THE GARLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3594, 30 January 1923, Page 57

THE GARLAND.

FOR THE QUIET HOUR.

Mo. 492.

By Duncan Wiught, DuneciiaIN THE SCHOOL OF SORROW. I sat in the school of sorrow, The Master was teaching there; But my eyes were dim with weeping, And my heart was full of care. Instead of looking upward, And seeing His face divine, So full of tenderest pity For weary hearts like mine. I only thought of the burden, The cross that before me lay; So liard and heavy to carry-, That it darkened the light of day. So I could not learn my lesson And say; "Thy will be done!" And the Master came not near me As the weary hours went on. At last, in my heavy sorrow. I looked from the cross above, And I saw the Master watching .With a glance of tender love. He turned to the cross before me, And 1 thought I heard Him say, “My child, thou must bear thy burdlen And learn thy task to-day. "I may not tell the reason, ’Tis enough for thee to know That I, the Master, am teaching. And give this cup of woe." So I stooped to that weary sorrow; One look at that face divine Had given roe power to trust Him, And say: "Thy will, not mine.” And thus I learn’t my lesson. Taught by the Master alone; only knows the tears I shed, For He has wept His own. But from them came a. brightness, Straight from the home above, IVhen the school life will be ended. And the cross will show the love. —The Pilgrim Journey Series. It is related of Palmaris, a, devotee of the twelfth century, that in token of repentance he set out from his home at Piacenza on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. He had not proceeded far, however, when his Lord appeared to him in a vision, saying; “I care not for thy pious -pilgrimage. There are widows and fatherless at Piacenza who need thee; go and visit them !” He was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, the legend says, but returning to his native town founded charitable institutions which have preserved his name in the odour of sanctity to this day. I). J. Burrell. Few people look forward without foreboding to the future. And we gain nothing by shutting our eyes to the state of the world. But we shall be kept in perfect peace ourselves, and may stablish others if we can lay hold on this greatest of all facts that, amid all the changes of the world, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever. If ‘‘to-day’’ lias peculiar difficulties let us join it with yesterday’s Cross and Pentecost and with the future glorious reign of Christ. “This same Jesus!”—F. W. Ainlev. HOW JAMES WAS WON TO CHRIST. James was a young mechanic of much intelligence, upright and well-behaved, a Sunday School teacher, and an officebearer in a church. He was what the world called a respectable young man ; but, alas! he knew nothing of the truth as it is in Jesus. His wife was a- true believer in the Lord Jesus, and she earnestly desired her husband’s salvation ; on one occasion she tried by every means in her power to induce him to accompany her to some mission meetings which were being held in their village, but her entreaties were of no avail. She asked the evangelists to come to the house when he would be at home, so that they might get an opportunity of speaking to him, but James was determined not to come in contact with them. But, though be could get away from man, he could not escape from God. There was no fleeing from His presence, and the fact often appalled him that he must have to do with Christ now as a Saviour, or by-and-by as a Judge. Still he tried to put off all such thoughts, and to occupy himself only with present things. James kept persistently from the village meetings and laughed at his wife when she begged him only jnst for once to accompany her; in fact, he began to get angry, and threatened not to allow her to go, and abused her and her religion, as he termed it. The last night of the meetings had come; the evangelists’ were to leave on the morrow. Scoffingly he said he would go and see what the magnet was that induced so many people to spend their time at such a place. So, taking up a hymn book which lay upon the table, he left home, but really with the intention of going to the. village on business. As he walked along the road with the hymn book in his hand, he opened it, and read one hymn after another until lie came to these most touching words—“O Christ, what burdens bowed Thv head’ Our load was laid on Th.ee; Thou stoodest in the sinner’s, stead, Didst bear all ill for ; me. A victim led, Thy blood: was shed; Now there’s no load for me.” He read and re-read the hymn from beginning to end, and the truth. dawned upon him that he was a guilty sinner. He tried to dismiss the thought from his mind, but no. As he trod that dusty road the solemn thought possessed his soul, the solemn words kept ringing in his ears, till he neither heard nor saw anything around him. He walked on, he

knew not whither, until he found himself at home! Lifting the latch, lie heard a voice, and paused at the threshold. It was the voice of his wife, pleading witn the Lord for him. He entered softly, and, kneeling beside her, cried aloud: "G-od be merciful to me !” The Lord never turns a deaf ear to that cry when it comes from the depths of a truly contrite heart, and as James knelt there, he heard the gracious words of love : "Thy sins are forgiven thee; go in peace, spoken even to him. He had believed his own utterly lost condition and lie accepted Christ as his Saviour, and the angels in heaven rejoiced over one more sinner brought to repentance. "LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED.” ‘Ta;t not your heart be troubled,” And be thou not afraid, Thy Saviour waits to succour, To lend His heav’nly aid. "Let not your heart be troubled,” Oh, let thy faith be clear, For amid all temptations The Lord is ever near. "Let not your heart Ire troubled,” In Him thou dost abide. His grace is all-sufficient Whatever may betide. ‘T-et not your heart be troubled,” Think not thy prayer in vain; While waiting on the Master Thou’lt lieav’nly wisdom gain. ‘Let not your heart be troubled,” Accept the Spirit's power: Thro’ Him, go forth to conquer, To triumph ev’ry hour. ‘‘Let not your heart be troubled,” The Word of God is clear; Sow seed beside all waters, Doubt not, "Be of good cheer." "Let not your heart be . troubled,” For ye are not your own, The fruit, for life eternal, In darkness may- be sown. "Let not your heart be troubled,” Did not the Master say: "All power to Me is given, I am with you alwav." —E. G.

CALLANTRY REWARDED.

ABLE SEAMAN KEHOE. AUCKLAND, January 26. The gallantry displayed by Able Seaman K.ehoe in connection with the rescue of the Wiltshire’s crew was publicly recognised today, when Kehoe was presented with a solid silver tankard which w-as presented by Lie chairman and directors of the New Zealand Shipping Company. In making the presentation, Mr Mackenzie (chairman of the Harbour Board) said that in risking his life for others Kehoe had upheld the finest traditions of British seamen. Mr Carter (the Union Company’s maniicer). speaking oil behalf of the directors, said that Kehoe;s attitude was that of a true hero. He was a man of action, not of words. A letter of thanks and a, preciation accompanied the tankard.