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

tho ideal Of patriotism and the typi-
cal citizen. If the black shadow of
sin had not fallen on tho earth. the
star of Bethlehem would never have
flung its divine and undimmed glory
over time. In your homo, you thought
your mother. your wife. your daugh-
ter were only ordinary. commonplace.
frail. clinging. dependent creatures
perhaps. you had often smiled at their
simple faith; but when the dark shadow
gathered around your nreside when
your courage failed and you gave up
In despair. what unsupported fortitude
the: developed. so strong and brave
and trustful; they were not dead
weights. but your prop and help. So
these shadows over the home are not
pair, because of the beautiful and great
and heavenly treasures they reveal
SHADOWS HAVE
NO REAL EXISTENCE
But in our study OF ljfe's shadows,
we may CLEAN another practical truth.
After all. what is Il shadow? 1t is
really nothing. 1t has no actual exist
ence, Is unsubstantal. You pursue it,
try to grasp it, and there is only
emptiness. And thus we reach most
important truth: we speak of the
shadows OF life. but is 1t not fact
that many, perhaps the ma jority of
them. arc altogether imaginary, the
iNShilS VI weakness ana neeulcSS
fear? And of those that arc actual.
how many arise from our own maxi
ing. The shadows that so often darlSen
our homes, fill them with unhappincss,
sometimes sundcr the hottest ties, are
they not generally caused by our
pctulancc and waywardncss. our hasty,
fretful actions. the unknd word that
ought not to be spoken? Full often
we mar the harmony OF home, fill it
with discord. blot the bright and beau
tiful picture that ought to be n
prophecy of heaven, Upcnd wrctchcd
days. when there is no necessity for
It: just little forbcarauce. the re-
preston of self. would scatter all the
shadows, make the home vocal with
heavenly music. flood it with unclouded
sunshine. Let US strive TO lead better
lives, more like Christ. keep nearer to
the cross.
1t is self that always casts n
shadow. Christ sheds only light and
peace. There is a suggestive fact in
the material world. When the sun is
imm cdiatcly overhead and shines down
vertically. it casts no perceptible
shadow. SO when Christ attains the
zenith in our lives, when He is as
cendent and shines down full upon us,
then the less shadow self will cast.
This is our great necd--more II Christ.
less of self. The last and best lesson
~ All Us. tncSc SnauoWS, Wnctncr real
or imaginary. shall fee away forever
in heaven.
Sometimes in ascending the lofty
mountains. you are envcloped with
cold gray mists that chill YOU and OBJ
scure the view, but when you reach
the summit and the sun rises. these
mists dissolve. through their parting
folds reveal boundlcss horizons, and
rolling on UP are gathered as glitter
around tho N c
brow, adding even greater beauty to
the wonderful scene. so these earthly
shadows. if learn their lesson
Alright. will be transformed into jewels
that gem the crowns OF Gods redeemed
Let us be patient and trustful. whether
we walk in sunshine or shadow, ever
going onward and upward in The path
of duty, resting in tho radiant and
fragrant promise: Until the day break
and the shadows flee away, I will get
me to the mountains of nyrrh and the
hills of frankinccnse'