The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-06-14

REV. JAMES Y. FAIR, ID. ID.
Until tho shadows fec away"-song of
Solomon. iv. g.
Life has many shadows. Gidcd
domes cannot ward them OFT: marble
walls cannot shut them out: the flash
Of a sccptre cannot wave them away.
lnvisibly to II" they darkon what may
seem the brightest and happieSt lives.
Sometimes these shadows cover the
greater portion of the journey of life;
II they break, IL is only to come again.
Some walk all the path under Il con-
tinuous and deepening shadow, from
the cradle to the grave.
Now, we dislike these shadows: we
dread TO see them lcngthcn across
our way, and if it were in our power.
we would sweep the last vestise of
shadow out of life. But when We
study these dark and apparently dis
astrous clouds that gather in our sky,
we CLEAN some instructive, and. strange
10 say, some very comforting lessons.
shadows are necessary to complete
the brightness and beauty of life. In
the wonderful world of art il Is an
inncXible law that n picture to be per-
feet requires shade No painting is
complete or really great without It,
beauty. the same rigid and eXactinG
law confron;s us. LIES pictures.
painted not on narrow and fading can
vas, but flung upon the enduring tab
lets OF the soul. must have their blend
Ing lights and shadows TO bring out
the perfect beauty and deep signin-
canoe. Why this Is we cannot tell:
we only know 1t is Gods great. strange
law, which we must recognize. and to
rnn
realize the true ideal and attain the
real happiness of life. Indeed, whether
we can fathOm the cause or not. yet
when we study His works we discern
that the principle upon which He seems
to proceed is the idea of contrast. We
see 1t everywhere, in nature, in re-
ligion. in life: day and night, sum-
mer and winter. rain and sunshine
JOY and sorrow, smiles and tears good
and evil, youth ana age. life ana death.
SIN and salvation, heaven and hell
over all His wonderful works alter
nate lights and shadows play.
CREATION BUILT ON
THIS PRIMORDIAL LAW
Creation is built upon this vast prim-
ord'al law; 1t is as great antiphonal
chorus in which opposites answer back
unto each other. but whose conflicting
sounds ultimately blend. at His touch
into harmony. whose discords are all
hushed. order out of chaos. light out
OF darkness. pleasure out OF pain, life
out of death. the splcndor of the uni
verse out of the void and forrnless
abyss of nothing. And although we
may not comprehend the mystery of
this universal and immutablc law.
still, If we would solve the enigma of
life. If we would truly live our lives
and make them Il perfect picture or "A
perfect harmony. then. like the artist.
n
light and shadow; not let them re-
main dissimilar, antagonistic, nor let
either be predominant, making life a
Wrctched blur, but blending into unity
which. like Il golden frame, sets life
into true perspective. Now. that is
the art of living. | count it the high
est science set before man. When lie
has attained ii. he has mastered the
secret of existence as a free. intelli-
gent and immortal being-not to blot
all shadow out of life: not merely to
endure the shadow with the grim in
difference of the stole, not even to ac-
cept the shadow as an aflliction. but
TO transform ii into blessing; 10
make it minister to the JOY of life and
contribute TO it's highest success. For
the true life does not consist in being
happy while you walk in unbroken
prosperity under cloudless skies. That
is no test of manhood or womanhood.
y little child can do that, even an ir-
rational animal. If your life is full of
flowers. it is not hard to weave n gar
land. but if your life is full of thorns.
then TO twinc the thorns into n crown.
wear ii right royalty like n King or
Queen: that is the test. When the
shadow glooms, 10 he radiant then, to
look up with sublime and smiling
face into the gathering cloud and
even to welcome it as bringing out
Spb al
blessings: TO be strong, hopeful, un-
dauntcd in life's deep sorrows and
many appointments, to turn defeat
into victory, to make your falls step
ping stones TO throne of self-con-
quest, what science or art is compare
bic to that?
GODS CONTRASTS
UNLOCK MYSTERIES
1t is Gods old. true idea Of con
trast and the key that unlocks tho
mystery of lifcS shadows. They teach
the truly great life is not freedom
from trouble, but triumph over trou-
! BILE they are to be regarded as bless
| ingS not curses; as helps. not hin.
! ORANGES as additions. not subtractions:
| as positive. not neutral not only adorn-
| mcnts. but accretions of strength. We
| are 10 draw light. sustcnance. power
| from them, just as Franklin. looking
! up into the dark storm cloud drew
| mysterious. houndlcss. but bcne.iccnt
! fore" which has so vastly enhanced
| the mower OF man. lighted our homes
| and cities. made the lightning mans
| winged messenger and changed this
! great world into whispering gallery.
! When we learn that, we have learned
! the nrSt and most important lesson
| IN icds great school Of life Another
! comforting fact We CLEAN In our study
| OF lifes shadows Is, they reveal latent
! Qualities that lie hidden and dormant
| IN the gariSh sunshine OF prosperity.
| When night envelops the earth we dis
! cover Tie boundless arch of heaven
| ger,mcd with numberless radiant
| worlds that we never see by day, and
Of who's" existence we would be isao-
! rant. had they not been disclosed by
| the shadow of darkness. This Is firm.
| of mans highest and finest traits--he-
roisin. fortitude, self -abncgation, faith.
In sunshine these are hidden. but in
| the shadow they shine forth in ali
their beauty. clarifying man. irradiat-
ing history. identifying the race and
a..