The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-30

sess Two worlds; this world and tho
next. You may not BIO a land owner.
yet all the beauties of Gods world
arc yours For you. as for the rich
est the flowers appear on the Garth
the corn ripens in thousands of fields
tho early and tho latter rain como
down. the Hun rises as giant and re-
1oices to run his course. and the moon
and stars hang like silver lamps to
light You home.
And tho next world is yours. Death
does not deprive US of our possessions;
1T gives us greater. There is q door
between us and the next world. and
death unlocks It. And when we die
we carry away nothing with us: we
brought nothing into this world. and
u Is certain We can tako nothing out.
Yet. then. though having nothing, we
possess all things. Heaven is ours.
eternity is ours, because Jesus is ours.
we who had no friends here shall
have angels for friends hereafter: we
who lost our dear ones here shall find
them again waiting for us; the blind
eyes. the aching limbs, tho broken
hearts, tho deaf cars, are gone; at
Gods right hand there are joys for
evermore.
Gods people have contentment. That
is the Philosophers Stone of which
men dreamed in olden times: and the
true secret of happiness is to SEQ
Gods hand everywhere and to be
thankful for what He sends. The dis.
contented man may have much md
yet possess nothing. Ahab had q
Kingdom and a palace, yet he was
miserable without Naboths VINEYARD
Well said the Greek philosopher of
old. that content Is natural wealth.
When we are content with what we
have we want nothing. The world
may say to US, you are very poor'',
and we answer. "As having nothing.
and yet possessing all things" The
world may say, your house is bare;
and we answer, God is in 1t; 1t. Is
rich with tho treasures OF Gods love"
The world may say, Your life IS a
sad one; and we answer, "As sorrow
full, yet always rejoicing" The world
may say. Your life is lonely; and
we answer. Jesus is with me always.
even unto the end of the world. and
in no sorrow can We lack. for the
Lord Is my Shepherd, shall not
want" AS having Nothing, yet pos
sessing all things
Who are the unhappy? Those who
have no faith and trust in God: those
who do not see HIS hand everywhere;
those who say. why am 1 here; why
this work. this sorrow, this loss?"
With us. II we believe that God our
Father loves us and knows what is
best for u.s. why should we worry
or doubt, or fret?
Some people go through life saying.
Perhaps" or II hope" They look on
the dear dead face and say, ~ hope
shall see 1t again. perhaps the grave
Will give up its dead" and SO they
sorrow. Gods servant says. IT believe
in the resurrection of the body, and |
the life of the world to come"
If man. has faith in God he has |
everything. AS having nothing and |
yet possessing al! things. Gods peo-
pie possess Joy. Some imagine that
the service of God and the duties OF |
religion mean gloom and sadness. that |
they drive away laughter and song
1t is false. The best people are the !
happiest; no one sings louder or
laughs as merrily as Gods servant. |
The joy which TIE world gives does
not last; the laughter of yesterday |
becomes the mourning of o-day; what |
ever pleasure we may have 1t is
darkened by the shadow of death. But
the Joy which Jesus gives us is that |
which no man taketh away from us.
1t is not religion that makes people |
gloomy; 1t is the want OF 1t. Thus
GODS people have hope, more precious
than ruDies. If we lose hope, we lose
all. Just as the star shines out each
evening. so the star of hone ever
shines before us. Sometimes things
look black for us; clouds of sorrow
and anxiety gather over us, but still
we have hope, the star is there. 1t
has been said that life without hope is
like rowing across the sea without a
port-nothing but toll and labor. and
with nothing TO look forward to. The
Christian always presses forward to
the things that are before: he looks
beyond the sick chamber. beyond the
and the grave, to the light
Of the heavenly city. the lights of
home.
The Christian has peace. such peace
as the world cannot give; and lastly,
every good man, though poor. makes
many rich; every good man makes an
other good and happy.
Brethren. all things are yours If you