THE JOY OF LIFE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 117, 20 May 1933, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE JOY OF LIFE.

(By S.)

When Bonaparte abdicated the French throne, and was exiled to the island of Elba, he took, by way of motto, two Latin words, "Übicunque felix," that is, "happy everywhere." He did not, however, live up altogether to his motto during tho eleven months he resided in Elba, and I refer to it because it is an admirable motto for us to carry with us, and because it is in keeping with tho Lord's remark about a joy that no man can, take from us. And He had that joy. There is a time-honoured saying that He was never known to laugh, but for that "a dim and untrustworthy tradition" is wholly responsible. He knew what it was to be sorrowful, exceeding sorrowful, but that was not His habitual mood. He was happy in His Love of nature, in the love of His friends, in the good He was constantly doing, in the thought of the redemption He was to accomplish, and in His relations with God. Joyousness illumined His mind. No man was ever happier. And that' was one of the things about Him tho Pharisees could not understand. They expected a grave Mpssiali, and He playfully told thein He was a bridegroom. There was in Him not only a physical fullness, there was, even more, a spiritual fullness. The disciples also had this joy. They had, in many ways, a hard time; they were poor, they were persecuted, they were despised, some of them were martyred. But, for all that, they were a happy band of men. Paul and Silas sang hymns in prison, Stephen died with his face radiant like that of an angel, and the joy of the martyrs was a perpetual wonder to the heathen. And it has been the same all down the centuries with saintly men and women in every walk of life. They have not only borne themselves bravely in pain, and disappointment, and defeat, but have given evidence of a well in their heart that never ran dry. I came across some common sense rules the other day that I had jotted down in one of my notebooks, tho observance of which will help us to be joyous. Here they are: Keep in tho sunlight; nothing beautiful or

sweet grows or ripens in the darkness; avoid fear in all its varied forme of expression; avoid excesses of all kinds; never look on the dark side; take sunny views of everything; don't allow yourself to think on your birthday that you arc a year older, and so much nearer the end; cultivate the spirit of contentment; and, form a habit of throwing off, before going to bed, all the cares and anxieties o r the day. It is all excellent advice, especially if, in addition to acting on it, we do these three things too.

| Firstly, if, like Paul, we exercise ourselves to have —to have always—a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men; secondly, if we cultivate a thoughtfulness and kindness of heart that will prompt us to encourage and help others and bring out the best that is in them; and, thirdly, if we cultivate a sense of God, the God Jesus reveals, the God who forgives the penitent, and is the lover of little children, who is as kind and merciful as He is strong and wise, and if we practise His presence—that is, along with the observance of these rules —then we will have in our heart the secret of joy through life, i