fIGRAINS OF GOLD

New Zealand Tablet, 16 September 1909, Page 1443

GRAINS OF GOLD

LOVING WORDS. Loving words will cost but little, Journeying up the hill of life; But they make the weak and weary Stronger, braver, for the strife. Do you count them only trifles,

What to earth are sun and rain? Never was a kind word wasted, Never one was said in vain.

When the cares of life are many, And its burdens heavy grow, Think of weak ones close beside you — If you love them tell them so. What you count of little value

Has an almost magic power, And beneath its cheering sunshine Hearts will blossom like a flower.

So, as up life's hill we journey,

Let us scatter all the way Kindly words, for they are sunshine In the dark and cloudy day. Grudge no loving word or action As along through life you go. There are weary ones around you — If you love them, tell them so.

If we understand God and He understands us, it is not so very hard to go through life suspected, misunderstood, and unpopular.

A cross is never only a chastisement, but always a reward as well, and the plentifulness of God's love io each created soul is measured by the abundance of its crosses.

There is true consolation, deeply hidden indeed, yet near at hand, in putting away human consolation. It is in the darkness of nature that we realise the vicinity of Jesus. It is in the absence of creatures that we are held in the sensible embrace of the Creator.

It costs more to be cowardly than to be brave. Tf we are sad in serving God, it is because we hesitate — we stand shivering, counting the cost over and over agai.o, and giving perhaps by halves at last. But with good courage we give all^ and it is done, and .then our hearts are happy.

When it is our lot to suffer pain, trials, or ill-treat-ment, let us turn our eyes upon what our dear Lord suffered, which will instantly render our own sufferings sweet and supportable. However sharp our griefs may be, they will seem flowers in comparison with His thorns. — St. Francis de Sales.

Learn to be as an angel, who could descend among the miseries of Bethsaida without losing his heavenly purity or his perfect happiness. Gain healing from troubled waters; make up your mind to the prospect of sustaining a certain measure of pain and trotible in your passage through life. By the blessing of God, will prepare you for it, and it will make you .thoughtful and resigned without interfering with your cheerfulness.