The Newtown bee., 1908-03-20
without in the wind and snow alone

without in the wind and snow alone but within in the soul it is winter. Brightly then, most beautifully comes this lesson to our need, this lesson out of the heart of Jesus who knew it all, that even for the souls winter there is place of comforting and shelter.
 It hardly needs that l catalogue, or make list of the troubles or burdens which make this winter of the soul. Desolation comes by loneliness to some, or by loss; the whole world is changed, blighted to many lives by great disap- pointments or failures, or by inabili- ties that hamper their way. Some times dread sickness and the fear that comes with it makes winter in the heart of a man. One here, another there knows that because of an infrm- ity that has come upon him he shall go softly all the rest of his days and it is like a chill upon his spirit. And there must be great many, many lives that are in the midst of winter because of worldly disappointments, when one reads such terribly long lists of suici- des because of business losses every day. It must be.with bitter blasts in- deed man is afflicted when he reck- lessly, wastefully casts away the prec- ious life God has given. It is not so necessary for me to dwell at length on ] the different things which make up this winter in the souls of men. But it is for me to declare this word of hope and truth by which Jesus sustained himself, by which you and l and every man can be warmed and comforted whatever be the terror and bitterness of life's seas on. This is to-day true for every soul that will receive it, and will be to-mor- row true for every soul of man and woman who tomorrow shall need, its strength and blessing. The Father is with us and we are with the Father. There is no cold so cold that God is frozen out by it. Sometimes like the ancient mariner of Coleridge's rhyme one passes through the time when he feels
 Alone, alone, his soul hath been,
 Alone on wide sea, So lonely twas that God himself
 Scarce seemed there to be. s
 But God is there on the lonely wide seas of life; and God is out in the waste cold places of life; and Gods presence and love can bear us even lthrough such places to our destined home. That is the one great truth by which it is possible for you to live through your winter.
 "The storm may roar without me
 My heart may low be laid,
 But God is round about me
 And can 1 be dismayed."
 The one shelter from every stormy wind that blows is faith in God. He that giveth unto us the spring after the winter is past and over shall He notlalso give unto us warmth and heal ing when the day of our calamity is over past? That is the message of trust which I desire to give unto you, for your need to-day, if you need it to-day and for your need in the day that such need does arise, whenever it be that it arises. Somebody likens such mes sages to the torches which are placed in the hands of those who are going to go down into some mine, or into some great mammoth cave. The torch is very flickering and seemingly unneces- sary before they start, as it glows pale ly in the bright sunlight, but just as soon as they go down out of the day into the dark then it is all evident why the torch was given. And so if there be those who do not need any such word as this to-day, nevertheless keep his light in your hand, in your heart, for there is day in every life when it is all good to remember that the Lord fainteth not neither is weary; He up- holdeth the weak and lifteth up those that are cast down. The Father is with us and we are with the Father. Let us keep that message of heavenly love living word in our hearts fitted to our need.
 One of the old martyr stories of early Christianity: legend which is
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