Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1908-08-26

she had made the choice! The home
was desolatei
As he sat there Hosea struggled
with the conflicting emotions that
surged through his heart, and at last
when he had stilled the turbulent
thoughts and had eliminated self in
considering the problem that con.
fronted him, as he had long since
learned to do. he turned with q re-
lieved sigh toward God. and, lifting his
broken heart in prayer. he cried:
"Oh, God. help me to learn still
more the lesson OF life. and to know
what the heart of God is n he yearns
toward his people"
Ever since he had been called into
the prophetic ONCE he had felt the
necessity OF trying to understand The
feelings Of God In his relations ard
dealings with his chosen people. II 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
1t 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 1sraers waywardness and he had
asked himself the question as to what
would have become Of the nation had
God cast them of as they deserved
Then 1t was that he had felt he had
his answer from God and had taken
Conner to his bosom and happy thu
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
or gay and pleasurable life.
How like the conduct of his wife
was the conduct OF Israel She had
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 q
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 this
new lesson Of life and to know how
God would deal with his children when
they forsake him"
With this prayer upon his lips and
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 Co.
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 had
there had been when he had been near
her watching the conflicting emotions
which were fighting within her sinful
heart for mastery, for there were
times when her heart loathed its sin.
fulness and she had yearnings for
better life. And II was for such ne
RODS as this that he was watching
and waiting, hoping that she would
come to herself and be ready to hear
the words OF comfort and forgiveness
which he was ready to speak II she
would only turn from her evil way
Once he had found her when one
OF her lovers had proved her wickedly
false and had deserted her in her dire
need, but 1t was evident she had not
drunk her cup OF sin to the dregs. for
she turned from his pleadings with a
hooking laugh and had sought to
drown her troubles in a still greater
abandon to the life OF sin.
"She still had friends" she said.
she was not ready TO surrender her
Will to the will of another. She would
do as she pleased"
Thus she had plunged on and on in
her downward career until Hosea real.
lied that she must come to the very
depths OF wickedness and despair be.
fore she would be ready to hear his
message of love and forgiveness.
But is IL not even so with God.
people?" he exclaimed one day. with
bleeding heart, for as in tender love he
followed the steps OF the hayward
wife. and felt the heart stabs which
her conduct inflicted, he undefstood az
never before how the wayvardness
and disobedlence of Gods children
must pain the heavenly Fathers
heart.
Yea. do know now something Of
the love and patience of God. I know
how he sorrows over the sins OF his
people. ] know how mercifuI he has