Everyman’s Hut

Camp News, Volume 1, Issue 36, 16 August 1940, Page 5

Everyman’s Hut

Peace,' perfect peace, in this dark world of sin? The blood of Jesus whispers peace within. . ; ' Peace, perfect peace, by thronging duties pressed? To do the will of Jesus, this is rest.' Peace, perfect peace, with sorrows surging round? On Jesu’s bosom naught but calm is found. Peace, perfect peace, with loved ones far away? In Jesu’s keeping we are safe, and they. . Peace, perfect peace, our future all unknown? / ' " Jesus we know, and He is on the throne. z . . - Peace, perfect peace, death shadowing us and ours? ' . 7„. Jesus c has vanquished death and all its powers. , It is enough; earth’s struggles soon shall cease, And Jesus call us to heaven’s perfect peace. The following comment on this J hymn, written by Mr. Wm. C. Irvine, of India, appeared in a recent issue of the Treasury, and we commend it as a tonic to all at this time: „ “Peace, Perfect Peace . . . . ” PEACE, PERFECT PEACE. We made a discovery recently. Possibly som eof our readers also may not have noticed that the fine hymn “Peace, Perfect Peace” is a dialogue,

the first line of each verse save the | last being a question. The talented . poet-bishop, Bickersteth, evidently ex-1 perienced a controversy in his own heart between Unbelief and Faith, and gracefully arranges it in poetic language.

May not the author have been contemplating some such words as “Thou will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee” (Isaiah 26:3), when Unbelief butts in with the query, “Peace, perfect peace, in this, dark world of sin?” insinuating the impossibility of such blessedness. But Faith unerringly reveals the fountain of all true peace and its locality, “The blood of Jesus whispers peace within.”

Unabashed, Unbelief raises a wellknown difficulty, “Peace, perfect peace, by thronging duties pressed?” Faith does not deny facts, but gently replies, “To do the will of Jesus, this is rest.” —

Next, Unbelief tries to secure the assistance of self-pity, by crying, “Peace, perfect peace, with sorrows surging round?” But this thrust is skilfully parried by Faith’s exclamation/ “On Jesu’s bosom nought but calm is found.” -

Failing to mar Faith’s peace by reference to personal distress, Unbelief seeks to bring discomfort by raising doubts concerning the safety of loved ones; “Peace, perfect peace, with loved ones far away?” But Faith takes refuge in God’s omnipresence and replies, “In Jesu’s keeping we are safe, and they.”

Unbelief is still unbeaten, and raises the bugbear of the future, “Peace, perfect peace, the future all unknown?” But with utmost confidence Faith triumphantly replies, “Jesus we know, and He is on the Throne.”

Unbelief has but one arrow left in his quiver, this he aims at the heart of Faith, and lets fly with all his strength, “Peace, perfect peace, death shadowing us and ours?” One can almost hear the exultation in his voice as he brings, in “the last enemy” to bear not only on “us” but also on “ours.” But Faith rises to the occasion and is more than conqueror, crying out, “Jesus has vanquished death and all its powers.”

And as Unbelief, one of death’s powers, 'retires vanquished, Faith calmly closes the controversy with a parting shot, “It is enough; earth’s struggles soon shall cease, and Jesus call us to Heaven’s perfect peace.”

Surely this beautiful hymn might have been written for the dark days in which we live! A dark day indeed, wherein thronging duties press, and sorrows surge around; a day when many loved ones are far away, when no one knows what a day may bring forth; and when death overshadows us and ours. A day when nothing but true faith in the living Christ can bring peace to the soulpeace, perfect peace, to the heart and mind of the redeemed (Phil. 4:6-7). *

Why not learn this hymn by heart, and so get it into our hearts by oft repeating it, and thus put Unbelief to flight by Faith finding her refuge in Christ Jesus our Lord?

During the leave period the Hut has been quiet, but all are looking forward to happy times with the men on their return. Mr. Gordon Blair has during the past weeks, been making many contacts and is now looking for definite results from the seed sown. May the harvest be plentiful.

A visitor from Hongkong has criticised the way New Zealand people walk. Possibly he saw them returning from the races.