The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-11-08
LIFE IS WORTH WHILE
TO EVERY INDIVIDUAL
DR.. Christian breaches On "A Jour-
ney to the Juniper Tree and
Back Again."

DIR. Asbury Christian preached on
A Journey to the Juniper Tree ana
Back Again. at Union Station
Methodist Church last night His
text was: but he himself went ii
days journey INTO the wilderness and
came and sat down under juniper
Tree; and he requested for himself
that he might die: ana he said it IL
enough now. O, Lord. take away my
life"
This" said the preacher, as
SINGULAR but common incident III
the NE Of great man. These in
ciuents remind us of the kinship of
man and the likeness of humanity.
We wonder that the great prophet
VINO had Witnessed such manifesto
tions OF divine power, as the answer
ny hre and coming of rain, should
become discouraged and despondent
when woman like. Jezebel sent him
word that she would kill him. That
is natural, and there is a providence
in good mans discoura cement Man
is apt TO become exalted above meas
ure when he recognizes his power with
God. and he is given thorn in the
flesh to keep him near the comm on
affairs OF life. There liz no one who
has done "A great work who does not
come and sit under his juniper tree.
John the Baptist questioned Jesus
Messia hship when under the influence
OF poison. Luther. in his despond-
ency. was called back when his child
asked, Father. is God dead?' John
Wesley bemoaned the fact that his
life had counted for so little In the
world. General Lee, when president
OF Washington College. wrote: Life Is
indeed gliding away. and I have
nothing Of good to show for mine that
is past l pray ] may be spared to
accomplish something for the benefit
OF mankind and the honor OF God
II great lives like these should jour
ney 10 the juniper tree. surely lesser
lives cannot expect to be exempted.
Cause OF Discouragement.
I'VE may ask what is the cause OF
encouragement and of dependency.
II often comes from physical condi-
tion Unusual exaltation IL sure TO
be followed by depression The re-
flex action sets In and we go under
the juniper tree. A torpid liver will
often cause one TO doubt God and
call in question the richest experience
of human life. 1t lis well TO know
the cause of our dependency that 1t
may he taken at It's right value.
The hand of scorn and accusation
will frequently serd even strong men
other fruitful source Of dependency
is that the ideal of what one would
do is so much higher than the actual
performance that IL casts a shadow
over the soul. No artist with a great
spirit ever painted his ideal picture.
No real preacher has ever preached
a sermon that meets his ideal Nor
has any faithful worker worked SO
well as TO do what he cnnceives to he.
the best. for when the ideal is reach
ed that is the place OF stagnation.
Thus the poor performance IN the
height of what rsay be done causes
US to SIT under the juniper tree.
Gods cause for OBSCURE cement
and doubt IL not a larger revelation,
but a simple command to do our
duty. His rerly n Elijah was His
order to anoint Hozael king over
Syria and John king over Israel and
to anoint Elisha TO be prophet In his
stead When He had pointed out the
path OF duty as the return from the
Juniper tree. God told the prophet
tina; there were seven thousand who
had not bowed the knee TO Baal'
Every life that is worth while has
it's hours under the juniper tree. This
is our portion The sin Is not in the
hour of dependency and doubt. but
1t Is in making our abode under the
shadows of the bauefui tree. The re-
t4frn tn the mount OF power and the
place OF the Divine presence Is along
the simple pathway or acknowie dyed
right and in the performance Of our
known duty 10 man and God"