The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-20

= of Christ Vain has been this course
of lessons if it has not helped some
persons to love the larger interests of
God. The broadened life is the days
| need. All children should be taught
| to study world maps. The Student
Volunteer convention in Rochester, a
| few weeks hence, will do more for
the few thousand college students who
will attend than any single course in
| their regular studies for it viii give
| them an imperial vision of the world
and of their life-work
Transporting Experiences.
Some moments are worth more
| than whole lifetime. There are
| transporting experiences in the mem
| DRY of all persons who have greatly
| lived which bulk larger than all the
rest of existence. Pity the poverty
stricken spirit which has none of
these treasured events in its memory;
to sustain the spirit when all else has
become dull and monotonous and
scarcely worth while. These glimpses
of heaven. as they may truly be called,
reveal the potentialities and possibili-
ties of the human soul; glimpses, as
it were, into that life where all limit
atoms of earth are removed.
Everybody has his own conception
of the third heaven. To one it is the
houru when he first knew the bliss of
hallowed moment when he heard the
call to high and holy service, To
another, the moment when he accept
ed the offer of Jesus Christ and be-
came his pledged servant, To a
mother it is the moment when she
held her frst-born in her arms. Con-
corning all these deeper. inner expert
ences it is not easy for fine spirits to
speak. The heart hides deepest what
1t holds dearest. So PauPs allusion to
this great exaltation is vague, though
ecstatic.
Great experiences like this overtop
all the years of the calendar. They
constitute true riches. Here is an old
man wearing the Confederate gray,
and here another in Federal blue: yet
the Civil War was ended a generation
ago. True. but that epochal expert
ence still lives the supreme and
overmastering event in the lives of
all who participated in it, even as
glimpse of paradise tinged with
roseate glow all his subsequent career
Taking Pleasure in Pain.
The spirit is tethered by a short
rope to the body. We can not abide
in the third heaven; we at least must
come down for mealsl Raptures are
not continuous. but occasional. Paul
was given a thorn in the flesh" to
keep him close to the earth and it's
needs and sufferings. What this was
whether sore eyes, or malaria. or
what else-we know not; nor does it
matter. If we knew the exact nature
of PauPs affection we might consider
that particular form of suffering of
value above others.
Enough to know that the suffering
was sent by Satan, and that God per-
mitted and used it. 1t kept Paul
humble. taught him lessons of I'M
answered prayer, and helped his soul
to grow. Every adversely may min
lister to characters highest welfare.
Nothing is too bad" that nurtures
the spirit life. Paul learned from his
thorn that "My strength is made
perfect in weakness" 1t would have
been serious to have missed that les
son. wouldn't it? Any thorn in the
flesh is a small price to pay for
comprehending fellowship with Jesus
Christ. Paul was great enough to see
this; and to rejoice in his suffering.
erything-absolutely everything
that brings a man close to his Lord
is a reason for gladness.