Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1909-09-10
TfE4R5) p51,1bl fA
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SONGS IN THE NIGHT.
b. Henry T. Cope

1Ou, my MAKER @HO SlFelu songs
In the night'-Job 50: 10
1t Is remarkable that those people
who have strengt hened the wor
store of optimism have been those 49,,
were educated in the school of suffer
ing while those who have left only
3 memory Of pe5simislic complaining
have usually had least of which to
complain, their lives have seemed sad
because Of habitual self-absorption
Job in his losses, David in his exile,
Jesus az the man Of sorrows, Bunyan
in his prison, Milton in his blindness,
Robert louis Stevenson in his thrap
dom Of disease, all have taught us to
look up, 10 hope, TO have faith in tho
eternal goodness, to catch the blessing
In the guise Of pain and loss, and TO
earn for ourselves the crown of JOY
thai blooms through sorrow.
The problem of pain is always great
or 10 those who must stand by and see
others suffer, perhaps unable to help
them by any means, than it is for
those who themselves must bear the
pain. Il is true there is no wholly sat
fsfactory solution of the mystery of
suffering, none that satisfies us in its
real presence, but in its effects, in its
fruitage on those who face it in high
courage, We may see some suggestions
OF it's meaning in our universe.
This Is the worlds great school, the
place where the affections and the
higher attributes are educated. Here
we learn patience, fortitude, faith,
sympathy, strength to serve and to
lead. None OF the lessons are such
that we would seek them of ourselves;
none are such that we would lose them
afterWard II we could
It is the pain that enters the home
that binds the family together. Never
are the ties stronger than when all
gather by the couch of suffering or
when they stand together straining
their eyes across the great void. Only
those who know realize how homes are
hallowed by the fact OF belonging to
two worlds
Out OF suffering rise cur great songs
The poetry that reaches our heart has
been written by eyes blinded by tears
1t opens its riches to us when we read
1t in the same way. Just as libertv
has been born in prison walls, so has
Joy and the confidence of final victory
over disease and pain come out OF the
hours Of anguish and broken spirit
Perhaps IL we could probe the mys-
terry OF suffering we might be tempted
to administer its curriculum ourselves.
We can only for ourselves determine
that 1t shall not conquer US, that we
shall not be like dull schoolboys who
weep over their lessons instead of
learning them, that this world shall
lose all unnecessary suffering and gain
all the good out Of all that remains.
So when the night comes it Is for
us to determine whether it shall in
spire us to song or lead US with com
platnings to make it yet darker. Here
Is the time to sing when 1t Is hardest
of all to raise the voice in cheer and
encouragement. When 1t is our night
there are always others who would be
aided by our song. Blessed are those
who sing in the shadows.
Somehow, TO believe that love Is
over all, that the infinite goodness Is
greater than all the evil, to know with
the old man Job Aat, though aff1iction
may rob me of all that men call nv
possessions, the abiding and unchang-
Ing values remain, that suffering after
all only pricks the surface-that is to
find song in the darkest hour.
And these experiences make tender
our hearts to one another; my need
reminds me of my neighbor We would
soon be calloused, utterly Indifferent,
but for these blows that break I'D the
surface OF the life. The poor and
those who know need are tenderest in
heart one TO another. Just to ACQUIRE
the grace of sympathy were worth the
course In sorrow.
We may not solve the mystery OF
suffering, but We can face il and sing
through It; we can take all the good
there is in It to ourselves and make
our own lives sweet and refreshing
through it We can sing songs In the
night; we can learn patience with one
another. We can keep our own hearts
open in sympathy; we can turn the
dreary hours to song IN some other
life, for TO think Of the sorrows of
others is to find the joy that lies hid
den il every sorrow for us.