St. Tammany farmer., 1908-08-22

what the heart of God is as he yearns
toward his people"
Ever since he had been called into
the prophetic office he had felt the
necessity of trying to understand the
feelings of God in his relations and
dealings with his chosen people, if he
was faithfully to deliver Gods mes
sage. And this was the great problem
which had faced him in the very be-
ginning Of his career, as he had met
and loved the beautiful Conner. Then
it was that the struggle came over the
question whether or not he should cast
her off because of her past life of sin,
and then had come the consciousness
Of Israels waywardness and he had
asked himself the question as to what
would have become of the nation had
God cast them off as they deserved.
Then it was that he had felt he had
his answer from God and had taken
Conner to his bosom and happy tbs
years had been that had passed since
then, until the present sorrow had
broken in upon his life, eliminating
finally in the open rupture with the
wife and mother of the home and
her fleeing to other parts that she
might be unhampered in her pursuit
of gay and pleasurable life.
How like the conduct of his wife
0f Che hoH
forgotten her vows to him as Israel
had forgotten her vows to- God and
had forsaken him. She had placed
the pleasure of the moment above the
permanent joy and comfort of the
home, and Israel had sought for tenn
porary satisfaction and prosperity
among the neighboring nations, follow
ing strange gods and forgetting the en-
during blessing which God alone could
confer, and missing the delight Of a
heart and conscience that was in har-
mony with the will and purpose OF
God.
Once more he burst out with the
cry:
"Oh, Lord, help me to learn thfs
new lesson of life and to know how
God would deal with his children when
they forsake him"
With this prayer upon his lips anC
the bitterness and hate in his heart
put away, he gave himself up to the
new thought, and was soon planning
how he might follow the erring wife:
and as often as opportunity offered
strive to win her back to the paths OF
righteousness.
Thus it was that all unknown to Go
| mer Hosea kept track of her move
| ments More than once when dangers
had threatened her had he shielded
her from harm, and even death itself
Repeatedly when her resources were
all gone and she was in dire distress
| had he succored her, she believing
| that some other hand than his haG
supplied her urgent need. Times
there had been when he had been near
her watching the conflicting emotions
which were fighting within her sinfu
heart for mastery, for there were
times when her heart loathed it's sin
fulness and she had yearnings for {
| better life. And it was for such pc
riods as this that he was watching
and waiting, hoping that she woulc
come to herself and be ready to heal
the words of comfort and forgiveness:
which he was ready to speak If she
would only turn from her evil way
Once he had found her when one
| of her lovers had proved her wickedl!
false and had deserted her in her dire
need, but it was evident she had no
| drunk her cup of sin to the dregs, TO
she turned from his pleadings with ;
mocking laugh and had sought tt
drown her troubles in a still create
abandon to the life of sin.
"she still had friends she said
"she was not ready to surrender he
will to the will of another. She woult
do as she pleased"
Thus she had plunged on and on il
her downward career until Hosea real
! lied that she must come to the yer.
depths of wickedness and despair be
fore she would be ready to hear hi
message of love and forgiveness.
But is it not even so with God
people?" he exclaimed one day, wit
bleeding heart, for as in tender love b
followed the steps of the waywar
wife, and felt the heart stabs whicl
her conduct inflicted, he understood a
never before how the waywardnes
and disobedience of Gods childrel
must pain the heavenly Father
heart.
"Yea, I do know now something @
the love and patience of God. I knoy
how he sorrows over the sins Of hi
people. I know how merciful he ha
been and is willing to be to his people
Oh, God!" he exclaimed, help me t
know thy patience and thy love so tha
never while life lasts shall I lose sigh
of the one who has left me or forge
that I am pledged to win her back t
her home and to thee"