Evening journal., 1916-01-10

from our past must often produce
dirge. II the songs OF the soul could
be inscribed. how frequently would
they be written in the minor key. Yet
have we learned that these expert
ences are Just as essential for the de-
veiopment of our character as are the
brighter hours. God hath set in His
creation both the daylight and the
darkness. Had Jonah never been
brought 70 this extremity he would
never have been the recipient OF di-
vine mercy. The storms and mon
sters OF afIiiction are often our angels
In disguise. The most of us have to
De brought to a very lowly place be-
fore We are ready to receive Gods
help. II was to the publican, weeping
and bowing low and beating his
breast in grief and humiliation that
tne assurance of acceptance and
justification came. Just as after the
fierce tempest in the darkness of the
night. when the lightning has flashed
and storm has broken I'm all its
fury. that the morning has dawned
bright and clear. and the sunshine
has lighted up the rain drops on for
est and prairie. making the entire
earth resDlendent in beauty.
So il was in the life OF the despair
ing prophet. II was when his soul
tainted within him that he remem-
bered the Lord. II was by reason OF
his aiilicton that he cried unto the
Lord and He heard him. The cruci-
nixon must Drecede the resurrection in
our souls II we follow the pathway OF
our Master. Had IL not been for
Jonah's afliction he would have con-
| tinued TO his doom. In his weakness
ne was made strong. and now we
near no longer the dirge. but the
note OF praise and the paean OF vic
tory; yet hast thou brought up my
life from the pit. Oh Jehovah. my
God Like the prodigal in the far
country when he came to want. he
came 10 himself Il will arise and
90 to my Father" This Is conversion.
Most Of us need the husks and the
hunger likewise 10 bring us TO our
, selves. Ionah's "I will" is the evil
dence Of his sincerity. 81 will sac
rifce unto Thee with the voice Of
Thanksgiving | will pay that which
/ have vowed" Now the sea mon
ster must give up its prey and the
prophets feet are planted on dry
land. The first part Of this second
chapter Of Jonah Is the crucihxion.
the last part is the resurrection OF
Easter Sunday. The first part is the
Miserere, the last part is the Halle
luiah Chorus. The first part is the
! seventh of Romans "Oh. wretched
man that am. who shall deliver me?"
The last part is the eighth of Rom
ans, "The Spirit OF God in Christ
Jesus hath made free from sin and
death"
First Conquer Yourself.
Soul, have you come to the end Of
your own resources? AS long as you
struggle, seeking to save yourself; ;
wanting your own way, planning your
own means and methods. there is no
hope. Let God have His own way
with you. Confess your failures. your
needs. your utter dependence and
your sins. Renew the broken cove
nant with Him. and you will pay that
which you vowed. and the enemy OF
doubt or depair will release his hold (;
no more will you struggle in the sea
Of dependency and gloom. but you
will walk forth erect and free on the
All these lessons and experiences
were a part OF the schooling of the
prophet in preparing him to proclaim
Gods message TO the people of Nine
, veh. He must first conquer himself
before he could win the city. Deal
ing with the rebellion in his own sou
he could more clearly sympathizC
with the disobedience OF others anC
in finding the way out. he was better
fitted to lead others into the light
AS in the call OF Isaiah, that prophet
had to be brought to a vision OF God s
greatness and his own weakness be-
fore he was fitted to hear the divine
voice. So Jonah had to be brought to
the point Of entire submission before
he could heed the call to the gospel
ministry.
Let us note that il was the same
command that came to him as at first
The first lesson must be learned. tn,
first order executed before we arc
prepared for any further mis-
sion. Jonah had to 60 back Ia
the very point where he had disObeyed
God. Like Elisha's student that lost
his axe; the place he found il was
where he lost il. If you are conscious
of lack today Of power or peace
that you once enjoyed, go back over
the web of past experiences and You
will find that. at some point. you let
drop a thread in your weaving. Pick
il up and LET il take its rightful place
in the fabric of your character. II
were TO give the charge of ordina-
tion to every young preacher 7 believe
! would take as my theme Gods mes
sage to Jonah as he enters upon his
new field of labor: Preach the
preaching that I bid thee"
When Jonah went TO Nineveh II
does not say that the peaple believed
Jonah, but il says that they believed
God. They regarded Him as divinely
ordained. We need 70 have in the
modern pulpit more OF this spirit OF
authority. that the words of the
preacher will be backed by no mere
human wisdom, but by "Thus saith
the Lord"
Il is well to note that this message
was primarily a call to repentance
The work OF John the Baptist must