THAT DREADFUL TUNNEL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 137, 11 June 1932, Page 2 (Supplement)

THAT DREADFUL TUNNEL.

Here is a reminiscence of my early ministry which is, to my mind, a true parable of God's providence (writes Professor David Smith, in the "British Weekly"). In a village of East Fireshire there dwell an old lady who had once been involved in a railway accident while passing through the long tunnel which leads into the Wavcrley Station of Edinburgh. The terror of it haunted her ever afterwards, and she vowed that she would never travel that way again. But she- was stricken with a malady necessitating a visit to an Edinburgh hospital. She would not hear of it, but the entreaty of her friends prevailed, and ehc •was reluctantly conveyed on board the train. All the way she kept moaning, "Oh, that dreadful tunnel!" until, after the lifting of her ticket at Lower Dimferrnliue. she fretted herself asleep. She slept, peacefully as the train sped over the Forth Bridge, past Corstorphine and Hayrnarket, and she never woke till it was slowing down for Waverley; and thun she opened her eyes and beheld oil tho left beautiful Princes Street glittering in the sunshine and on the right the brave old Castle. The dreaded tunnel tvas behind her; she had passed through it while she slept.

It is always thus. TVe fret about the future, foreboding all manner of ills; and generally the event belies our fears, proving them vain imaginations. •Troubles that never come make most prey hair. And backs are bent by loads they never bear.

And even -when they come they are quite other than wo anticipated. It is seldom Iho troubles which wo forecast that God mentis: and whatever these may be, if we be His believing people, they "will not be terrible to us when they come. For Ho will carry us through, them, ministering to us, as the need arises, His all-sufficient grace. "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." . A prayer: "Heavenly Father, we pray ! Thee to remove suspicion, strife and misunderstanding between all races and classes of mon. Bless every effort that is made to help <hem to be one in Christ Jesus and tc> realise that they are memteres one of another; and bless the young of our land and of all lands. May they grow up loyal citizens, with a desire to serve their country and to honour Thee. Jesus Christ our Loni. Amen."