Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-09-27
{aa1a No.
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THE REWARD OF FAITH.
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THE REWARD OF FAITH.
By Rev. DR.. s. T.. Willis.
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on thee because
he trusteth in thee.-xxvi. 8.
1t Is to be noted that man does not
keep himself in peace, for in the sense
of this, grace would, in fact, be impos-
sible. But it Is u gift. ' Jesus said :
My peace l give unto you, not as the
world giveth, give I unto you," and
again, These things have 1 spoken
unto you that my peace might remain
In you" We do not come to it by the
road of toll and struggle; we cannot
create 1t nor walk ourselves into 1t,
and yet, however unworthy we may
feel ourselves to be, we live daily with
in reach Of this heavenly boon. Its
source Is In God, in fact, II is 1.-The
peace Of God"
The deep solitudes of nature and the
solemn majesty Of the heavenly spheres
indicate 1t to the sense of man, but it
Is experienced only in the deepest re-
cesses of the soul. And this peace Of
God will rule in the heart !f we Will
permit it. 4-..
b. It Is also to be noted that 1t is a per-
feet peace, for, indeed, Gods peace
could be nothing less and 1t passes all
human understanding. Like the gra-
cious God by whom it is impaired, 1t
Is incomprehensible even to him that
experiences it. 1t is perfect in it's ma
f11ra on1 rorPoot II, ifc rrarly ;r,r a MI ~ ~
a divine calmness and serenity Of soul
and a sweet heavenly rest that the
world can neither give nor take away.
This peace does not occupy the world
Of material things its realm is in the
hearts and minds Of men. He Is kept
In perfect peace, whose mind is stayed
on God. The world promises only trlb-
ulations, prosecutions and Affections,
disappointments, heartaches and death.
Its sweetest smiles are delusive, it's
trusted friendships bring danger and
Its brightest hopes are fraught with
evil. But God does not leave alone and
unaided the soul that Is stayed on Him.
trouble. He gives and sustains such
peace Of mind and composure Of soul
in the thickest Of the fight that one can
say: "The Lord is my light and my
salvation; whom shall I fear? The
Lord is the strength Of my life; Of
whom shall l be afraid?"
For greater is He who abides in the
trusting heart than all the combined
forces Of the world; the flesh and the
devil. The soul kept in perfect peace
can say when it comes to the Valley Of
Shadows II fear no evil, for Thou art
with me-"
And what is the secret Of this sweet
peace, the gift Of Gods love? It is all
summed up in one word-trust-'be-
cause he trusteth in thee That is to
say, 1t is faith in God. Faith that
takes him at his wor@ It is that con-
dition Of mind that lays hold on God
and yields all unto Him in perfect con
fdence.
This giving up all to God and the
staying of the mind on God means
three things-prayer, obedience and
happiness. There is no hour so free
from care or so exempt from tempta,
tons and ills that will not be bright
ened and sweetened if we direct our
thought in faith to God; looking
through what may seem to be a
browning Providence" to the Smiling
face Of divine love and mercy be-
yond.
Listen to this infallible and all COM
prehensive prescription for human hap
piness:
I'm nothing be anxious but in every
thing by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made
known to God and the peace of God
which passeth all understanding shall
keep your hearts and your minds in
Christ jesus
Here is prayer, including su%pplication
and Thanksgiving. The hand Of faith
stretched out In earnest prayer relieves
the heart from worry and anxious care
and brings sweet peace and content
ment, that calm, trustful, reposeful
prayer that believes in Gods love and
that lays the soul down upon His
bosom, that in Him it may find rest.
1t goes a step farther in faith, rem
dering unquestioning evidence. God is
yearning to bestow this grace in lavish
abundance. Hear Him:
"Oh, that thou hadst hearkened into
my commandments. Then had thy
peace been as a river and thy righteous
ness as the waves Of the sea-"
Peace as a river-that is abundant,
free, full-liying and never failing IF
includes all other divine gifts and the
mind that is so stayed on God, through
trust in Him, is kept in security and
happiness, for deep down in the soul,
far beyond any disturbance from any
earthly enmity or i'll, there flows from
the throne of God an eternal and glad
dening river of peace.
FACING THE FACTS.