CHRISTIAN OPTIMISTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 7, 9 January 1937, Page 2 (Supplement)

CHRISTIAN OPTIMISTS.

41 TOWARDS THE STTORISING."

Wc are indebted to the "Christian oriel Pulpit' for the following passage the closing passage— of a sermon 011 Toward (ho Sunrising," preached in London on a recent Sunday by the Rev. Thomas Mackay, M.A., Moderator of the Presbyterian Cliurch of England.

People who are not of a hopeful temperament are sometimes impatient and irritated with those who carry about them an atmosphere of cheerfulness and hopefulness. They say that it is easy for such people to be optimistic, for they are built that way. That is quite a mistake, for there are times when it is not easy for anyone to he hopeful. There are times whpn only those who have an linconquerable faith in Cod can pretend to be hopeful. Just as a brave man is not a man who has no fear at all, but a man who, in spite of fear, presses on: so the optimist is not a man who cannot help being hopeful, but the man who journeys toward the sunrising when it is not easy, but when it is often extremely difficult; journeying on in the direction of the sunrising. ■with a smile on his face, even though there may be a pain in his heart. We have to keep happy even when the vision is dim: we must keep journeying <»n even when we are tempted to question whether the sun will rise again. We must set our coursc bravely towards the dawn, and keep loyal to that direction, even when things are dark.

You remember the picture of Evangelist in Btinyan's "Pilgrim's Progress." Christian was seeking for the entrance that would lead him on to ■Hie Eternal City, and he asked Evangelist the way. And Evangelist •aid to him, pointing towards a stretch of country: "Do you see yonder wicket gate?" But Christian could not see it. "T)n you see yonder shining light?" asked Evangelist, "i think I do," said Christian. "Keep that light in your eye," said Evangelist, "and so thou shalt see the gate as yon journey on."

Journeying towards the sunrising always suggests this: that the light will grow clearer as one travels towards it. Doubts and questioning* may lie thick about the path of the man who sets out on the quest of the better life; if he looks at himself he becomes discouraged; and when he looks around he becomes perplexed; but when he looks np there is always a gleam of light. Follow the gleam, and it will lead to the light. Those -whose faces are turned Zionwards, those who travel towards the sunrising will come to the full light at last, for "the path of the just is as a shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." For God's way is not our way. God does not reckon as we reckon. We say the morning, and then the night. God reckons the other way. With Him it i« the evening and th£' morning that make His day. First the darkness, and then the dawn. First the night, and then the morning, when "the day breaks, and when the shalows flee away."