The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-08-21

dllleu with Goa, ana through their
personality expressed the divine pur-
pose and power. IL was because OF
their certainty that God was above
them and in them. and that right
would triumph. that thew went stead
lily forward to accomplish the high
mission of their lives. We are told
by Plutarch that julius Caesar. on
night OF storm, crossing a channel
in light. open boat. quieted the
alarm Of the oarsmen who were with
him by telling them: PLUCK up your
courage: you carry Caesar" This
great Roman believed in his des.
tiny. A secret presentiment bade
him believe that he was born for
notable career. He had power. he
had resource. but above all. pro.
found belief in his star The man
who has not such faith is TO be
pitied
We all need such a vision. With.
out II We perish. Aspiration is In.
spiration. Let us not be deferred
from building our castles. though
they are In the air. Perchance God
will help us lay the foundations
under them and make them real and
strong and permanent. The man
who says: l must and. God helping
me. can, Is the man who has con.
fidence in himself TO do something
that no one else can do. and that
otherwise will remain undone.
How wonderfully God holds ter
rife energies In leash and under con-
troll subject to the gradual outwork.
ing of His perfect idea for the chill.
dren of men. In the realm OF nature
all things work together for good.
The sun, which has In II heat sufii-
cient TO consume our little world In
a fragment of time, nurses to full
Ter life by its gentle caress the ten.
der lily and the modest violet. II
touches them and evokes their dell.
cate aroma it puts the roses into
the cheek OF the child and the song
into the throat OF the nightingale as
IL scars and sings to the clouds. IL
Is true that so we'll do we understand
the constructive forces of nature,
that IL furnishes but a trite subject
for our consideration. But under.
meath all physical manifestations
and phenomena, let us believe there
Is moral purpose. Nature is Gods
great temple In which His voice Is
heard 1t was through natures sub.
Unity that David realized mans dig.
nifty. Above all nature, next TO God,
stands man. And for him all ply.
sical forces are in harmony and
work together for his good. And
as with nature, so In history. As
in the roaring Of the seas and the
clash of the elements the atmos-
phere we breathe is cleansed and we
enter into more vigorous life. So
the wars, which seemingly spell
ruin: the crumbling of nations,
which spells corruption; through all
storm and revolution. through shock
and tempest, God is leading the sons
OF men out into larger life, and
bringing on the brighter and better
day
And. finally, human experience
testiHes to the same truth. We are
told that on one occasion Napoleon
was shut up in an island OF the
Danube, hemmed in by the Arch
duke Charles. He was able to main
tain himself there, but he sent word
to Italy and Spain and France, and
he ordered his marshal with such
minuteness that every days march
was perfect All over the north OF
France, and from the extreme south
OF Spain and Portugal, the corps
were, all OF them, advancing. and
day by day coming nearer and near
er. Not one of them, on the march.
had any idea what was the final pur-
pose, and why they were being or
dered to the central point. But on
the day the master appointed the
head of the columns appeared in
every direction. Then II was that
he was able to break forth from his
bondage and roll back the tide OF
war. How like our life, as 1t moves
on. to the command OF the Master.
It's forces seem confused to US, with
and cohesion, ofttimes 'antagonistic.
Joy and sorrow, health and sickness.
prosperity and adversity-all march
in their appointed paths and to their
appointed ends. But at last we shall
see behind them all the one will and
the one power, and we shall be able
to say on the day OF final emancipa-
ton and victory. as said Joseph OF
old, God meant 1t unto good, to
bring 1t to pass.
So, let us go forth. renewing our
courage as we renew our confidence
that to them that love God all things
work together for good.