Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-06-07

| body had to live again, and that here
and upon this earth there were fresh
experiences for the particular spirit
that had been in that body.
| say have no doubt that he was
influenced to some extent by that at
mosphere. But we should misread
his utterance if we thought that this
was the expression Of any concern for
himself. Notice the order OF his
thought. He speaks concerning the
departure of Israel out Of Egypt be-
fore he says anything about the con-
servation of his body. He puts in the
forefront the emancipation OF the
people, for he knows the peril that is
in the distance. He has had visions
of that danger, and he puts in the
forefront his assurance that Gods
promise is to be fulfilled in their his
tory. His commandment Is given in
order that there may be perpetual
witness to the strength of his faith in
the promise of Cod voice speaking
from the dead, "Believe in the utter
ance of God to Abraham, to Isaac,
and to Jacob: and in the darkest day
expect the morn to arise, and in the
time of the greatest storm and tenn
pest, listen to the voice that shall
say, Peace be still
| All, brothers, you cannot talk in
that way when you are dying if you
have been saying mean and selfish
things all your life. That kind OF ell
oquence does not come in the pres
ence of death merely, but as the out
flow of life that has been filled with
speech concerning God and his work
in the earth. The self-suppressing
energy Of a faith that grasps God and
lives with God. thinks as God thinks,
and works for Gods purposes, has no
than that which Is given in this pat
riarch Joseph when he is dying.
Go back little, and you will
discover the idea, for after all faith
rests on an idea, the truth, for faith
always graSps truth, the revelation,
for faith always springs out of rev.
elation,-,you will discove' the idea,
the truth, the revelation, which is
the soul of his faith, gives to it it's
strength, and makes it invincible In
this hour of physical weakness and
decay. What it? You will see the
explanation in the words the patri-
arch uses when he is talking to his
| brothers. He says, "Be not grieved
nor angry with yourselves that ye
sold me hither, for God did send me
before you to preserve life" And
again he says. "God sent me before
you to preserve remnant in the
earth and to save you alive by great
deliverance. And a third time he
repeats it, and with added strength,
$50 now, it was not you that sent me
Ihither, but God"
1t seemed altogether different. 1t
looked precisely as if it were all mans
doing. 1t looked as though these
brethren, and they alone, had done
it, and that he owed to them all the
trouble and suffering of his life, ban
ishment from his home and father,
slavery and imprisonment. Their
hard hands and harder hearts had in
deed roughly hewed his path, but
God was above all, and through all,
shaping his character, controlling his
course and its issues, so that young
Israel might have a refuge in the day
of trouble, the finest existing school of
civilization for it's education and the
most effective preparation for its
high destiny. That faith was his
strength. He was the child of the
promises. His life was a part OF the
divine order that could not be brok-
en-. His own life had been nodded
and formed by God. Joseph saw
that truth early, and rarely, if ever,
lost sight of it. 1t shines like bril-
liant star in the darkest night of his
life. 1t is the thread of gold woven
in the web Of his character. 1t keeps
him, when he comes into contact
with the corruptions of the courts,
from yielding to their temptations.
1t sustains him in the sharp con-
traSts and the swift yicissitudes of
his lonely life, SO that he bears him
self with steaifast soul and unbroken
calm
All! 1t is hard to keep faith like
that alive in all the change and con-
tradiction and cruelty of life: to
:'Feel at heart that One above,
In perfect wisdom, perfect love,
Is working for the best.
Evil plays so large a part in our life
that we cannot find room in 1T for
God. Deluges come SO often, some
partial, sweeping away the beautiful
editices we have reared at the cost OF
thought and prayer and pains, others
universal, pouring out their destruc-
tive energies over every field we have,
and leaving US nothing but wide
waste of threatening waters, and an
oppressive load of painful memories,
SO that our faith in the righteous
order is strained to utter breakdown,
and we collapse as the wicked taunt
us, saying, where is now thy God?'
Heartless brothers, employers it may
NC, USE us. ScU dill bIey Cdil OuC VI no,
and then sell US to the first Ishmael-
ite who comes by, and will give the
price. But ''to the upright, there
ariseth light in the darkness. The
journey through Egypt is a long road /,
yet it is the best way to the land OF
, promise. The poet says:
"God comes to us with every day,
With every star that rises,
j In every moment dwells the right
, eouS,
And starts upon the soul in sweet sur
prises."
Believe in God, cling to His prom
ises, hold fast faith in His care for
, the life of the people, even in the
! days that are darkest. assured that
God will not fail to fulfill His great
word, and to further the progress OF
; mankind.
, The third phase of this mans faith
is exhibited to us in what / will call
the strong impact which that faith
! has given to the passion for service.
! The order, as have already intimat-
5 ed, in which these thoughts are pre-
!. sented to us, shows us that what
2 Joseph is thinking about is really the
: / do rtf,ro of tho fN1,ildra Of Israel