The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1927-12-02
SERMONETTE
DARK CLOUDS.
A MESSAGE for Broken Heart.
BY r. ASHLEY CAKE.

AS Lny udy SO shall my strength
be-"
1.-THE joy of the Lord is thy
strength"
Broken hearts, Was there ever
a time in the worlds history when
there were SO many? Why should
this be? In my Bible | find but
one solution for these days of ter
rible affection and painful exper-
fences. Thousands of Gods chill
dren are suffering the most trying
and bitter experiences imaginable.
1t is at such times while passing
through the dark tunnels that the
Adversary with satanic agencies
makes special efforts to assail our
faith by trying to blow out every
lamp of divine promise and make
the tunnel darker. -
Christmastide will soon be with
us. Why not begin early and take
a walk down some of the avenues
of life and find some of these homes
where the sorrow-stricken and sin.
stained children of God are?
A soul filled ministry that can
share their burdens and sorrows
and lift them up to Christ full of
infinite love will be a Christmas
gift that culture, convention nor
form can never give.
The only solution that | can find
as to why SO many have such pain
full experiences coming into their
lives is that we are now in a pre-
paratory school. God does not al
fiict willingly, but He does want to
prepare us all for the endless life
to come. Some of our experiences
are dear-bought and while our eyes
are still blinded with tears we Of
ten cry, How long, o Lord, how
long,"
In my own experience, rather
than wrestle with Gods angel for
explanation, l would wait for God
to explain His intricate purposes in
His own way and time.
mot today, then be content, poor
heart,
Gods plans like lilies pure and
white unfold;
We must not tear the close-shut
leaves apart,
Time will reveal the calyxes OF
gold"
| have just visited one of, the
green houses along the shore. |
was shown a cactus plant, rather
homely, unsightly with it's thorny
tips, but in time would be bearing
flowers of marvellous beauty.
1t was in a dear home on one of
the islands of the sea near Halter
as. With the broken-hearted father
and his broken-hearted companion,
and the aged grandmother, we gath.
cred around the angelic babe for
whom the angel of God was coming.
1t was while the hearts were bleed
ing and the pangs of separation
We're singing, after a lifting OF the
veil and a lingering look, one of the
little group was seen to glance
heavenward and in a joyous refrain
heard to cry, I'VE shall meet again
Dear reader
'"The Lord, our keeper, stands
Omnipotently near;
He holds thee by the hand,
And banishes thy fear"
Read the 18th Psalm. Six times
in this Psalm the inspired penman
assures us that however deep the
waters of affiction may be, the
Lord, our keeper, will preserve and
keep us to all eternity. This ser.
mon is but an effort to comfort you
in your SOrrowS.
Take comfort. The stream OF
salvation as we near the heavenly
shores grows deeper and wider,
there it will empty into the ocean
of eternal love. Let us keep the
windows of Il afflicted souls open
toward the rising sun. Keep con
science clean, hearts with our af-
fections pure, keep our tempers
sweet, and our wills submissive.
Let us not think strange of the
trials of our faith; in my study OF
biographies | find the highest types
of piety I those who have suffer
ed greatly: among whom are the
Luihers, the Summerfields, the
MacLeods, the Surgeons, the Guth.
ries, and among them were some OF
our fathers and mothers who after
years of suffering and sore trials
went through the valley in the tri.
lumphs of faith.
They were illustrious proofs
of the statements made in out text
las thy day so shall thy strength
be-" The joy of the Lord is your
strength"
Let pleasure sing her siren song,
IT'S not the song for me.
To weeping it will turn ere long,
For this is heavens decree.
But there's a song the ransomed
sing,
To Jesus their exalted King.
With joyful heart and tongue,
O. that's the song for me-"