SUNDAY READING.

Thames Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 10245, 10 December 1910, Page 1 (Supplement)

SUNDAY READING.

[»T 'ALPHA: ]

lAlbpva I see the silent^ orbs, „'lfe.aeath \he.,sileri't'flood. Where stars th'eif lesser faces see TliiiitTlook back unto God.

The'irorld is""hurig'by silver chords ' ' "In plaop where angels trod, Kach 'dewdro'p crystal, blade aiid .^.llowier . - - ■•' , 'Reii'iect the liviing God.

The vafc^fu'l soul of cultured man .•Is lightest of,the whole; Yet ail reflect'the living God," God.- Universal Soul. -I" ' * *, * , The /Thames.Ministers'/ Association held/tnei>firj&t,:of,. : a,,series of open-air meetifgs .at Mary-»treet Corner last Sundajir tevening,• when some.of tho Alexander -hymns were sung, and a number of pointed and helpful addresses". - delivered. Last summer the, open-mr meetings were well- atter.ipublic;' and it is hoped the- same, If' not' a: grdoiter' measure of, success will v attend this 'season's meetings. « • • '*-'•- Censure and criticism nevier hurt anybody. If false they cannot harm you unless you are wanting! in chsracter, vnd if true they show a man his weik points, and forwairn hhw against failure and trouble. * * * * If any man wound thee do wit' onlyiforgive him but let the thougnt of the tpain it caused thee keep ,thee from iiflioting like pain on another spirit. '

* * • ,* The .»im of life should be .to keep ■a sense of His forgiveness and. love in our minds then there wouki be <\ sense o'! shame at our own ■ barrenness of these -beautiful trait*. * * * • " The tfev. Trestrail left' Thames last''MbMay in order to be present at the .Methodist Synod in .progvp&s I at Auckland. - I *#* * p I

, Mr G B. Hint on, Mefhodist stud ent, haY, been .appointed to Faeoa until' (the sitting of (the M]ethodi-.t Conferei'ce, to fill the viacanoy caused by- the resignation of the Rev. R r.iderson, Vf. Ai. *. * * * ' If you would bo ashamed to let those-you' love dearest know you aid a certaii thing do not do it.

How many an angel lies enthr'ill'd within iough' human souls, need-'J? only an angel to set' him free.

' The first step in the art is faith in goodness;' the second, - love of goodness ; the third, employment of the heavenly weapons —kindness, influence and prayer. —'Little Knox.

It' is 5,n immense 'blessing to be perfectly callous to ridicule; or, which comes to the same thing, to bo conscious thoroughly that what w have in us of noble and dlelicate is not' ridiculous to any but fools, and thai, "if fools will laugh, men will do well to let them.—D*. Arnold. * * • "

When' the worW blames 'and slanders us, our 'business is not to oe

' -if 1 vexed-at, it,'''but nailier to consider 1 wbe'ther there is any -foundation for ' it, uny truth at . bottom, though there, be.,exaggeration and mistake. I conceive,a person may .always gain good to jh'is ojvn souli gain instructiott -and" r useful ■ suggestion;- by- the' iniß,'takes';of the- world aibbut him.--J- H. Newman. '.'■'. ■*> ' * ■ *'■ •

j -'.It, is pne. vof tlie-inspiring.eloments or - 'Christianity that" it throws a boundless hope nipon, the future, and forbids us to dwell in the' poisonous shadows' of "the' past. ' A new and better growth is before us;- a, fresher, 'a,;,_deviner, ( a ,-nuore enthusiaitici life? awaits us; .We are to -wake up satisfied-;in the.(likeness of Christy the eyei'young Humanity. Therefore forgetting • those ' things which' are behind leti us press forward to 1 the ranfcfof, tlie 1 prtae'of our high calli".g in Christ Jesus.^Stdpford • Brooke. ... • ■ • ■■■»•-• ( ' It is a bad 'practice to rush into a work' to do it that' it may be the sooner 1 over' 1.; It were better far to pieserVe'.'a tranicmility 'of mind throughout 'and ' see in every " duty a, l 1 opportunity; given iby^God iVr you to do a service for Hiim • • « Never'say: "It is nobody's busines." but my own' wha* 1 do wjith my life." It is not true. Your life is pu', in your hands; as a trust for" many .others (beside- yqurself. If you use it .well,- it, will make many others happy; if you abuse it, it will'harm rtfany^others beside yourself.—Jame3 \V. Pullman.'

•, • • The most' decisive proof ■of an heroic heart is when a man who has hit enemy in his power,- and can revenge himself as he pleases, instead of gratifying a passion -which commoi.' men give a loose rein to ou such an occasion, overlook his nata-cd land returns good for" evil. *»• * -

We need' not goto Nazareth, to Capernaum, or to 'Bethany;-in order to - walk. in,,the steps, of Jesus. We si] all find His' footsteps' beside tbe sick " bed; in - the -hovels of poverty* in the crowded alleys' of the' greit city, and''in everyplace where th^re are human, hearts in need of consolation. Txi doing; as Jesus did when oh earth, we shall walk in His steps —Selected:

Take things as they are, and proceed to make them better.

* * * * !■ Sympathy is the silken bond of all society.

Knowledge advances by- steps, not by leaps and bounds.

Those who succeed iv their vocations, but fail as men, are a curse to any community.

As soon as a man 'begins to love his work, then will he also begin to make progress. * * *

Many who think they are. repenting ' mv. thinking more of sin's punishment than of its power.