SUNDAY READING

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 193, 4 January 1913, Page 2

SUNDAY READING

MEMORIES. (Sermon by the REV'. FRANK HALES. "Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldst keep His commandments or no."—Deuteronomy

Let us emphasise the word "all," for on that word the emphasis of the sentence. truly lies. Survey one part of the way only and then not only the whole but even that particular portion will be misunderstood. CONSIDER THAT LIFE IS A WAY. The character of the path is to be estimated, not by the present difficulty or danger, but by the importance of the end. And as this old year draws swiftly to its close it may be helpful to to survey the past. But memory, like all other faculties, may either help us or hinder us. If we are going to think only of the vanities or frivolities of the past it is a sure sign tjiat our lives are not what they ought to be. The Egyptians embalmed cats and vermin. Don't let us sitore up in our memories nothing hut rubbish. It is good to be able to forget some things—-tie-petty things, the paltry things, the unclean things.

CONSIDER THE INFINITE VARIETY OF THE WAY. During the past twelve months God has permitted many rich elements and influences to come into our lives. These have been for the purpose of educating our lives. The use of life is to test, reveal, and make character. So all the sorrows and joys of the past, and all the successes and failures, can be used to build characters or grow souls. As we look back and see God's hand in all things, tears and laughter, strength and weakness, pain and ease, remember that all these things come into our lives that we might be knit in glad obedience to God.

CONSIDER THE BEAUTY OF THE WAY. Don't talk of this earth as being a gloomy world, a dreary world, a valley of shadow, and such like. The gloom and the dreariness are nearly always ■within us: '"This world's a world of beauty, As other worlds above, And if each one did his duty, It would be a world of love." "0, Lord, how manifold are thy works, in wisdom hast thou made them all." Think of all the sunshiny days that we have had during the past year. Think of all the flowers that have bloomed. Think of all the fragrance that God has scattered over this earth. And in this God-favored country, think of the peace and the calm that have been ours to enjoy; and as we think of them let us be grateful, and do what we can to send these blessings to others.

REMEMBER THE PERILS OF THE WAY. It is distinctly by a perilous path that God loads us 'that we may see, as well as guess at our independence, and ascribe our deliverances to the hand from which they spring. Life is one long peril. It is just as well for us to realise this. We cannot lean too often on the arm of our Beloved. Perhaps some of us have slipped as we have come along tlm way. Is it not trtoe that we have all erred and wandered from the Way of Life? But don't let us look back with a sentimental melancholy. Don't abuse memory by picking out all the black bits that lie behind you. Learn from the past that we can only make the future safe and bright by clinging tightly to the hand of God, and when we draw away from His grasp we stumble and fall. The past is best buried under a nobler present. But that the present may be nobler, perhaps it is wise to let the sins of the past, with their attendant sorrows, sometimes come into remembrance if only to magnify the patience and long-suffering of God.

REMEMBER THE CHASTISEMENTS OF THY WAY. "As a father chasteneth his son, so tJie Lord thy God chastenth thee." Sometimes God has to knock the selfconfidence out of us. and humble us a little. Remember that all the shocks and sorrows that come to us come not because God is angry, but because He loves us. And very often we are humbled that we might remember, that not in ourselves, but in God is all our strength and hope. For all things, we htive to remember and be thankful. 1 know that this is very difficult and hard for some of us to do. Perhaps the past year holds 'the biggest sorrow of our lives. Perhaps it has brought some loss that has made earth lonely and dark. Perhaps you have looked upon the dear dead face of the dearest one you had on earth. Perhaps something worse than dentil has happened to somebody that you love. ft is hard to tell you as you stand with quivering lips to remember and be thankful. it is hard to tell a man with tear-filled eyes to be thankful for what, has happened. And yet it is true that it is good for us to be drawn.'or even driven to God; it is good for us to be lonely sometimes that we may be drawn to Him who -ticket!) closer than a brother.

COXSIUER THE KXI) OF THE WAY. If we forget the ''end" of the way, tlicn all is mystery. The wastes, the win's, the wants of life are inexplicable ii' there, he no home beyond. But we have the blessed assurance that "All things work together for good to tliein that love God." That "There is a. home tenia], Beautiful and bright. Where sweet joy a supernal Xever are dimmed by night." Let us at the close of this old year review the way we have come, and survey the course that has yet to be trod. And as we do so each step we take the path will brighten, and as we near the precincts of the promised lr.nd. the word passes through the camp. "Move forward."