The Newtown bee., 1906-05-11
LITTLE SERMONS.
THE JOY OF LIFE.-BY o. o. WRIGHT

THE JOY OF L1FE.-BY o. o. WRIGHT. and that your joy may be made flll.''
 When we look out upon the world one of these beautiful spring mornings, is there anything in nature that tends to make us sad? The brightness and warmth of the sunshine floods the earth with a glow of health and the thrill of joy. The fields and woods are decorated with the most festive and delightful tints of the many col ored year. The grass, the seeded crops, the shrubs and trees, the wild flowers, the creeping vines, and all the halls the rising King of day-the life giver of the natural world. The earth salutes the sun with joy and gladness. If we are sad, the cause is not in nature, but in Us.
 Listen to the music of the lower or derS of animal life. What melody in the nesting songs of the birds! What harmony in the grand chorus of all the creatures of land and water and air blended in one glorious symphony of praise! If we are gloomy and miser- able in the midst of all this minstrelsy of festive joy, it must be that we are not in tune with Gods own world of joyful life! We must toe the mark of with health, courage and vigOr, or we shall prove ourselves false and unwor- thy of our environment and natural inheritance in this beautiful cosmos of pleaSure!
 It is we'll said that "Nature's hand iwork completes itself always with a smile. Sunshine is not only warmth and light; it is festivity. The young of all animals salute life with gay gambolings. Their glee is Natures theology, asserting against all corners that the world is a good world and a wholesome" So long as there are children and flowers and music how can the world be sad! Even so, the true interpretation of life in all it's relations, should be in accord with natures moods and tenses and not in the chronic, complaining spirit of our morbid, perverted, sin-cursed cond- tions of being. Life is indeed serious enough at the best, but why need we degrade ourselves and dishonor God by magnifying sin, sickness, sorrow and death, as though these were the origi- nal, essential experiences of life.
 Does the life of the Son of Man, our divine Example, teach us any such theory of existence? It is true that our religion, at its best, has to do with the disease of sin, evil and the shad- owed side of human experience. But Great Physician. He comes to cure the world of it's sin-sickness, moral weakness; and of all the consequences of transgression and selfishness. His message to the earth is joy, peace, goodwill and the gift of eternal hap piness. He relieves us of fear, dread and the burden of consuming cares. He restores us to health, holiness and the redeeming power of our own abid- ing faith, hope and love.
 I think of the childhood and youth of Jesus as being full of the most per feet joy of life. He must have been happy as only the sinless child of God can be. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God". Most happy, indeed. are they who are iD tune with the divine spirit and plan and end of the creation! Conscious of the Fathers love; at home in His own world, which to Him is order, beauty and the expression of the eternal pur- pose, the gladness of the springtime in that beautiful hill-country of Cali lee must have filled His heart with the most exquisite emotions of pure de- llkuU. well mlSHU I1e COQSlQcT Uuc lilies of the field, which in their fra grance and beauty had a divine sig nificance and glory with which the gilded, glittering show of Solomon s greatnes could not compare.
 And how deeply suggestive of joy is | the theme of all His teaching! Hap piness is the goal of every experience which brings us back to the divine truth and holy love! The parables re-
 veal festive world which He takes as matter of course! The prodigal son comes home to scenes of rejoicing. There is glad welcome, with music,
 feasting, and dancing. The Kingdom of Heaven is like the wedding-feast to
 which many are invited; and there are days and nights of merry making.
 Indeed, the Gospel is full of the di-
 vine promises of joy to all the world.
 Moreover, let us reflect how happy
 He must be in the consciousness O1
 making others glad. There is no joy
 of life so deep, abiding and satisfying
 as that of the assurance of true anC
 lasting good done for the sake of oth
 CTS. To overcome evil with good is tC
 share in the blessedness of the divine
 love! The sense of duty done and ap
 proved is pleasant. "Wel done, gool
 and faithful servant, enter thou into
 the joy of thy Lord" But -the high
 est kind of joy is that which come