THE GARLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3804, 8 February 1927, Page 68

THE GARLAND.

FOB THE QUIET HOUR. No. 702. By Dumcax Wright, Dunsdin*. (Fob thb Wrrnwt.) THINGS WORTH REMEMBERING. That true saints are the best citizens. That Satan is no match for a man in Christ who lives up to his sacred privileges. That tlie purest joys' of life are often its ripened sorrows. . That it is not religion that makes people gloomy; but the want of it. Smile on. That while God is behind everything, there is nothing behind Him, except the sins of. His people. That the Bible does not speak of three wise men, neither does it say they worshipped Christ in the manger, but in the house (Matt, ii, 11). That a worldly Christian is a double failure; he is no match for the devil and lio credit to the Church. That Christian experience, like a rainbow, includes the tears of earth and the sunshine of heaven. That true religion is a matter of conscience, never of convenience. That the way to do heavenly things is to do earthly things in a heavenly way. That it is waste of time to raise tombstones over lost opportunities. That a morally bad heart, like a bad liver, is likely to break out at the lips I That a 'Christian on his knees sees farther than a philosopher on tip toes. That spiritual deafness rapidly increases if Divine biddings are persistently disobeyed. “Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth.” THE PORTRAITS AND THE CRITICS. By Annie Johnson Flint. Beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.—Luke xxiv, 57. God’s Book is a portrait, lined and coloured In the utmost skill of the Painter’s art; The spirit of God is the master Artist t The Son of God takes the Sitter’s part, Psalm and prophecy, type and symbol, Blend and mingle in sweet accord As background, foreground, and middls ■distance For. the perfect form of the living word. And faithless men are the foolish critics, Who peer and squint with their blinded eyes; Find countless flaws in the frame and canvas, . ’ ■ And know so little, yet feel, so wise, They dare to mar and mutilate it. To slash the face with their knives of scorn; r ■- ■ Decry the Painter, belittle the Subject, And press bn His brow new wreaths of thorn. They cut off His head who deny His power, The miracle deeds of His love and might; They smite Hia lips who refuse His teachings; ■ They pluck out His eyes who obscure His light. But those who blot out the cross of Jesus Where a sinless Saviour was sacrificed, Who reckon the covenant blood unholy— These-pierce to the very heart of Christ. These :scourge Him afresh, and afresh they slay Him, ■ And seal Him, dead, in the tomb again. They mock at Him and despise His spirit, O foolish critics! O faithless men! . * * * ’• MR DAN CRAWFORD’S WORK. In a communication to The Christian a few weeks ago, Mr Robert Sharp (49 Cluny Gardens, Edinburgh) wrote concerning the late’ Mr Dan Crawford’s translation of the Bible into the LubaSanga language. It was_then announced that a sum between £l5OO. and £2OOO would be required to make this translation available for the African native, and it is now gratifying to record that already £1650 has come to hand for the purpose. We learned this interesting fact when Mr Sharp called upon us a few days ago, •after recovery from an illness which had laid him aside for a period, and he also informed us that it is hoped to have the Luba-Sanga edition printed and in the hands of African readers within the space of a year. * * * NEW YEAR POEMS. . “THE HIDDEN LIFE.” Time presses on, its veiled surprises bringing Down through the vista of receding, years, Laden with joys to set the heart a-singing And sorrows to dissolve in bitter tears. None can foretell what victories await them; Nona can foresee the foes that will oppress; One day some glorious triumph may - elate them, The next soma grievous failure may depfees. But those who know the blessedness of living The hidden life in Christ with God above, Will never cease from praises and thanksgiving, While Christ is Righteousness and God is Love. Purged by the Blood from sins that once defaced them, They count Time’s glories of but little worth; They’ve seen the promises and have embraced them, Confessing they are pilgrims on the earth; Seeking a City God' Himself hath founded; A Country wlicre the Lamb hath gone before; A Throne by countless ransomed hosts sur- ‘ rounded; - A Heaven where time and- tears shall be no more. —F. W. Pitt.

OLD AGE SHOULD BE RESTFUL. It is a favourite speculation of mine that if spared to 60, we then enter on the,, seventh decade of human life, and that this, if possible, should be turned to the Sabbath of our earthly "pilgrimage, and spent» Sabbatically, as if on the shores of ah eternal world, or in the outer courts, as it were, of the temple that is above—the tabernacle of heaven.—Chalmers. One’s age shauld be tranquil, as one’s childhood should be playful; hard work at.either extremity of human existence seems to me out of place; the morning and the evening should be alike c«'ol and peaceful; at mid-day the sun may Burn, and men may labour under it.—Dr T. Arnold. WHAT IS MUSIC? Have we, Christians, who enjoy singing hymns in our homes and gatherings for worship, ever attempted to penetrate the hidden secrets of music? Scientists tell us that a sound is simply vibration which sets in motion corresponding vibrations in the ether. The ether in its turn communicates those vibrations to the drum of the car, and so to the brain. A distinction is made between music and noise: the vibrations from music arc regular, those from noise being irregular. This, however, only touches the fringe of the question, for the music which evidently plays such a large part in the life of the Glory Land must go far deeper. Mr Stewart Macpherson, lecturing in July last to a gathering of music teachers in Manchester, took great paius to emphasise fact that some music is “spiritual”; by inference it follows that some is not spiritual. Those who have studied this question fed convinced that music can be spiritual—something higher than regular vibrations conveyed by the ether. From this point it is not a great step to imagine that music is a thing of life. It is not conceivable that anything lifeless can have part or lot in the Glory Land. We are told expressly that death cannot enter there. Music is admitted and used, and therefore is most likely to have life. We cannot imagine the form that glory music takes. It may be very different to our conception, but it will lie glorious. / * * * HOME AND HEAVEN. A child was sitting in a field of flowers, With nought of care to veil the sunlit hours: “Whose child art thou?” She lifted up her head, “I am mj' mother’s child,” the maiden said. “Where dost thou dwell?” The simple lips replied—"l live at home, upon the mountain-side.” No sweeter words, though round the earth ,we roam, Can be than those two words—Mother and Home. An aged-pilgrim, when the day grew late. Sat reading David at her garden gate: “Art thou a daughter of the heavenly King?” “I am my Father’s child, whose praise I sing.” - “Is this your dwelling-place, the home you love?” ' , “I have a better home in Heaven above!” No sweeter words have been-to mortals given Than those two golden words —Father and Heaven. —William Wileman. * * * GLORIFYING GOD. A BIBLE OUTLINE, Ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify-God.— 1 Cor. vi, 20. We can glorify God—-1-—By Consistency of Life: “Let your light so shine before men that they may sec your good works, and glorify your Father ... in heaven.” “They may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God.” -—2-—By Patience Under Discipline: “If any. man suffer, let him glorify God.” “In hope of the glory of God . . we glory in tribulation.” 3. —By Zealous Service: “Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear.much fruit.” “And when they heard it, they glorified God.” 4. —By Personal Testimony: “That every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” “They glorified God in Me.” 5. —By Purity of Motive: “Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” Example: “Father,, glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee.” 6- —By Generous Thought for Others: “They glorify God.. . . for your liberal distribution unto' them, and unto all men.” 7- —By Loving Unity: “That ye may with one mind, and one mouth, glorify God.” .. . - B.—By Unfaltering Trust: “Strong in faith, giving glory to God.” 9-— By Grateful Praise: '‘Whoso offereth praise glorifieth Me.” Examples of? Failure: Belshazzar. “God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” S. E. Burrow, in the London Christian. ” •X* * x x MASTER OF THE WORLD’S SALVATION. Master of the world’s salvation, We would rest our souls on Thee; Seek Thy help in each temptation, Aim to serve Thee faithfully; All Thy goodness we would claim, Witnessing to Thy great Name. Master of the world’s When we sing the heav’nly song, Saints from every tribe and nation Will be gathered -in that throng; Help us spread the news abroad— Jesus Christ is Friend and Lord! Master of the world’s salvation. Teach us, Lord, to work with Thee, Passing on Thy invitation: “Weary ones, come unto Me.” What a privilege to be Linked in such a work with Thee! ' ‘ ‘ —E. E. Trusted.