SUNDAY READING.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2592, 28 August 1909, Page 4 (Supplement)

SUNDAY READING.

OUR BURDEN -BEARER. The little sharp vexations And‘the briars that catch and fret, Why not take all to the Helper Who has never failed us yet? Tell Him about the heartache, And tell Him the longings, too; Tell Him the baffled purpoee When Are scarce know what to do. Then, leaving all our weakness With the One divinely strong, Forget that we bore the burden, And carry away the song.

WHAT IS HEAVEN ?

(By Dr. Wilbur Chapman.) It is a place of over-powering brightness. Everything that ever came from thence tells us so. Chariots so bright that the only thing to AA r hich they could be likened Avas fire. Angels with faces shining so that men must veil their eyes before them. Moses and Elias so surrounded with glory that the three disciples were overcome with the vision on tne mount* of transfiguration. The walls are like a great jeAvel, the streets of pure gold, and every single gate a pearl. You knoAv the brightness of one little gem as it sparkles on your finger; but 0! the wonderful thought that every gate is a pearl; and the day will come when we may go sweeping through the gates if Ave will. God has done everything that He could do, and our entering in now rests upon ourselves. But the brightness of heaven, aside from the presence of Christ, is not due to the gates, nor to the walls, nor to the streets, but to the presence of those who have been redeemed.

I have been told that the deeper the water, the larger the pearl. Whether that be true or not, I can not tell; but I know that from the greatest depths God sometimes takes His brightest jewels. It is no cause for discouragement; if you have been a great sinner. Paul was a persecutor, Bunyan a blasphemer, Newton a libertine, and yet they shine to-day as the jewels of Christ.

Geologists tell us that the diamond is only crystallized carbon, charcoal glorified. This Book tells us something better than that, that “though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as aa t oo 1.” fleaven is a place of unutterable sweetness. Can you imagine the number of little children there? Can anyone deeribes the SAveetness of a child’s song? And when you remember that your own little one may be there ! What Avonderful singing it is as their lips are touched by the finger of Christ, and their hearts are thrilled Avith His presence. . > ' The boy who was blind makes the best expression of Heaven to me. The doctor had cut away the obstruction from his eyes, and the bandages placed there were removed one by one until after' a little they had been all taken off. When he opened his eyes in silent wonder as if a new world had been opened to him, he beheld his mother, and yet he did not know that it Avas she. Finally he heard her familiar voice asking him, “My son, can you see?” He sprang into her arms, exclaiming, “0, Mother, is this Heaven?’’ That is the best definition. Heaven is seeing eye to eye, knowing even as we are knoAvn. If there is one word which better than another will describe Heaven to me, it is an explanation. /

DR WHYTE AND COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS. In his sermon at Whitefield’s, London, on a recent Sunday night, Mr Silvester Horne told a very beautiful story about Dr Alexander Whyte. For many years a commercial traveller, Mr Rigby found himself at certain intervals in Edinburgh for a Sunday, and he made a point of persuading his comrades at the hotel to go with him to hear Dr. Whyte. One Sunday night a fellow commercial traveller came up to him and said, ‘I am intensely gratified to you for taking me to Free St. George’s. This morning I found pardon, this evening I found peace.’ A Sunday or -two later Mr Rigby was in Edinburgh, •and at ono of the services he could tell that Dr White was having a ‘bad time’ —he was failing to grip his audience. So on Monday morning he Avent round to the Doctor’s house to tell him the story of the commercial who had come to Christ through his preaching.and so. cheer and gladden liis heart. He found Dr Whyte pacing the room in a mood of great depression. After telling his story the Doctor said, ‘What is your name?’ ‘Rigby,’ he replied. Dr Whyte then went to a bureau and took out a'bundle of letters. ‘You see these letters?’ he exclaimed. ‘They have come to me at various times during many years past, and they are all from commercial travellers who tell me that they • started or the . Christian life through being brought to the services. at Free St; George’s by Mr Rigby.’ 7

■ Dli AKED ON SCAREMONGERS. Dr Aked’s views on the naval scare have a vigorous and unmistakable ring. ‘John Bull in -a panic,’ writes Dr Aked, ‘is always a stupid animal. But John Bull in a war panic is unspeakable. The admiration of all lovers of peaco and of liberty is due to those Englishmen who refuse to be _ bullied out of their seven senses, and in tlieir calm and simple strength maintain the high traditions of their race. One of the most pitiable things in the whole . and, silly story is the : defection of some of the Labor men. There is

nothing in the Socialistic movement if it is not international, universalistic. In the eyes of many who refuse to pledge themselves to its economics, and who regard its practical proposals with ■the gravest l distrust, a redeeming feature mas been its professions of brotherhood . Fairminded critics of Socialism have seen in the growth of internationalism a hope of ultimate, universal peace.'- . . .In international conference after conference speeches have been made and rcsoutions carried affirming the worker’s hatred of war and his determination to bring in the reign of peace. In this spirit Mr ICeir Hardie was understood to contemplate the future v 6f the movement ho had crossed the 1 Atlantic to expound. In these weeks of trial Mr Keir Hardie has been consistent and true. So has Mr Philip Snowden, ‘‘the prophet of the Labor ‘Movement” ip the House of Commons. And-.othors have kept their honor clean. But, on the other hand, some who bear !. Wpll-known- iiames in the Socialist move-' i ment'iiavo covered' themselves with -cpm ;tempt, .and as'far as they could, their 'cause as,-,wa11,.’ - .