The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-07-14


and sleep: for Thou, Lord. only MAX
est me dwell in sofety." He Is great
~ blessed in whose calm spirit this
old-time vesper chimes. 1t Is not ?
morning hymn. Morning Is the time
for wakefulness and work. 1T is an
evening hymn. after that has EcSr
done which was in us to do. and twi-
light deepens into night.
The day of the redeemed is a day
of energy. productiveness. onward
ness, as it Is written; The Lord shall
increase you more and more" That
is the note of the morning and the
afternoon. But then comes evening
and then comes night. as the great
warm wings OF darkness and OF Gcd
wrap us round and he is in the di-
vine order of things whose BODY,
mind, and spirit relax then. who lets
all elese go, and say: Il will not Only
lay me down in peace, but VIII
sleep, rocked in the cradle OF that
deep love whichZts- the-one- perfect
safety"
There is an evidence of ease and
OF order upon all the works of Col.
and life finds both in enrichment
harmony.
He who knew how 10 say Il will
go in the sertngth Of the Lord God.
7 knew also how to say, Will botn
lay me down in peace, and sleep.
There Is a restful abandonment q
the Fathers watchful care, and II w
can receive its liberating spirit, 1t
will spread with blessing throughout
the working day, as when tire :.
natures sweet restorer, balmV
| sleep" reknlts the ravelled energies.
and puts bloom upon the wh'-@
world.
There is a way or rest, just rs
! another way is not the way OF res
| II we face north, and walk on, We
! ret to the north: We do not get l.
! the south We follow our eyes 70
| the end of the day, and very largely
| do we find what we look for, Are
| We ready to rest when the resting
! time arrives? There may be more
: IN this than appears.
/ Give us to go bllthely on our
/ business all this day bring us
| to our restingbeds weary, ana con-
/ tent, and undishonoured, and grau@
MS in the end the gift of sleep
PRAYER of Stevenson's which breath IS
| a peace like that which lies In tn"
| heart of great hills or on the tra4-
/ Quill breast OF a summer sea
What is the secret OF the answer u
such a prayer Thou. LORD, only
makast me dwell in safety
The thought OF God was a great
calm. The Psalmist lay down unoef
{ the sheltering wings when ne was
fugitive from Saul. and slept more
soundly on the hard ground that Soio-
mon did on the bed which was guaro-
"a ~, armed warriors. "A clear con-
science In a good bsdfeliow." When
God rtyeth HIS beloved sleep. II
like the sleep of q little child.
The way OF rest. then. II the way
Of His will, whose will IN love thai
passeth knowledge.
Now the evidence Of the love may
he sometimes obscured, but the low
remains We do not always see the
sun in an unciouded sky. Tne tnin
RAYS that pierce the forest roof arc
Withdrawn. and the forest floor grows
dim. clouds assemble and interfacs
until the world is Ike night from
horizon to horizon: but even when the
teunest Is abroad We still believe "
tho sun for we have seen the sun
and we know it will shiue again. W.
know 1t will lie warm on the hliis
and stream through the windows ana
sparkle In the pools. We know thai
! the very shadows are the PROOF OF 'tf
-tsbininF We are sure or that csntra
Are in the armament come what may
and We regulate all the business ano
engagements Of life bv Its glow anc
its gleam.
In human life the love of the hear
is more than the light OF the eyes
and the love OF God il more thar
the sunlight in the heavens. The
love ktndles the light, as the greater
increases the less
Once persuaded that the love OF
God ia supreme the will OF God is moi
merely accepted and endured. bu
gladly done: and out OF that heaven
" harmony comes rest. There liz res
because the cause OF unrest is re-
moved AN things work together
for good TO them that love God Thai
is Loves law--fixed. changeIess. eter-
nal.
Peace and sleep" are the divine
gifts wherever human disturbance ii
found: a large statement which. new
ertheless, dos not cali for any quail
fication.
IA the Isard IF, loYe is greater thas
I all and better than ALL and If HS
overrules and governs all, then He
can calm The widest tumult of ou'
years.
His peace operates first AM
chiefly In the conscience, There
are those whose peace and sleep vii
ever be broken until they can rest
from a ruthless conscience.