The Alaska citizen., 1917-02-19
THE CELESTIAL ESCORT.

Ps. 23 6
 All the days of my life" What days they may be. They come by the week. by the month. by the year. bv the life time. and they be always good days There are the months of spring when new life Is coming into the flowers after a long sleep under the snow. and into the birds return ing with their joyous song of the south. and the lambs of the flock run hither and thIther in their glad joy to perform their mission in life. even the air itself seems purer and sweeter as the sower goes forth to SOW. Then come the summer days those long days when God permits man to work to his hearts content summer days for forest growth, for development of grass and grains that man and beast may have whereof he may lay by for future use. And the autumn days with haryests of golden grain: when the squirrel with nimble feet scampers about gathering nuts for his winters supply; when the sunsets seem to vie in the fading of the day that those who can appre- ciate the heavens may know that God desires man to see His handi- work in terms of beauty and majesty and peace, when the dying leaves, lest their mission be forgotten, change in all the beauty of thou sand shades to prove that Gods color scheme in like Himself-lnH- nite. And last the winter days that say to the aged: You must stay at home now. as the storms are too severe for your fading years, and to the youth; You can vie in health provoking pleasures" but to nature it gives d mandate to lie still under the snow until tomorrow.
 We stand on d promontory and look across the valley and what kind of days are beyond? We see there birthdays for the millions yet to come; there are the marriage days when two lives flow together as he streams united. or as the perfume 0i the many flowers, more be9Hti- tul because of service together; and the days Of q dead past that refuse tc ee forgotten laden with that which brings neither joy nor peace, only warning; and the death days when the windows ire darkened, and the sound Of the slindin% has ceased. for man has gone to his long home and m0urners go about the streets. Yet In all the days goodness and mercy has been the celestial escort,
 There are no days without good ness and mercy follow along close behind They a-e commissioned to attend the believer ani brighten his experiences Benumbcd with cold, Dewitched with mist the sheep lies down in his weary search to find shelter. The poor creature has lost his way The kind shepherd dis patches goodness and mercy to seek and find the wanderer and gently bring him to the 3afety Of the flock. What man has net experienced such condition? Goodness and mercy may find. but they cannot always compel a return, but they never leave their charge all the days. We never have seen angels like those that came to Sodom for their duty of bearing news of sudden destruction, but we have seen some that brought similar news. Mans determination has often wrought wreck of him. and even an gels could not prevent it. We have not seen messengers like those who covered the ark, perhaps, but we have known their message and felt it's joy as we have drawn nigh to Him who blessed the ark and gave 1t it's significance and use. Good ness and mercy have ever followed those who have tried to worship aright-goodness to supply every need, and mercy to secure pardon. David links them together when he says: The Lord is good. His mer- cy IS everlasting"
 Think of goodness! Think what God has laid up in the hills for the miner, If he will seek down deep he will find the gold that makes business active and the comfort of home possible, and it may be had for the digging. Yet how many who delve in the earth ever stop to thank the Giver of all good things for the abundance of His blessings? |? fp faka ban