VICTORY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2293, 10 February 1898, Page 44

VICTORY.

Do not for a moment suppose that I mean to discuss great battles — to bring to remembrance noble leaders of. mighty annies — heroes whose daring deeds of valour have reachoad through all history. You would scarcely consider the subject a becoming one for our page ; aad then, too, I might hopelessly mis up victors aadTanqaished, victory and defeat, heroas and heroines ; might give impossible dates, as all historical events blend themselves in utter confusion in my mind. I shall therefore only speak of a few of the victories which are being gained all around us every day — sometimes by the strong young hearts, bright aad brave, well equipped for the fight, equipped with large resources of bop« upon which to draw — hops which has n«ver lengthened out into the hope deferred which raakeththeheart*ick — with that buoyancyof epirit; which especially blesses the young and strong and points ever to the silver lining of the cloud. God's blessing rest upon them, and as the year* go by may faith be added to bope, for often their battles prove many and sharp, foes assailing on every side. Pride, fierce end turbulent, makes" life hard for those going out into the world unaided by wealth or influence: always up in arms, always seemg 1 insult even in friendly deeds, hearing it ia friendly words, makiag it hard to take this or that emplQjm*mt, showing disgrace where none exists". Oh ! tortured hearts, learn that honest work knows no disgrace. You may disgrace it, bat it can never disgrace you. Some of our noblest men have in their earliest years fought with pride — aye, and gained the victory — until they recognised shame only in the ill-performance of work not in work.

Indolence, too, is often a subtle foe, creeping in and around the life, stealing away msny a precious moment, never to be replaced ; undermining all energy and sapping tbe strength from every good resolution. Well for those who early begin the victory over this fee.

Who is not at times beset by envy and malice ? Even hatred thrusts its dark form into the heart. Distrust, suspiaion force themselves into the most sacred chambers of the heart and bring tbere the " blackness of darkness." Give them no quarter till they are the vanquished and you the victor. Weapons both sharp and strong wili be needed in the warfare, but they are within the reach of all, safely preserved in a " good old Book."

Sometimes these victories are gained by those in middle life — those persons to whom the fire of youth has passed away, but to whom the restfnlness of age has not come — hasbands and fathers who have found life almost one ceaseless toil, a hard struggle for

tbe necessaries of life; mothers grotping tired with the never-ending jars and worries and freta wbich encompass thero, eating fcfco their hearts and emptyitg them of the merriment which onca danced there. So many of these men and women have known what ife was to have their hopos blighted ere they reached fulfilment, to have success removed to tha dim distance jest as their bands were stretched to grasp it, and yet I say victory ia thsirs if even in the pain of their braised and disappointed hearts they can cry oofe — Oh, out of all blighted hopes, all shattered plans. All love that died, all friendship^ broken strands — Out of all pain and sorrow weld a chain Binding us, Saviour, closer to Thy side. For ere they can thus pray they have learned eubmteaion to the will of God, even when that will ia opposed to ali that, in their eyea, seems most to be desired on earth. And what haxder lesson could be learned ? God give them compensation for every losa, restoring to them mor« by far than ever He took away. Veiy often onr most crashing failures prove, after all, great victories, inasmuch as through the-m we learn what in as is the impediment to &ncces« ; or we learn in the hoar of onr bitter failure to be patient, persevering, hnmble. We learn in that hour when oar own weskaess ia proved to lean on a streagth mightier than, ours, to trust in wisdom d&eper than oure, and in a sight clearer than ours. When all these lessens are wall-learned, £Uiely we have gained a victory indeed. The aged, toe, gain their victones — victories which teach the blessedcess of patieat waiting, wbich fit them more and more to lead the young and nnSried along tha upward patb, to impari courage when the heart grows faint. If wo would gain eesy victory overoaveiy evil tkiog that creeps into the heart, Jel; us shufc the doors of oar hearts with an emphatic bang era yet those evil ttdogs hava learned, like gome familiar friend, to lift tbe latch and enter uobiddea. Violbit.