THE GARLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3514, 19 July 1921, Page 50

THE GARLAND.

FOR THE QUIET HOUR. No. 412. By Duncan Wright, Dunedin. “ HE KNOWETH.” He Knoweth the Way That I Take. “He knoweth” —How we love those words, “He knoweth,” For joy and strength their utterance convey; Their very echo bids us each press forward With firmer steps, upon our upward way. Ho knoweth all the pathway we must travel, Its “ins and outs” along the mountain’s brow; What hopes may speed us, and what things retard us, What clouds may gather; yes, He knoweth now. He knoweth where our weary steps might falter, AncL where our timid hearts might be dismayed, Where careless walking might bring pain, and peril, “lie knoweth; ” then, we will not he afraid. Afraid! How could we be with such a F ather, So strong, so loving, and so good to all, Who heareth the most feeble cry for succour, Who raiseth very gently those who fall. And not the future only knows our Father, But all the present, and the past, as well, Those places where we lost the conscious -presence Of him who came within our hearts to dwell. He knoweth all, and yet He still doth love us, And still is willing now to be our Guide; Oh may wo by His grace" each walk more humbly, And keep as ever more closely to His side! —Charlotte Murray. Trust God without terms. Lift us out of private-mindedness. As you hear so you think; as you look so you feel. Hopefulness 0 a duty, not a mere temperament. The writ of private conscience should run in public life. Help us to speak large-heartedly of our opponents. The soul of all reformation is the reformation of the soul. The reward of doing one duty is the power to see another. May we koep heights that the soul is competent to gain ! Faith steps on the seeming void and finds the rock beneath. The man who affects usehv.s singularities has a little mind. They never taste who always drink, They always talk who never think. Applause is the spur of noble minds, the end and aim of weak ones. Those who graduate in the university of darkness take a low degree. We must be safe at the centre before we can be free at the circumference. DR HORTON AND LIVING FAITH. Dr Horton writes :—• Oh, I wish you would respond to iny appeals! If only you would say to mo: “Yes, I will definitely attempt this year to live by faith!” And yet I will not complain. I aim asking you t live by faith—must I not do so myself? Yes, I have to live entirely by faith ; this is my only weapon. Int-o the silent void I speak. No voice replies. I plead with people to

come to Christ. They turn away and say nothing. It is all apparently silence and unresponsiveness. For days and weeks I must go on; thcie is no sign, no encouragement. Nothing but the steady stream of beggar’s and begging letters, charity appeals, requests for testimonials, when my soul is thirsting for some one to turn to God and confess Christ’s name. Always the round of preaching, and visiting, and organising; never the spiritual harvest for which I pray. Yes, I walk by faith, not by sight. I am persuaded that God is doing His work, saving souls, building up the life of His people, using the Church. By faith I cast my bread upon the waters; it will return in harvest by and by. Frequently I reap a shock of corn from the bygone years. The harvest of to-day’s sowing may be years hence—perhaps when I am gone. Some day, I say in my heart of hearts, they will know how’ I have striven and prayed for them. In heaven they will tell me. FACE TO FACE. No, I have never seen Him face to face; But I have spoken in His listening ear, Have tasted freely of His saving grace, Have proved His promises and felt Him near. I have not seen Him face to face; what need ? When day by day His tender love and care Wrap me around; when I can with Him plead My heart’s desires, and know He answers prayer. Not face to face; not yet! but hand 1 in hand! As He has willed it, I would have it so. But some sweet day, I shall in His own land Behold Him, and His glorious beauty see! —Pauline Frances Camp. A WORD OF APPROVAL. Give me a word of approval. I’ve tried to be good and true. I am weary and sick of heart at the way my critics do. I've given my life for others, have always opposed the wrong; I’ve tried to lift up the fallen, I have cheercct ihe jostling throng. Give mo a word of approval, ere the setting of the sun, I have a sort of misgiving that my race is nearly run; Have felt the spirit of kindness and the thrill of my glowing truth, And love the good old honest way as I loved it in my youth. Give me a word of approval as my mother used to give When I was a bit of a boy just learning the way to live. My soul responds as readily to sweet words in kindness said As in early childhood days to the prayer beside my bed. Give rne a word of approval, for my eves aro growing dim, For the way is much rougher now, and I'm not so fleet of limb As in the hopeful boyhood days when I cleared the vaulting pole, For I -am in the ainal race with my eye upon the goal. Give me a word of approval; it may to the last to me, For the winter days are coming, the frest is stripping the tree, And the chilly winds are blowing; the corn is ripe in the ear; I await the no-use cf quiet and the crossing must be near. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity." —Psalm 153: 1. In this singularly fine song, in briefest sentences, and by the use of two figures, the glory of the true social order is set forth. In that order brethren will dwell together in unity. Having drawn attention to the goodness and pleasantness of that- order, the singer describes it by two similitudes. Observe the use of the word "like” twice over: “It is like” (versa 2); “Like.” (verse 3). The first figure takes us at once to the House of ‘God, the Temple, as it refers to the anointing of Aaron, the priest. The second figure takes us to the City of Clod, Zion, as it refers to the dew which falls from Hermon upon the holy mountains, bringing life. In these figures, thus applied, the qualities which characterise, and, indeed, create, the good and pleasant social order are revealed. That anointing oil, poured upon Aaron, was tlie oil of consecration, and symbolised his separation from all evil; it was the oil of holiness. The dew was ever the agent of renewal, of refreshment, cf fertilising force: that out of which life was maintained in strength. These are the secrets cf the tine social order—holiness and fulness of life. The forces "’-.M, destroy, prevent, or postpone are those >f sin and lack o'f life. Hero in each case is a sequel. Lack of life is due to sin. Life for evermore is due to holiness. Right relation ’-ip with the House of God issues in full realisation of the benefits of the City of God. The Rev. H. F. Lyte has put into more modern stanzas some of the thoughts that glow in the earliest “Pilgrim Songs” in his rapturous hymn : My God, my King, Thy praise I’ll sing, * My heart is all Thine own: My 1 1 i ghest po\vc-rs, My choicest hours, I yield to Thee alone. “My voice, awake, Thy part to take; My soul, the concert join; Till all around Shall ca*ch the sound. And mix tlieir hymns with mine. “ But man is weak Tliv nraise to speak; Your God, ye angels, sing; ’Tis yours t-o see, More near than wo, Tin glories of our King. His truth and grace Kill turn- and space, As largo His honours he; Till all that live Their homage give, And praise my Cod with me.”