THE GARLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3442, 2 March 1920, Page 61

THE GARLAND.

FOR THE QUIET HOUR. No.. 340. By Duncan Weight, Dunedin. FOR THE QUIET HOUR. In his day of active service, both as a pastor and as ?n evangelist, no man was more honoured and loved than the Rev. W. Hay M. H. Aitken. An an Anglican, his name is still fragrant in many parts of Great Britain. Not only so, but his numerous writings were popular and helpful in every way. Most of his incidents are from bis services pnd personal experiences in the cities and towns of England. The quotation to-day is from a handsome volume, entitled l Tine Romance of Christian Work and Experience." . . . "Observing that his general appearance was suggestive of the sea, 1 drew a bow at a venture, and asked him if he had ever seen a pilot come on board an ocean-going ship"? He smiled, and replied, "I should think I had, sir; why, I'm a pilot myself." "You don't say so! Well, then, .tell me, have. you ever brought a ship up the Mersey"? "Yes, sir, many a score.'' "Well, and what about a captain once you are on board? Do you expect him to keep fussing about you, and watching how you do your work, or do> you prefer that he should leave the ship entirely in your hands, and feel as if his anxieties were at an end"? "Oh, I don't want the captain to interfere with me, onoe I take the ship in hand. I know my business, and it's my look-out, not his, to get the "ship safe into port." "And whose fault would it be supposing the captain left her with you and she got on a bank"? "Well, of course, it would be mine; but I'd take, good care she shouldn't." Tien as soon as you come aboard, the ship is given over to you, and if the captain can trust you he will feel quite at ease Anyiiow, you don't expect him to worry any more about the ship, nor to keep his eye on you to see that you are doing right." "Exactly, sir; he's got to leave the thing altogether to me, and I don't want any interference." •"Well, now, my dear man, that is what we mean by faith. How would it do if you treated your Saviour just as you expect the captain to treat you? I'll answer for it that you would feel quite annoyed if the captain were to suggest, 'Pilot, I think you are taking her a little too much to the nor'ard,' or 'I fancy we're getting too much down south.' .You'd feel like saying, 'You leave that to me, sir; I know how to take a ship up the Mersey; and you've no> occasion to bother your head about it.' Why don't you treat Christ, I say, as you would expect *to be treated yourself. Put your soul into His hands and leave it there. Leave all.to Him, and stop worrying about yourself." "That's a wonderful illustration," said he as we parted; "I never saw things in that light before, but I see it all now."

Do you remember the words of the well known hymn:—

JESTIS, SAVIOUR PILOT ME, Jesus, Saviour pilot me Over life's tempestuous eea; Unknown waves before me roll, Hiding rock and treach'rous shoal; Chart and compaes come from Thee: Jesus, Saviour, pilot me! As a mother stills her child Thou can'st hush the ocean wild; Boist'rous waves obey Thy will When Thou say'et to them, "Be still!" Wondrous Sov'reign of the sea, Jesus, Saviour, pilot me! When at last I near the shore, And the fearful breakers roar 'Twixt me and the peaceful rest, Then, when leaning' on Thy breast, May I hear Thee say to me, "Fear not! I will pilot thee!" The author of this hymn was born in New York, and for many years was pastor of the Church of Sea and Land in that" city. Major Whittle, another well known evangelist, told the following incident in connection with this hymn : "I went with General 0. 0. Howard to hold meetings for the soldiers at Tampa, Florida, and one day when poing through the camp I found a young soldier dying of fever. I knelt b" his side and asked nim if he was a Christian. He replied frankly that he was not • but said that his father and mother were Christians, and he asked me to pray for him. I did 1 so, but no deep impression seemed to be made. I left with a sorrowing heart, but promised to return another day. Two days later I saw him again, and, praying with him, the Lord put into my mind to sing : 'Jesus, Saviour, pilot me.' "The dying soldier said, t>h, that sounds good; it puts me in mind of my beloved sister in Michigan, who used to sing this hymn to me before I entered the army.' He wanted me to repeat it over and over again for him, and finally he asked: 'Will Jesus be my Pilot into the haven of rest'? I told the young man Jesus would. Then he said, 'I will trust Him with all my heart.' Next day I called again to see him, but his comrade said:. 'He passed away during the night.' "

Do readers of the Witness believe in the ministry of kindness by little children? After long years of experience amongst young people I do so with all my heart. In the course of m.y reading the other day I came across what may fairly be called a striking illustration of a sentence in Holy Writ, and offer it for the benefit and encouragement of others. , . . . "And a- little child shall lead them."—lsaiah xL, 6. When our blessed Master had to rebuke His disciples, He called for a little child and l set him in the midst of them. On another memorable occasion the

Great Teacher said: . . . "Have y« never read, 'Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise.' " —(Matthew xxi, 16). The narrative following has been well authenticated, and concerns a German count. His own words are: "A poor child of eight years was chosen by the Good Shepherd of souls to be an evangelist W me, and to lead me from infidelity to; living faith. The event will be for me a' perpetual motive to adore my Redeemer.''The case was thus: "One day the count, walking over his grounds, heard the sweet voice of a child in a garden. H« approached and saw a little girl, who was singing, seated on the grass, her eyeg moistened with tears. This sight excited his curiosity; he entered the garden, and seeing that the little girl had a sweet ancj. intelligent air, he felt moved with pityi. the more so as her clothing showed thas she belonged to a very poor family. \ "Why do you weep? Are you sick, my child''? asked the count. "No," she replied, "but I weep because lam happy—so happy." / "How can you weep, if you are happy"! asked the count. "Because I love so much the Lord Jesus Christ." "Why do you love Him so much? Ha has been dead a long time; He cannot do you any good." , "No, He is not dead; He lives ia . heaven." "And even if this were true, what benefit is it to you? If He could help you He would give money to your mother, that > she might buy you better clothes." ''l do not wish for money; but the Loifel Jesus Christ will take me some day to Himself'in heaven." <. "It is your grandma, or some such person, who makes you believe this.'' "No, no, it is true, and it makes ma ■ glad." And again .her eyes filled with . tears. . . : These simple replies, this candour, this happiness in poverty, forcibly struck the count's mind. He gave the child some money, and went his way. ] "Two tilings occupied my thoughts -ori' my return home," wrote the count. "How did such sentiments find their way into this child's soul? Next I wondered howl : a child of eight years could be filled 1 witK s such sincere love? In vain I sought * philosophical solution, but found it not." At a later stage we read the count's own testimony: . . . "The preacher delivered a touching discourse on the text : Havo ye never read, 'Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou bast perfected praise'" f This service made upon me so strong an impression that I am sure 16 , will "last throughout I was bathed in t/ears. I was convinced, to my < great astonishment, that the name of Jesus —that name which'l oould not heap formerly without contempt—was becorna *to me ' infinitely dear and precious, and < -that I had obtained mercy." BETTER TO LIVE. So He died for His faith. That is fine. I More than most of us do. > . But say, can you add to that lino , / That He liyed for it, too? *; In His death He, bore witness at last . As a, martyr to truth. Did His life do the same in the past From the days of His youth? It is easy to die. Men_ have died For a wish or a whim — - From bravado, or passion, or pxide; Was it harder for Him? But to live—every day to live out All the truth that He dreamt. "While His friends met His conduct with . doubt, I . And.the world with contempt. « \ "Was it thus that He plodded ahead, * M Never turning aside? \ Then we'll talk of the _ life that He led, Never mind how He died. ( —The British Weekly. ' A