Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-06-22
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THE UNSEEN HAND.
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BY Henry F. Cope.

way Sometimes Napoleon sh00i
God always being on the slde OIL Inc
largest battalions seems to nave tru'h
in it. But ere long we see the l"ise
battalions swept away before the
strange. unaccountable, and lrreslstlDie
mower Of an Insignificant body having
truth and God on its side.
The man who takes up the struggle
for truth, who puts his hand 10 tne
sword for the oppressed, for the rlgh',
finds himself holding a two-hanuleu
weapon. and If he grasps firmly the
one hilt It is as though there were an
omnipotent hand grasping the othet'
He who fights worthily, in fitting pat
tie, never fights alone. Often Ne may
seem to stand with none to AID, out
one mightier than he is with him.
IRIS not that some omnipotent per-
son steps down from throne III the
heavens and pIunges into the battle; IT
Ia that every time a man steps out lof
right and truth he places himself IN
accord with eternal spiritual forces
that give themselves to him and his
work. 1t Is not that God comes TO nght
for a man so much as that a man mas
himself fighting beside God; entering
this battle, he sees that where ne
thought none had been serving the
heavens had long been waging the con-
test.
1t is so easy, like old Elijah to think
that you alone are left to witness for
truth to feel the loneliness OF standing
for things noble and worthy, to become
oppressed with the hopelessness OF the
minority In which you find yourself
When real and concrete things press
upon us and~fheir uproar is In our ears
we become deaf and blind to the
greater forces that from the beginning
of time have been working for the
best.
Every great reform has looked like
a losing movement; II has begun with
most Insignificant mlnOrities; it has
met with violent and we'll organized
opposition; its supporters have often
been faint-hearted and yet ultimately
1t has overcome always. As men have
fought on they have found an unseen
hand grasping the sword beside theirs.
We all need this sense of God with
us helping us In our lives. This gives
courage and confidence. 1t does not
mean weak reliance upon heaven to do
things for us 1t means entering on the
things that look impossible because we
know that. IL they are right, every
great force in the universe will coop
crate with us.
This is the fine sense In which the
human enters into partnership with
the divine. This determines whether
we may call our work divine or not.
1t Is to be judged not by whether 1t Is
pleasant or looks respectable, but by
whether II Is the work In which we
know the Lord Of all can lay his hand
to the tool or weapon alongside of our
hands.
With q consciousness like this one
can attempt anything; nothing is long
er impossible The practical question
is not, "can this be done?" but fought
this to be done?" Is 1t such a task
as will enlist the cooperation of the
eternal spirit of truth and right? With
the cry of Gideon on their lips. men
have Jared forth facing fearful odds /;
their hands have fallen from their
swords. but the unseen hand has car
ried them on until the cause Is won.
The Almighty who would have love
and peace and Righteousness to prevail.
needs your hand for his sword the
sword of the Lord Is vain without Gid
con Ideals and spiritual forces may
exist, but man must be their realiZa-
TONS their visible hands Gods work
waits for you TO put your hand to the
sword; YOU will find his already there
This helping hand is always unseen
spiritual things are strange, indefinite
and often apparently unreal. God cannot
be reduced to figures nor to material
elements. This hand that works Will
ours may mean one thing to one ant
another to another. What we all neet
is to simply grasp the great fact of tn,
spiritual forces that strengthen ever,
good resolve, that give vlgor In ever,
good work, and give victory at last I,
the right
WHAT Is HELP