The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-08-15

the vibrating edge Of a roaring fiery
voicano) 1 know none to equal the aw-
fulness of the aroused ocean That is
might and majesty incarnate. Some
folk have fair weather conception of
Gods love, they regard it as a fiaccid.
flexible. favoring quality, "as weak as
water. The erroneousness Of this
should be patent. The Infinite like the
sea, is not fully known until he Is seen
In MS strength and power and awful
ness. God has force to WELD, as well
as favor to bestow. His justice Is as
divine an attribute as his gentleness.
Like the ocean. those who love him
best fear him most
The depths and reaches of God. like
the depths and reaches of the sea, are
ever newly to be discovered. No navi-
gator knows all waters. A hundred life
times would not be sufficient to famili-
arize one with the universal sea. And
all eternity Will not be long enough to
enable a soul. with free and untram-
melled powers, to find out the riches
and glor1es and love % God.
Personally. 1 like the ocean best in
storm. Often, when the winds have
been bowling and the waters leaping
and rushing and warning in indescriba-
BILE conflict, / have wandered about
along the deserted beaches, while sum-
mer visitors sat indoors and played
cards or gossiped, never dreaming that
they were missing the sea at it's very
best. These pictures of the storm
tossed waters are the ones that re-
main In memory most satisfactorily;
although / have seen the ocean so
placid that tiny canoes have put out
from shore and padded around the
becaimed sailing vessels. In some
what the same way, it seems that the
true nature of religion-its ultimate
significance-is not to be understood by
those who sail through the days in
frail and pretty pleasure craft; but,
by those who have felt the buffeting
of the unleashed winds of disaster;
the breath-snatching torrents of sud
den sorrow; the pound. pound, pound
of the relentless waves of piled-up trou-
bles; and the roar and shrek of the
have little pleasures: but great lives
learn in stress and conflict that "The
Lord is a very present help in trou-
BILE"
Leaning over the rail of an anchored
sailboat one moonlight night on the
Sea of Japan l was watching the SHIN
mering reflection of the moon in the
water, when one of the crew threw ov-
erboard bucket for water. Instantly
the quiet surface flashed fire In a
myriad directions. The water agitated
by the pail became all aglow. The line
that drew it up came up out of the
sea as fiery serpent. Delighted by
the spectacle, We amused ourselves for
long time disturbing the water in
order to see the beautiful lights. For
IL was the phosphorescence in the wa
ter that shone when disturbed I'm
guessed in a calm, there lay all the
while that potential beauty. Often,
since then, l have stood at the bow of
great steamers, blowing up pathway
of light, and unused how, as it is in
the sea, so it is in life; friction, con-
fiict and trouble bring out unsupported
beauties in a human character. Spirits
that seemed dull and commonplace un-
der ordinary conditions shine radiantly
when adversely overtakes them.
Never twice in all the countless
years of its life has the ocean met the
shore in the same wave formation;
and never twice has 1t found the sandy
beach alike. The ceaseless change
caused by the sea suggests the YER
satility of God. and his infinite re-
sources.
Out on the sea men learn their lit
tleness; and they learn faith in the
PARKWAY stars. the invisible wind. the
mysterious currents and tide, and in
the Ruler of wind and wave"
Like a good friend, the sea is full
of the element of unexpectedness. No
body ever reaches the limit of it's re-
sources. Ever it has some new phase,
some new aspect, some new color,
some new form to present to its
friends.
Life is a chartless, pilotless sea to
one whose spirit has not been yielded
to the direction of the omniscient,
beneficent Pilot.