The commonwealth., 1908-09-24
THE HIGHER LIFE
seloesd Gem, d Thought from Press and FsiSa
cs All Scct.
Trustfui Promises.

They that wait upon Jehovah shall
renew their strength; they shall
mount I'D With wings ds eagles; they
snail walk and not taiGt -Rei. +.
Wills, Reformed.
Promises Of Faith.
Faith! Openness to Cod. Friend
ship with Christ. The presence OF
the best and highest in this world
and in the world to come. Oh. go
cut renewed in faith and be over
corners through the power OF the
grace of God-Rev. D. w. Hills.
Methodist
Present Life Is but q moment.
"Paulsground of rejoicing was
the inward man. Day by day he was
being renewed. And why should he
not make this the ground Of his re-
1oicing? We confess that the pre-
sent life IS but for the moment; that
the tabernacle which we now iohab1t
IS passing away and that we must
shortly leave all earthly possessions.
Regulating Our L;"es.
Everything in our life. from the
PENNIES in our purse 10 the frlend-
ships Of our heart, may be converted
frto a psalmcf praise. Indeed, II Is
doubtful if we are properly thankful
q our possessions and our actions do
,ot exemplify the grateful words
which our lips utter.-Rey. D. w.
Anderson, Baptist.
Overcoming Evil.
God Is a God OF love. full OF 'lov-
f1e kindness and tender mercy, and
his compassions fail not, but are new
erery morning. He is 'long-snher-
i1g, not willing that any should
rerish, but that all should come to
repcntance 'Turr, ye, turn, We.
from your evil ways, for why Will
you die, o house OF Israel?'-Eev.
Wallace Smith, Episcopal.
blaming Ourselves.
We all have a tendency to desire
that we may see the result OF our
lives. and have the satisfaction that
We have not lived in vain. But,
more and more as we see the vn-
s9oakable depth and breadth OF the
worlds sin, and the little that is
done to stem the torrent OF iniquity.
the more we are dissatisfied with
ourselves, and inclined to think that
We have lived in vain.-Rev. NJ.
s5t-yker. Methodist.
Power and Preparation.
The richer nature the harder
eud slower it's self-preparation and
development. Patient preparation is
permanent power. II an age t1at
Lacks com posure men are apt to ma
tire TOO quickly and decay too soon.
Reserved power should be greater
than spent. BY self-preparation de-
rosit each day for future drafts, and
then you are not apt to overChack
your account.-Rey. c. S. Patton,
Presbyterian,
After Lies Voyage,
j. II you think of the world, think
CT 1t after the best manner possible
Gods world, full OF Gods pres
ence, shielded by Gods world, full
Of Gods presence, shielded by call
and destined for Gods victory. 1t
ie dreadful to grow old losing faith.
but Ho" GFiCudlo ~ DclIc'S i4iot ct1i
more abundantly to the end-and to
come home after lifes voyage with
every sail set and filled and rea iy
FOR yet more wonderful experiences
OIL that shoreless sea beyond.-Rey.
+. Willes, Reformed.
Cause Of our Sorrow.
Man, an alien from his loving
fsther-God, has wrongly and unjust
ly accused God of sending all the
sorrow OF the world Goldsmith
WAS wrong-'in all my griefs, and
God has given my share; Tennyson
was wrong-'My God has bowed me
down to what I am God is not re-
sponsiblc for all that happens. God
is not the author OR sender of sorrow
anu suffering. Cod does not inhict
Punishment for sin here. All the
punishment for sin as that endured
on the cross by the Saviour, who
sunered that We might not suffer.
Gld does not stand With sword in
hand to cut and slash with torch to
turn--Rev. E. "a. Luke, Unitarian.
Laws Of God.
Gods laws are natural-state-
m7nts, Of the orderly conditions of
things in nature-and spiritual;
necessary and inexOrable, otherwise
life would be intoierable--thew world
flightful chaos-making impossible
Any plan, any material, intellectual
OF spiritual progress, leaving anar-
chy the only alternative.
God is the same yesterday, to-day
ard forever his laws unchanging
and interchangeable. In his plan there
was no place for catastrophe-no
cause for suffering-no intention OF
death; but broken himself against
his every law. Those laws cannot
be changed-but man must change
his relation to them.-Rev. Wallace
Smith.
Decries NOn-teaching God.
The prophet Habakkuk, pro
Iounced woes on those who were
covetous, and dishonest, and proud
and bloodthirsty. and drunken ans
ido!atrous. In the eyes CT the ncbl.
n1onotheism of the Hebrew prophet.
idolatory was sin to be ranked ant
eu1sed with other sins Shall i
teaoh?-this wood or 'drmb stone
Though it be laid with g and sill
ver,' shall it awake? Shai It arise
Shall 1t teach? This was the pro
phss's challenge and test. A Go,
that is worth anything should teach
II he cannot teach he is worthless
This was the Hebrew idea, and sucl
To-