The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-15

~rAxf whtsh n crooksd cannot %
~ ssan s made straight" The farst
II ~ fha voice OF q man surfetted ana
Sls1ntoai: ths second - the voice speak
- frum hsaven. The hrst u the
- Of human despair. that undsr-
ns Ike the moan and sob OK the
II - vuhadh sounds through Eccleel-
Il eeAes: the second II That voice OF q
II snre and certain hope which COM
lnands the Book OF Isaiah The nrst
Il a ansric, depressing. and untrue:
4 ne second IL strong. magnetic. ana
# eefrcOcrated by experience.
you cannot change . mans ma
4 txre,' says tho enemy OF sous. ana
i many have been persuaded 10 tnihK
tAsy believe II.
], .sYs must be born again" says the
nsyiour OF the world. Must IL
- must, We may.
Nccaesiastss discloses the workings
4 81 the human mind and the sadness
~ the human heart without the Di-
VIVA revelation. 1t Is far cry from
tAA writer OF this book TO the writer's
~ tho Psalms, the Prophecies. and
me New Testament, not so much as
10 length OF time. M to the whole
Il outlook on life.
Taka. for example. a fsw points OF
7oentrast: what profit hath man
sf MI his'Isborf" Goodness
r. profitable unto all things, hAying
j ne promise OF the life that now ID.
| and Of that which In to coma" "Ali
sthinxs are full of WEAKNESS" =.
All things work together for good
- them that love God"
h thsrs Il thing whereof men say.
-, this fl new:'. =. Behold. I
male I'll things new" "I said of
Ilaughtee. 1t IL mad; and OF mirth,
| What doeth it," THE Joy Of
l1hs Lord In your strength" Il hated
lffe" Il am come that they
night have life. and that they might
have Il more abundantiy." Vanity
10 vanities. all Is vanity" Bless the
Lard. o my soul; and all that 10
within me. bless His holy name" "All
a 70 unto one place: all are OF the dust.
4 md all turn to dust again" .
~BscAuss ! live. ye shall live also"
The difference IL more than that
n between pessirsfsrn ana Optimism.
which ID commonly q matter OF health
Or temperaments It Ii the difference
betveen error and truth. between
death and life.
'.You can't change mans nature"
n . vtsw rather widely and fire.
Quanxly expressed. But have We not
heaxd tt said. He's q dinerent man.
and have We not known 1t to be true?
III such q thing had happened only
1Onco IN the worlds history. it would
III enough TO prove the possibility
III has happened more than once. !
beheld. and 10. = great multitude
(which no man could number. out Of
NIL nationa and kindreds and people
land tongues, stood before the throne
land before the Lamb. VIVA,
lare these arrayed In white robes
And whence come they? These art
thsy which came out Of great tribu.
s1n4ton, and have washed their robes
II ths Lamb.
Their very natures have beer
changed by the coming OF a great
1edseming love.
.rhat which Is crooked cannot b.
made straight" There are conditions
l n which These hopeless words seem
10 be justified. There are those In
! wary place. and In every walk OF life
Who have for many years hoped
against hope that certain natures
would be changed. but IL they havs
changed 1t has been from bad t.
worse.
Various means have been tried
Il human resources have been exhaust
"a. and the same sad thing goes on
Then, almost inevitably. dari
fhouEhts begin to I'll the mind. Whai
does human influence amount to after
Ill! Where lis the force Of a whole.
some example? What reward have
Kindness and sacrifice? You may
1 pray and plead until gelf-respect ii
( rome. You may love until your heart
breaks. And what IL the good OF II
ally You can't change ones nature
'.That which IL crooked cannot be
made straight"
s..1ssss Even the prophet OF the Lord
sometimes asks, who hath believed
OF the Lord revealed" To whom
does tbs Divine witness make any
lasting difference? OF the ten who
Il WS40 ueAleQ, WHBT6 are tue nine
And taking a broader view of the
worlds life today, there are those
who think that civilization is almost
ready to plunge hack into baThaFism
a II is the old fear that the crooked
I cannot be made straight But fears
4 may be liars" and before Ecciesias-
ties ends we are stepping out OF the
8leemy weed iate the ligA the
open world.
Henley's lines represent the later
n and The larger knowledge. .. 80
And in my heart
Some late lark singing.
Let me be gathered to the quiet west,
The shutdown splendid and serene.
Hear him now: Cast thy bread
npon the waters; for thou shalt find
n after many days. Remen Der
now thy Creator in the hays OF thy
youth. = The dust shall return
TO the earth as 1t was: but the spirit
shall return unto God who gave It.
Let us hear the conclusion Of
4 Tho whole matter. Fear God and keep
81 His commandments; for this Is the
4 whole duty OF man"
81 That II better. The futile mega
tion and positive hope begins. The
A AToAry cynicfsm yields to q bright and
u epAcious ministry. The lark is late in
: aaa1tnx. but better hate than never -