Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1906-08-24
TIL WINDOWS OF THE SOUL.
By Rev. Stephen Paulson.

bY hcNs oISpuCA L duloOAA'
"Now when Daniel knew that the
writing was signed, he went into his
house; and his windows being open in
his chamber toward Jerusalem, he
kneeled upon his knees three times a
day, and prayed, and gave thanks be-
fore God, as he did aforetime. daniel
6: 10.
If we began the day by throwing
open the windows and looking out upon
the wide reaches of Gods love and
goodness we would go singing to our
work. So it has been written. So
Luther thought. When he was virtual
ly a prisoner at Wartburg castle in the
perilous times of the Reformation, he
went every morning TO his window,
threw it open, looked up to the skies
and sang, God is our Refuge and
Strength. Very Present Help in Trou-
ble." Then he carried a bouyant heart
to the labor Of the day.
The value of an outlook which takes
In Gods handiwork rather than mans
Is not to be overestimated. There Is
small inspiration in brick walls, In
stone walks and iron fences; small
music in the rattle Of carts over paved
streets and the ceaseless patter of
thousand feet on the sidewalks. But
windows that look out on the ocean or
towards the mountains, or over field
and forest become windows of mans
soul
NV study window looks toward a
mountain. / see all the changes of its
life; the tender green of spring, Its
luxuriance of leaf and blossom in sum-
mer. the flaming colors of its fall at
tire and its white garb of winter. Now
It is fiecked with sun and shadow, and
now it glows red in the sunset. And
between the trees l catch the CLINT Of
river. 1t flows on day after day.
ceaselessly. These seem to us symbols
of eternity. A thousand generations. of
men come and go, and the mountain
still stands there and the river flows
by it; but Before the mountains were
brought forth-even from everlasting
to everlasting Thou Art God"
Ruskin was an artist, a poet, and
more than both, a good man. He was
accustomed to waken his guests at
Brentwood by knocking at their doors
early in the morning and calling, "Are
you looking outT' When in response to
this summons they pushed back their
window blinds a scene of beauty greet
ed their eyes. The glory of sunlight
and the grandeur Of forest dispelled
care, quieted fret and put a morning
anthem into the hearts of all.
There is scarcely anything in life
which determines the souls welfare
more than the nature of its outlook.
If our spiritual outlook is toward the
shadow our whole life will be gloomy
but If we look through the windows of
faith toward God of love and beauty
our life will be full Of joy and sunshine
"From a small window one may see
the infinite" Carlyle wrote. That was
Daniels belief. The windows of his
soul were always open to the infinite
In Eastern lands to-day, the Mohamme
dan, wherever he may be, turns his
face to Mecca in prayer. So In older
times the Israelite thought Of Jerusa
lem as the place of the temple and the
place where the worship of God was
worthiest. Daniel, as the premier OF
the great Medo-Persian empire, had his
own palatial residence, and one room
there was whose windows looked to
ward Jerusalem. Into this room Dan
lei was accustomed to go three time:
a day. throw open the lattice, look to
ward Jerusalem and then kneel II
prayer to God Now, King Darius Is
sued decree that the man who prayed
to any other than himself should b,
cast into the den Of lions. This wal
not an extraordinary decree for divin,
honors were accustomed to be paid t,
the Persian kings, and 1t was wa.
VI tOStihS llle VI hio SuDJcNlc
Daniel knew the decree. He also knew
that envious men would be watchin,
him. But he went to his upper room
and opened the windows toward Jeru
alem and prayed "as he did afore
time" 1t was no new thing with him
If matters of life were comfortable
and pleasant he did this; and If mat
[, ters of life were difficult and he wa
! threatened by danger he did the same
1t was part of his life to keep tn
] windows of his soul open to the best
and no threat had power to divert hin
from his course.
Daniel kept the windows Of his sou
open to the best religion. To him Je
, rusalem stood for the best religion O.
, earth. Since lad Of IA he had lef
home. He had lived among people o
, different faiths. He had known tn
, religion of the Chalueans and Perslan'
But he opened his windows towar