The Alaska citizen., 1917-02-12


 could not have been worse When We consider how We wander away from the precepts and command ments of our Great shepherd We find We daily receive much more than We deserve. Sheep deserve more than. We for they are less liable to wander. considering their knowledge, than We. considering our place of trust and obligation. Yet there is not a day when God does not shower His blessing upon all peoples. At the close Of the day He brings refreshing sleep to sooth the weary body; in the morning He continues the soft balmy air and the indescribable feeling of cup oi cold water. At such hours life seems like a chaHce mixed by the hand of God and oyerllowiDg with His mercy and loving kindness, With tears and smiles struggling 1oE the mastery, we exclaim: My cup run meth oyer."
 Those who realize the contents of the cup are for their greatest good say nothing of the cup itself. This may be of gold. silver, tin, wood or glass; for it makes no difference with the material of the vessel. Ii is not what We appear to be, but what We are, that measures full The ingredients of the cup may be bitter or sweet; the taste is not the norm of true worth. Cease looking on things, and lives, whose appear ing betray not the bitterness ot that which they contain. Many q man is smiling without when the depth of evil is working within. Jesus filled the "cup of blessing to overflowing and drank it to the dregs. but it was bitter to the taste and more bitter in experiences. Yet it was indeed cup ol blessing for all who put their trust in Him.
 We read of a cup of trembling and a "cup of Gods wrath" and well may We finger to understand it's meaning. In this age when God is dealing with all peoples under the law of grace we are apt to get the notion that Gods love is overlooking mans deprayity and meanness. There is a day coming when He will visit His people with justice and equity; then will every man receive accord ing to his works, whether they be good or evil" We could not expect other for God is pure and holy.
 Our shepherd took the cup and let the sheep go free. In the garden He would not permit His friends to fight for Him, but said; Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which my Father hath given me, shall not drink it." Consider what il held. All the shame and contempt which His enemies could contriFe against Him; a physical torture which was the acme of fertile minds a bitterness for our sins that is aug mented thousand fold when we re member that the greater the refine ment of the soul the more sensitive it is to any form of evil; our pun ishment imputed to Him that VIC might be free in His sacrifice, as though the human race stood line and He took from each his trans gressions and sins, "and tasted deatf for every man. Our lives brn with salvation because His was filled with condemnation. Our cuI runs over with joy because His over flowed with sorrow. Our cup run. over with blessednoss because Hi. overflowed with God forsakenness.
 Note how well He has filled ou cup and some of the things it con tains:
 1. Your life is overflowing witt good health. If not it is the eXcep tion. There are thousands well t' tens sick. Health is such an i'm portant thing. With it life is alway worth the living; without it soul pine and die Sad days are over come by the vigor it brings. We alas, appreciate it only when it i gone. Jesus went about restoring men to health, but He placed & much more importance in spiritua health that he never healed the bod but to heal the soul. To the woman He said: Go, and sin no more" l is sin that ruins the health. Tn insurance companies most emphatic ally realize this, for they conside the saloon keeper with his like tn