The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-10
asAINTS IN SUMMER. ~

AAiAu q oSAShESA Doays RAhAPAS $3.50 3SSS !
a long way towards doing that. To
escape from pressing anxieties. to put
our work behind us, Is both helpful |
and necessary. We ought to do it.
It need not be selfish act It Is for
our good In order that we may use 1t
for the general good.
Indeed, there may be selfishness In
self-sacrihce. Beware OF taxing |
strength and brain too far! Prudent
rest mingled with activity will accom-
plish wonders. because 1t is natures
way. No man when tired or over
strained can do his best. So take
good rest yourself, and your wife and
your family, and all the members of
your household. You Will be tempted
often to take life quite too seriously.
and to work too hard and too long. |
Don't do 1t! Enjoy yourself. Bring
the element of recreation into your
life Establish and maintain holidays.
holy to God and to man, in which you
may be freely and blessedly idle as q
little child.
we will do that this year. We will
enter into the honest, innocent joys OF
outdoor life, and we will have good
time in the name and in the honor OF
God. who giveth us all things richly
to enjoy" We will not be ashamed OF
it. nor make apologies for 1t, but re-
joice in it as the children OF our boun-
tiful Father in Heaven.
The second element in the Christian
vacation is appreciation. This applies
to that out-of- door world In which we
more specially take our holiday 1t Is
Gods world, and to see 1t Alright Is,
in deep sense. to see God. To de-
light in 1T is to delight in God. TO
enter into 1t with sympathy and APP
probation Is to enter into the realized
presence Of God God is In all life.
Let US live then In the natural world
as in the house OF our Father. Let
us see in the beauty Of it, Its forms
and colors, It's changing lights in Its
adaptation to our many needs the low
ing providence and care of our God.
who careth for US.
To look across the lake at the ever
lasting hills; to watch the moving
clouds by day and the glowing stars
by night; to walk beside the water,
to sail over 1t, to plunge under 1t, to
delight in the sadness and the cool
ness Of the sea; to sit under the shad-
ows OF the great trees, to lie upon
the quiet green meadows. and to re-
member that all this is given to us by
the hand of God, is to grow in grace, in
the knowledge and love of God. Do
not so anxlously ask yourself wheth-
err you love God. Give yourself up to
His blessed presence. when the heav-
ems declare His handiwork. Read the
Bible of the hills and Skies written
by Gods own hand. Listen In the
stiffness of your own heart to the an
them Of the waters and the fields. 20 all
the works of the Lord. bless We the
Lord. Praise Him and magnify Him
forever
The third element in this vacation
is reflection. The summer is the time
for quiet thinking. All the rest OF
the year we are subject to Interrupt
ton. There comes again and again
the Imperative demand Of the tmme.
date moment. Tho word must be
said, the thing must BIO done. we are
compelled to think 1t out there and
then. But In order that we may saw
the right word and do the right thing,
the thought OF the moment must he
based upon strong foundation of
serious and continued meditation. In
the summer, If we are wise, we will
lay these foundations. and in these
long sunny days of peace, apply our
selves to the consideration Of great
principles and Gods plan for U.S.
Read great books and thus lay up a
store of strength against the coming
year.
Spend part OF your time in reading
history. 1t Is worthy of note that so
large e. part of the Bible is occupied
by books of history. 1t shows us that
through history we come to more
full knowledge Of God. The continued
experience Of the people of Israel was
uplifted and dignlfled by being kept
In living relation with the past, Ev-
cry common day had It's place in that
splendid recital. And the whole his
tory from first to last was ennobled
and illuminated by tho consciousness
of God, The annals Of Israel We're
different from those of other nations.
and great factor in this difference
lay In the spirit in which they We're
written, The historians Of Israel felt
the presence OF God in all the affairs
land facts of human lifa Read Ms