The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-27
Contrary Winds.

| Gle saw them toiling in rowing, for the
wind was contrary unto them. MARX vi
! rs.
| The winds are always contrary to those
who have any high and earnest purpose
ir life. Careless sailors drifting on the
currents. with no aim but pleasure, find
life a pastime-for a time.
But those who have pilot, Il compass,
a laid-out course, ana are In haste upon
the errand of Heaven, arc kept to the
full strain Of vigilance, lest the wind
should sweep them backward; often hand
ed to give up all effort and let things
drift.
An earnest purpose alone gives us the
measure of the influences which surround
us. The stirring of a high and cody
purpose in life is like swinging round
with the head to the current. Thence
forth every moment must be an effort,
every thought prayer, or the stream
will sweep you away.
Be patient, firm, courageous; struggle
on and strength will flow into you from
unseen springs. Life will gather force
rs it breasts tho pillows. 1t will sweep
onward with ever strengthening impetus.
and things will learn at length that they
must follow you.
Without question. life is a hard matter
to the earnest soul; the night is dark,
the toll hard. But faith directs us to
look steadily at Him for whom the night
was darker still and the toll harder. but
who now is seated q radiant Conqueror
at the right hand Of the throne Of God
Let us look at the broad fact OF the
contrariness Of the current in life. We
do not mean the shock OF some great
storm. which tears us from our anchor
and daslles us. manned and wrecked, on a
rock bound shore. Happy they who have
never been seized and swept helpless,
by some great tempest Of calamity! It
is not, then. of storms We speak, but of
the constant, steady set OF the current
against us.
With ono 1t is a lifelong struggle to
lulIll inc uuly VI SOIlAC AAASoAAoSAAAssA Ss1Ah7
ing-with no hope of escape and yet
all the while conscious of hidden power.
Why does he not eStricate himself?
Perhaps tho current Is too strong: and
some, by the hottest and most noble rea-l
sons are bound to conditions which make
their lifc-cruise a round of hard and un-
lovely duties until death.
There arc others who are crossed In
their dearest hopes. Life with them is
one long and sad regret They pull
steadily and bravely at the oars Of duty;
but the thought is never absent, II
might be sweeping, with every soil spread,
on a golden, sunlit flood; and, instead of
this weary loneliness, have had to the
full sympathy, tenderness and love-"
There are others with weak or Grip
pied body, enshrning spirit of noblest
faculty. They writhe and rage, until
they learn patience under, tho discipline
OF life.
And there are others, whose homo in
fluence is marrcd by some habit which
brings darkness and distress to those
who are QeHIeSt. LA Ndili tiIf1S SIIiSS W
curb it; 1t seems TO have full mastery.
And vet ever and anon, by a new effort,
progress, II slow, is made; and most Of
us find that something is always rising
up to cross us, as ii to teach us that this
is not our rest.
Happy those whose dearest do not keep
their heart strings strained to bursting!
Happy the patriot whose soul Is not wrung
by his country's sorrows and burdens,
Why are we thus kept always under
strain? God let's the wind be contrary
to teach us to SGT ourselves against 1t
and master It, that we. may remain mas
ter forevermore, We are kings, and we
must conquer our kingdom. Life and its
mystery is only explained by eternity.
We understand but dimy now; yet, rs
we mount higher, we shall comprehend
what is true progress, and the strength,
patience. courage, hope stored up with
In These are tile true gains OF life God
will not suffer us to rest on anything
else, True rest begins only when the
current OF our thought and will runs