SERIOUS THOUGHTS.

Waikato Argus, Volume III, Issue 224, 18 December 1897, Page 1 (Supplement)

SERIOUS THOUGHTS.

- ' * THE TWO REVELATIONS. There is a species of division practised to whioh we venture to call attention. Revelation is unconsciously split bj the great majority of people into two part*. One man believes in a revelation within, another believes in a revelation without. Some people are much given to subjective emotion. These are apt to look for inner evidences of sentiment, and to accept as testimony the various phase* of their own interior consciousness. Perhaps these form the majority. Accordingly, Christianity has become with the masr of both clergy »nd laity very much a matter of fickle, and ever changing personal mood, unrest or individual opinion. This is one of the causes of religious unrest and uncertainty, of the lack of nnity, and of the vicissitudes both in personal character and in the history of the churches. A man who thinks that the Holy Spirit reveals the truth to bis sonl by some occult or mystic spiritual impact, or by intermittent visitations aecording to the will of a Divine sovereignty, is bound to be holy at ono time and unholy at another, for his goodness rises or falls as his spirit is moved or unmoved. On the other hand, many are firm in their confidence that an outer revelation is tbs special gift of God ; they have this in their ewn particular church, or in the Bible; or in the prerogative of some priestly order. These become] slaves jotobjectivity, and lose the dignity which belongs to an intelligent individualism. The true faith is the acceptance of both an inner and an outer revelation. Christian Commonwealth. CHRIST'S LOVE TO MAN AND MAN'S LOVE TO HIM. What is life worth ? Unless it be life in God, and with God in Christ, it is worih nothing. But with that it is truly to live; and to know God in Christ thoroughly, there must be love to both, and also to the Holy Ghost—a love, moreover, so deep that none but the Christian can understand it. Faith and hope unite in producing love, by Divine power, and it will continue to exist in the redeemed when faith and hope in their present form have ceased. It jrives the believer nearer resemblance to Hia, who is love, than faith can. " Now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three ; but the greatest of these is charity.*' What is this love of the pardoned sinner to God in which. He delights ? It is a feeling which is necefsarily present in the soul of a true Christian, being a part of its very life, springing directly from God's lore to him. All he does is influenced by it. Without it, there is no true life ; men may as well talk of life without body or soul. "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. - ' " Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God ; and every one that loveth Him that begat, loveth him also that is begotten of Him. A sinner saved by grace, and saved at such a fearful cost, will be warmed with love to Jesus.—English Churchman. THE WAY OF JOY. " I thank Thee too, that Thou hast made Joy to abound ; So many gentle thoughts and deeds Circling us round, That hi the darkest spot of Earth Some love is found. I thauk Thee more that all our joy Is touched with pain ; That shadows fall on brightest hours, That thorns remain ; So that Earth's bliss may be our guide, And not our chain. For Thou, Who knowest, Lord, how soon Our week heart clings, Hast given us joys tender and true, But all with wings— So that we see, gleaming on high, Diviner things." —Adelaide Pboctoh (F) * » * • " Take joy home Aud make a place in thy great heart for her And give her time to grow, and cherish her, Then will she come and often sing to thee When thou art working in the furrows ; ay, Or weeding in the sacred hour of dawn. It is a comely fashion to be glad— Joy is the grace we say to God " —Jean Djiqelow. * * * * " Every joy is gain And gain is gain however small " —BnowNEfa " In every gladness, Lord, Thou art The deeper Joy behind " —MacDoxald (F) THE GOLDEN SIDE. There is many a rest on the road of life If we only would stop to take it, And many a tone from the better land If the querulous heart would make it. To the sunny soul that is full of hope, Aud whose beautiful trust ne'er faileth. The grass is green and the flowers are bright Though the wintry stomi prevaileth. Better sad hopes ; though the clouds hang low, Still keep the eye up lifted ; The sweet sunny sky will be peeping through When the ominous clouds are rifted ! There was ne'er a night but that had a day. Or an evening without a morning ; The darkest hour, as the proverb goes, Is the hour before the dawning. There's many a gem in the path of life Which we pass in our idle pleasure That's richer by far than the jewelled crowu Or the miserly hoarded treasure ; It may be the IoV3 of a little child. Or a dear mother's prayer to Heaven, Or some lone wanderer's grateful thanks For a cup of water given. Oh, 'tis better to weave in the web of life. The most beautiful golden filling, To do all life's work with a cheerful heart. Aud with hands that are swift and willing, Than to snap the frail, tender, minute threads Of our curious lives asunder. Aud theu blame Heaven for the tanglod ends. And sit still and grieve and wonder J