The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-08-27

different form. God chastens, dis- cipiines us in twofold manner,
 either by denying us something we
 would have, or by taking away some-
 thing that we already have. For in- stance. He denies us the pleasure or power, the wealth or fame we so long
 Tor. Again, He deprives us of our
 friends on whom we have leaned too
 much, or our loved ones whom we
 have allowed Gas Is too commonly the easel, to come between Us and Him 1 in rour affections.
 How careful should we be to take these chastenings in the right spirit, for everything depends upon that. If
 1t makes us cold and proud, or bit-
 terAand resentful, then, indeed, are we in evil case. But we should mourn,
 as God would have us mourn, that is,
 our hearts should be softened by sor-
 row, our souls should be purified, and
 our faith strengthened by grief. So
 shall we know, whatever befalls us,
 the everlasting Arms are about us,
 and what-is that but blessedness?
 Or suppose our love for Gods service
 has grown cold, our communion with
 Him intermittent or broken off en-
 tirely, what cause for mourning is
 this If we would be hlessedi God's
 grace enfolds us like a garment. The
 treasures of His Word are Iavished
 upon us. His calls to prayer and praise
 In his holy temple are constantly
 heard but not needed. It is with us
 as with Gideon's fleece, our souls are
 dry in the midst of the heavenly Jew
 Or 1t may be with us as it seemed to
 our Lord on the cross. We feel that
 our Fathers face is turned away, and we cry in fear and trembling: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken
 meY Or, perhaps. greatly perplexed
 by doubts and questionings, yet still
 clinging to our faith, we can only cry,
 as did the father of the demoniac boy who sought our Savior's help for his
 afflicted child: Lord, believe, help.
 thou mine unbelief.' Even in the midst
 of our desire and longing after God we are conscious that our prayers are per- furctory. our praises cold and our du-
 ties done in a mechanical spirit from which all love and warmth seems to have departed. Yet, if we mourn for all this truly and sincerely we shall be blessed, for 1t will make us turn to God again in faith and obedience
 Moreover, mourning is necessary for us. It Is sign of life of hope. A study of our own natures shows us why we should mourn. In one part of our being we are subject to sin Tn the other we are subject to holiness. We are not altogether bad, nor are we al- together god. A struggle between the forces of good and evil gees on inces- sanity. In this struggle many things are taught us if we will only learn. | For instance, we learn the tyranny and | bitterness of sin. Our continual fight | lnE with sin expresses us, and our con- | tinual falls Into sin discourages us. We | are overwhelmed by the inequalities and inJustices of life. We are tied to earth. In vain, 1t seems do our souls strive to ascend heavenward. We are | constantly made to feel our own weak 1csa. We are made to realize the in- stability and unsatisfactoriness of tenn ocrai things We catch a glimpse of he King in His beauty. We are con- strained to feel how far short we are of being what we ought to be. The l. Be atiric Vision is seen in some faint The glorified radiance which streams from the Divinely bestowed 'ision of peace and joy, of righteous 'ess and purity. enfolds us in it's celes- ial rays. These things make us nourn. with all that 1t means.
 And we shall be 'comforted. Mark -ou the meaning of the word comfort n the original. It means to call to nes side to help.
 Our Lord promises comfort, that ia eip--not ease and freedom from care ' responsibility which so many Chris- lans seem to think Is all that religion lands for. Nay, Christ assures us that I the midst of this mourning, which necessary process in our Christian fe, we shall be helped. He will be by UT side and comfort us; that is. do hat is best for us. He will teach us his very mourning is for our highest ood, teach us 1t is from God, and is a ' roof He has not forgotten us. a sign l His love and one of the many means c v which He seeks to draw us to Him. c sIf. And from 1t shall come spiritual ' edith and strength and that peace hich passeth all understanding, to- 2 ether with the love of God shed [ broad in our hearts. Yes, even here 2 nd now, amid the strain and stress of fe, with it's sorrows and its sins. we Z nall have vision of that Heaven ' here our mourning shall be turned ito joy, our faith into fruition, and IT prayers into everlasting praises" 1. Baukhead's nOmfnaffOu u,a.As .A | '