Slimpses we get of things celes-
tial and eternal transfigure all our
life ana change it to a better meaning
TOR time. Happy the man, who hav-
ing seen life under such changed and
rightful colors does not forget the
vision.
1t may be practical to enquire when
these visions are wont to visit us.
They may come suddenly, as to the
apostles on the Damascus road. It
may be their advent is but the last
step in the succession of experiences
that you are unable to trace. Views
of high and lofty things are quite
naturally to be expected while we are
engaged with the reading of the reve-
lation of divine things as they are con-
tanned in his holy word. We have
already limited at the uses of these
visions. 1t is not well for us to waste
anything that God has given, much less
the strivings of his spirit that open
up the heavens to our gaze. When
precious thoughts come to us all we
quench them. When in the hours of
night we hear still voice whispering
heavenly motives shall we wake on the
morrow to follow our old baser prompt
ings? What hope is there for our
progress if God cannot win us by these
his gracious ways? There is this sad
| fact to face that If we are often dis
obedent to our visions of duty, the
time will come when God will give us
over to our own devices. He will give
them their requests, but send leanness
into their souls. Patient and long suf.
| fering as he is, he has warned us that
his sperit will not always strive with
men.
If, in the house of God, we get a
glimpse of something better than we
have ever known. let us not go out
to smother it with the petty cares OF
life of the crosses ambitions of world
illness. Our better moments are too
precious not to have any effect upon
our lives. If it is a call to take the
first step in the Christian life. you can
not afford to let the call, however
| feeble, go UNDECIDED. II it Is a cal
| to a better christian life, it is best tc
begin at once to walk in the new
light.