The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-10-21

Are you happy? If not. why not
You ought TO be; it is your own fault
if you are not. 1t is not your own
fault that you have few or no pleas
ures. But if you have the right char
acter. you will have blessedness; for
blessedness belongs to character. If
you have not blessedness, that is your
fault.
You have great ambitions? If you
had millions, what good you would do
with them in promoting missions, en-
downing hospitals, educating the igno--
rant. succoring the suffering! If you
had eloquence, how you would plead
the cause of human rights; how elo-
quent you would be for the dumb who
cannot speak for themselves! If you
had the pen of a ready writer, how
you would inspire men with your
fancies or guide them in wise courses
by your counsels! But you have none
of these things. Your ambition is a
great heartache. True! but you can
have. if you will, the kingdom of Goo
Righteousness, peace, and joy in holt
ness of spirit. Your life can be silent
standard to all men and women who
come in contact with you. Your spirit
of peace can diffuse itself, making you
an unconscious peace-maker wher-
ever you go. Your joy and fellowship
with your Father can make your life
a song in the night and a gladness in
the sunshine.
Perhaps sorrows have overwhelmed
you You have followed to the grave
your best beloved. You have entered
into the experience of Job and known
in succession poverty, the anguish of a
stricken affection, and the pains of an
incurable disease. Still you can have
happiness. Blessed are they that
mourn; for they shall be comforted."
Your sorrow is meant to be a strength
giver to you and to equip you for Civ
ing strength to others. You are called
by your Gethsemane to render the
highest service which one can ever
render in the kingdom of God: the
service of filling up that which is lack
ing of the Affections of Christ in the
worlds redemption. Christ called his
three favorite disciples to watch out
side while he wrestled in agony within
the Garden. He calls you to share
with him in that wrestling; could he
give you greater honor? Could he
bring you into closer fellowship?
You are poor. You have aesthetic
tastes, but can buy no pictures: liter.
airy tastes. but can buy no books; you
are lover of nature but can have
no garden. But possession is not en-
joyment, and enjoyment does not de-
pend upon possession. The Corinthian
Christians were poor. Not many wise.
nor mighty, nor noble in that city
were called to discipleship. But it was
to these poor outcast Christians Paul
wrote: "All things are yours; whether
Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the
world, or life, or death, or things pres
ent, or things to come; all are yours"
You are imperfect; you are not the
man you would wish to be; you fail
to accomplish what you are eager to
accomplish; you are full of faults and
painfully conscious of them. Nothing
in the Book of Common Prayer appeals
to you more than the General Confess
sion: 1--WE have left undone those
things which we ought to have done;
and we have done those things which
we ought not to have done; and there
is no health in u.s. But still you can
hunger and thirst after righteousness.
Like Paul, you may not have over
taken, but, like Paul, you can press for,
ward toward the mark for the prize
yet to be attained. And this forever
desiring and never being satisfied,
forever aspiring and never attaining.
forever hungering and thirsting and
never being so filled but that the
hunger and thirst still continue. this
also is to be blessed. Not the Pharisee
with his God, 1 thank thee that I
am not as other men are" but the
publican with his God, be merciful to
me sinner" is the happier man. The
pursuit of life is itself life's highest
prize.
You have many enemies. You have