Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-03-19

the presence of God. We cannot
think of the Christian today as a
man of less than giant heart. Faith
cannot today be depicted as merely
"clinging to the cross" But as
brave sailor in the midst OF the
storm, with dangers all about him,
yet standing unflinchingly at his
post Of duty. Love must not be
expressed in quiet and und!sturbed
repose. But like the soldier, bat
Ting and suffering for righteous
cause. We must think of the
Christian as one who for the love
Of truth and Of Christ, shrinks not
from Gethsemane or Calvary.
Self-sacrifice and self-abnegat.on
are the virtues that must shine
most clearly in the Christian char
acter today; while the songs which
fall from his lips are: "a charge
to keep ! have" "The Son of God
goes forth to war" Awake my
soul, stretch every nerve" and
press with vigor on"
Have you never stood on the top
of some mountain ridge when over
it was sweeping a heavy thunder
storm? With deep delight you
were able to see the power and the
glory of God. With what rush
came that storm. In a few mo-
ments, from delightful but warm
summer afternoon, you found
yourself in a storm so heavy thai
all was dark. How the wind
howled and the very elements
seemed in a death-struggle. You
watched those clouds as they bat
tied with the wind while they mad
ly ru he'd on. The lightning was
incessant and the thunder rolled
and echoed and re-echoed among
the nearby peaks. But as you
watched, you were overwhelmed
with the thought that every
wrestling cloud and every rushing
wind and every falling drop was
held in its place and all were ball
anced by the Divine hand. The
storm seemed bent on deluging the
earth. But tier a little that st orm
passed and the sun once more
shone. And the earth was better
for the struggle. How green and
Slllll4ilB anu tSIlth anu Happy
was nature! The storm was over.
The revived blades Of grass seemed
to sing their hymns OF praise. Your
heart rejoiced, too, for you had
seen and felt God as never before.
SO there come storms into our
lives. But when they are over,
who would have it different? It
is the storm which makes the sail
or, the battle, the soldier. The
clouds which so often seem to
bode destruction, burst with bless
ing.
Had we only sunshine all the year
around,
Without the blessings of refresh
ing rain,
Would we scatter seed upon the
fallow ground,
And hope to gather flowers, fruit
and grain?
Had we not sorrow or a cross to
bear.
For Him who bore the burden of
our sin.
Would we know the sweetness o.
His love and care,
Or even strive eternal Joys to
win?
"Can we prize the sunshine and
deplore the rain,
Repining when the days are dark
and drear?
Can we hope for pleasures, yet
deny the pain.
Or share the joys Of life with
out the tear?
Would you take the storm out
Of your mothers life? How beau
tiful she became with the clouds
of the yearsi Not the soft beauty
of q hot-house plant, but with the
splendor Of patience and fortltude.
Every silvery hair on her head
was worth more than kings
crowns. Yes, We all love our
mothers because we have seen her
wearied with toll, ACCOMPANYING
in her trials, true in her love ana
unfaltering in her faith. Thank
God for the clouds of a mothers
life.
Would you take the clouds out of
our FSdNlOTS lie lake not the
temptations and trials from the
ministry of our Master. Misunder-
stood, unappreciated, opposed. See
him in the terrible travail OF
Gethsemane, yet, what matchless
grandeur. The scarlet robe and
the crown OF thorns--worn for
| each of us. And Calvary! With
its anguish and shame and blood-
shed; and its ut is finished
| out OF that cross shines the I'M
fashionable love of God. And from
His tomb bursts the revelation of
immortality. TAKE not out of that
perfectly balanced life one cloud
or one storm, else its perfection
| would be incomplete.
Since the clouds are needed in
the spiritual as well as the physi-
cal world, may God give us faith
and patience, fortitude and hero
ism. when the storms darken;
knowing that the balancings of the
clouds is wondrous work of Him
who is perfect in knowledge.
The new chancellor of Syracuse