Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1906-01-12
THE CREATORS CARE.
By Rev. Henry f. Cope


THE CREATORS CARE.
By Rev. Henry F. Cope.
'"Know ye that the Lord he is God;
1t Is he that hath made us and not we
ourselves; we are his people and the
sheep Of his pasture. c., g..
The world may think that 1t is grow
ing weary, and it may boast of its
deadening cynicism, but 1t still re-
mains that there is an ever increasing
multitude Of people who sing, fire.
Quently, this old, old song and who
somehow feel that these words ring
clear from the heart Of truth. The
thought of the providence Of God may
make little appeal to one when the
sky is clear and the hand Is firm on
the tiler, but only he who reads the
secrets of all lives knows how this
hope has given new heart to those who
have been tossed helpless on the dark
waters of trouble.
But how may we know this doctrine
of Providence has any root other than
our desire fOr divine assistance? Was
not Jesus mistaken when he talked of
one who cared for the very sparrows?
Were not these old-tlme singers de-
luded? Must we not each fight our
own battles all alone, carve out our
own fortunes? In outgrowing the an
cient conception of God as an all glori-
Gus, all perfect man, have we not also
outgrown the ancient Hebrew faith in
him of whom they sang, Like as a
father pitieth his children, so the Lord
pitleth them that fear him?"
1t Is good thing to lose faith in
the Creators care If we have been
resting in it as an escape from duty,
from the exercise of our own energies.
When a man allows himself to be pau
perlzed by his faith in Providence an
experience of poverty may teach him
good lesson. Divine love has not
been revealed to encourage human
laziness. There Is no difference be
tween trusting to luck and trusting to
Providence with your hands folded and
eyes shut. There are too many people
willing to glorify God by waiting for
wages they have never earned and
harvests they have never sown or cul
tivated. Men cannot too soon lose that
kind Of faith or learn to call it folly
We are more than the sheep Of his
pasture; we are his people; therefore
Providence means more than gifts OF
plenty and paths Of peace. 1t means
often weary ways, toll, fighting, sor.
row, pain, dark nights with no stars
1t means ways we cannot understand
Our plans have been for ease and
prosperity; it seems, perhaps, we have
earned them. Then comes hardship
and adversely. We looked for delights
and there came but dlsappointments.
And all these things but mean to us
that Providence means more than our
protection; it means our education, our
perfection.
The best thing that you can do for
a sheep may be to put 1t into the
richest pastures; there may be some
people for whom the all wise can do
nothing better But for man, for his
people, the best thing you can do Is
to throw him out into the barren
fields, where he must dig and toll, to
tear down his arbors of ease and his
walls of safety that he may learn to
build better. The saddest, dreariest
life of all would be the one for which
so many Of us are ever praying, the
one unmixed with sorrow or disap-
pointments.
The divine purposes are the best
promises of Providence. The infinitely
wise and good will not be content with
anything short Of perfection. If we
are his creation we can be sure Of
his care, the care that educates, dis
ciplines, and perfects. All nature GER
tifies to this assurance; It is all rec
ord Of the mighty power that works
out perfection. that develops ever
higher forms of life. And the great,
Wlut opCh poOh vi thC htlI anu tllt
hillside has the same revelation for
him who will read as that recorded
long ago by the singer of Israel.
But in the process of the perfecting
the ways Of Providence seem strange
indeed. Perhaps man can no more
understand the infinitely higher and
more intricate purposes that are being
wrought out in his life than the plant
can comprehend the theories of the
botanist. Here in the struggle, often
bruised and bitter at heart, man
needs faith to know that out of 1t all
comes the good and the glory unsearch-
able and immeasurable, that though
right may seem to be worsted, though
night settle down everywhere, though
hearts be near to breaking, and eyes
|