Restful Thoughts for a Quiet Hour

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12507, 24 July 1926, Page 12

Restful Thoughts for a Quiet Hour

CHOICE SAYINGS We shall be mad© truly wise if we bo made content; content, too, not only with wliat we can understand, but content witii what we do not understand. —The habit of mind which theologians call—and rightly—faith in God. —Kingslev. • * • * The good work of the world is done either in pure and unvexed instinct of duty; or else, and better, it is cheerful and helpful doing of what the hand finds to do, in surety that at the even-ing-time whatsoever is right the Master will give. —Ruskin. • • • * Better it is, toward the right conduct of life, to consider what will he the_ end of a thing than what is the beginning of it; for what promises fair at first may prove ill, and what seems at first a disadvantage may prove very advantageous. —A. Wells • » • • We are sent here, in one sense, to hear and to suffer; hut, in another to do and to enjoy. The active day has its evening of repose ; even patient suffering, has its alleviations, when there is a consolatory sense of duty discharged. —Scott. • • • • Things cannot always go your way. Learn to accent in silence the minor aggravations, cultivate the gift of taciturnity, and consume your own smoke with an extra draught of hard work, so that those ahout you may not be annoyed with the dust and soot of your complaints. —W. Ostler. A PRAYER Blessed Saviour, we thank Thee for being so humble in the days of Thy flesh. Thou didst sit at the tables of the rich, though they mistook Thee under Thy homely garb. Thou didst suffer the worst and vilest to kiss Thy feet. Wo thank Thee for saving even the notorious sinners, and that they who have most forgiven learn also to love most.

_ O save us from all inward hypocrisies. Forbid that .we should think highly, of 1 ourselves and disparage other people. May we think’' soberly, and see clearly that we deserve nothing, though - we have received much. May we accept of pardon, and be led to love Thee in preparation to it. If we have been forgiven much, we ought also to love much. Every day reveals' how much we have been forgiven, and how mudh more we ought to love. We would pour out on Thee our spikenard, the best we are and the best we have. We have too long withheld from Thee Thy due. Help us To be more grateful, and so more just. For Thy name’s sake. Amen. EVENING MEDITATION When the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.—2 Kings, xiii. 21. The bones or Elisha had no more power in themselves to give life than any other dead man’s bones. Yet we may get here the lesson of holy influence. No man ever wholly dies. We have nothing to do with superstitious nonsense about relics—saints’ bones and bits of good men’s clothing, or of their coffins; but it is true that a really good mail has influence after he dies. He leaves behind him something which cannot die. His very name has power. If he writes good books, these live after him, and give life to the souls that their words touch. We ought ever to seek to live so as not only to be missed and mourned when wo die, but to live on after death in our works, our name, our influence. Wayside roses droop and fade, Bloom and die their own sweet way; We know not where tjieir fragrance goes— Floating, floating, day by day. Pass the footsore travellers, Breathing in the dusty air: They catch the odour of the flowers. And bless the grateful perfume there. Such our lives. Sweet words of kindness Fall—we know not where or when; Like the fragrance of the roses, Reaching far beyond our ken. —Miller. FAVOURITE PASSAGES Let not your heart be troubled; ve believe in God, believe also in Me. I In My father’s house are many j mansions: if it were not so, I would have tell you. Igo to prepare ' a place for you. j And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where V am, there ye may be also.

' And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto Him, Lord, we know not whither , Thou geest; and Tiow can we know tho \ Jesus saith unto him, I am the ) way, the truth, and the life: no ! man cometh unto the Father hut by j Me. —John. i j A HYMN ! Down nt the cross where my Savionr j died, • Down where for cleansing for sin I cried ; i There to my heart was the blood I applied. | Glory to His name! II am wondrously saved from sin, | Jesus does always abide within; There at the cross whore He took me in. Glory to jrus name! iQh, precious fountain, that saves from sin! j I am so glad X have entered in: | There Jesus saves me and keeps me j clean, I Glory to His name! j Come to this fountain, so rich and sweet, Cast thy poor soul at the Saviour’s feet. Plunge in to-day, and be made complete. Glory to His name! PRAYERS ANSWERED (A one-minute sermon by Her. W. IST. Taylor, D.D., pastor of the Broadway Tabernacle, New York City.) ‘'Ye know not what ve ask.” Mark 10. 38. - These words were addressed to James and John when they came to Jesus with tins request; ‘“Grant unto us that we may sit, one on 'Thy right hand, and the other on Thy left hand, in Thy glory.” But though they have in them a tone of reproof we must beware of heaping indiscriminate blame upon the heads of Salome’s sons oecau&e they presented sucii a petition. Let it be admitted that their prayer was rooted in ambition, still we must not forget that their ambition,was to be nearest to Christ; nor cam we fail to observe that there are some . tilings in their conduct which are worthy of our praise, and may be imitiated by us with much advantage. In the first place they did ask. Now that was a great thing. How many are there from whose lips no prayer ever ascends into the ear of God! They may have wishes, but they do not recognise that God has anything to do with their attainment of the objects of their desires, and they never come to Him with a request. They will consult earthly ! friends and interest worldly acquaint- | ances in their plans and pursuits, but they have no thought of Jesus. It would seem to them “cant” or “superIstition” or “hypocrisy” to ask God for i anything, and so they go through the world prayerless. Ah, how many homes there are in which there is no family altar, and how many hearts there art too proud to ask a favour from the King of Kings! In the second place, these brothers had a definite purpose in coming to Him. when he said to them: “What would y© that I should do for you?'* They were not taken aback, but they _ eet before Him a distinct request. Herein, again, they were greatly in advance of multitude* who perhaps would presume to be their censors; for is it not too true that our prayers are frequently most and indefinite? If anyone were to ask us at the end of our devotions what we have been requesting, I verily believe that many of us would be at a loss to give a reply. Wo get into the habit of employing certain phrases so regularly that they lose all meaning to us, ana we go so thoughtlessly to our knee* ; that we never pause, even for a moment, to put to ourselves such questions as these: What do I need? What shall I ask? How shall I make request? If we were going to present a petition to a follow-man we would spend a little time in thinking out our supplication ; but we rush hastily into the presence of God, without previous preparation, and with no definite aim. I think we might learn much in this matter from the prayers recorded in the Bible. Take that of Abraham’s servant when he went for a wife for Isaac, or that of Jacob when ho was afraid of meeting Esau, or that of Elijah upon Mount Carmel, or that j of Uezekiah when he received the r blasphemous letter from Rabshakeh, and we shall be struck with the simple, honest. businesslike straightforwardness of the requests they make. These men had a purpose in view and they went right at it. Ever therefore as we go to our knees let us hear Jesus saving unto us: “What wilt thou that I shall do for thee ” and the answer to that question will be real prayer. As it is, we ask a great many things we don’t want, and omit a great many which we really do require.