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SILVER LINING Grabill, Indiana. The Shepherd's Love--Part III Labor Now for TImt "Harvest Home" VoL 8, No. 11 "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and under- stand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I beRtow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profit- eth me nothing." The architecture of love is new. Its lovely, flowing lines is totally differ- ent from the old. Its concepts blend with the amazing, beautiful view of the ages to come. It is an integral part of that world to compoIts life is in joy and peace everlasting. Read on the slide-rule of love, duty is measured and built to those structural qualities eternal. The college of love prepares for the beautiful degree of the crown of life. Those who are given the privilege of God's wondrous grace tread the foot- steps of its beautiful campus. We ma- j or in obedience, and gain the oppor- tunities for the harvest home. We are learners in the labor and toil of the Master's workshop. Our classes are the very experiences and labors that each of ns meet up with. Our study halls of eternal importance are the beauties of onr assembling together, or quiet times in our home, or the' gentle direction through the moments of activity. All in all, the life of His own is colorful in the glory of God. It is blessed with the majesty of His presence. " .... lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." There is a plan available for every experience and every hour of our walk with the Master. It is detailed and has perfect and accurate measurements. Ac- tual construction in daily life flows from the blue-prints He has. They are of immortal vision. From the creative genius of the Father flow the beautiful originals of His love. The grandeur of His magnificent building rises beauti- fully, steadily reaching for the finish and home with Him. -"... speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, cven Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together " The upbuilding of this edifice of love is with eternal materials. Exclusive for time and eternity is the style of the Master. It is of great importance in this eternal building to be learners in always exercising the good taste of our

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Page 1: Silver Lining, 8:11 (1956) - barrone.net · SILVER LINING Grabill, Indiana. The Shepherd's Love--PartIII LaborNow for TImt"Harvest Home" VoL 8, No. 11 "Though I speak with the tongues

SILVER LININGGrabill, Indiana.

The Shepherd's Love--Part IIILabor Now for TImt "Harvest Home"

VoL 8, No. 11

"Though I speak with the tonguesof men and of angels, and have notcharity, I am becomeas sounding brass,or a tinkling cymbal. And though Ihave the gift of prophecy, and under-stand all mysteries, and all knowledge;and though I have all faith, so that Icould remove mountains, and have notcharity, I am nothing. And though IbeRtow all my goods to feed the poor,and though I give my body to beburned, and have not charity, it profit-eth me nothing."

The architecture of love is new. Itslovely, flowing lines is totally differ-ent from the old. Its concepts blendwith the amazing, beautiful view of theages to come. It is an integral part ofthat world to compoIts life is in joyand peace everlasting. Read on theslide-rule of love, duty is measuredand built to those structural qualitieseternal.

The college of love prepares for thebeautiful degree of the crown of life.Those who are given the privilege ofGod's wondrous grace tread the foot-steps of its beautiful campus. We ma-jor in obedience, and gain the oppor-tunities for the harvest home. We arelearners in the labor and toil of theMaster's workshop. Our classes are thevery experiences and labors that eachof ns meet up with. Our study halls ofeternal importance are the beauties of

onr assembling together, or quiet timesin our home, or the' gentle directionthrough the moments of activity. All inall, the life of His own is colorful inthe glory of God. It is blessed with themajesty of His presence.

".... lay up for yourselves treasuresin heaven, where neither moth nor rustdoth corrupt, and where thieves do notbreak through nor steal: For whereyour treasure is, there will your heartbe also."

There is a plan available for everyexperience and every hour of our walkwith the Master. It is detailed and hasperfect and accurate measurements. Ac-tual construction in daily life flowsfrom the blue-prints He has. They areof immortal vision. From the creativegenius of the Father flow the beautifuloriginals of His love. The grandeur ofHis magnificent building rises beauti-fully, steadily reaching for the finishand home with Him.-"... speaking the truth in love, may

grow up into him in all things, whichis the head, cven Christ: From whomthe whole body fitly joined together

"The upbuilding of this edifice of love

is with eternal materials. Exclusive fortime and eternity is the style of theMaster. It is of great importance inthis eternal building to be learners inalways exercising the good taste of our

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2 THEI SILVER LINING

M:astel'.His ideal for us is the upwardspiral of growing, a plan that bringsinto evident vision the beauties of Hisown walk. We are contesting for etern-al issues. Great are the decisions in themoments before. Immense and enorm-ous is the '.meaning of where we findourselves now. A few moments hence,and eternity spreads before in end-lessness. Now only is the hour to con-tend, to do, to find the deeply lovelyin all its beauty, in all our moments.Now only must we write in action, indeeds, in th~se brief seconds, for then,in eternity; we will be on the other sideof life's finis, and its opportunities.

What then shall we do? Shall we toyawhile a few shallow moments withthrills and pastimes that deletes somemoments f1~om deep and colorful workand beal,ltiful wishing and plan-ning and resting? The thoughts ofearthly things are not the thoughts ofheavenly life. Escape from realness anddiversion inworldly thoughts may haveclimax, sllspense, intense attraction,but they have this characteristic ...there is nothing there, when it is done,except vanity. We are our own choosers."Ve are WISe, we are happier ... if wes~amp "reject" 01). that that's ill-sav-oured with the world.

Charity is reality that has revolution-ized our ideas. Love is a complete de-parture from the hilarity and the sway-ing of the lnany in the darkened hallsof yesterday. Before, it was box-likeimprisonment and fake, ornate embel-lishments. Love is totally new, com-pletely different. Here is somethingthat carries a beautiful view of the love-inspired ··rromorrow.Here is a direc-tional giff that points us to a happyeternity,· and a gift that lives forever,bringing bountiful returns in that har-,,-esthome.

"Charity suffereth long"-There isno other·way to that vacation paradise·of joy. Our circumstances-those thingsthat pinch and pin and thump-are thescaffolding that brings us in reach ofthe beautiful flourishes of the Master'stouch. There is no other choice of suc-·('ess daily but for the soul to plow.through the mistening twilight of Cal-

vary. Only with the lingering taps ofthe soul who finds the sunset hour ofthe flesh daily can one also live in thatI~ove of Today and Tomorrow. We giveourselves to His touch ... and findnot only the little white crosses thatday by day take their place in long,even rows ... but also the symphonicovertones of eternal joy and love, color-ful in majestic beauty.

"Charity suffereth long" .... HarvestHome comes only through the heart'stear-moistening soil. God's pen onlywrites in the school of humility. He"giveth grace to the humble." It is thenwe fully live above the storm, in the

. eternal dreamland blue. So we live be-yond our understanding, accepting theroute He plans. We know that we areattaining success if love manifests itssuffering long in this day's chapteralso. Labor ... pain ... sorrow. Sec-onds, minutes, hours. We face the sun-rise, and toil the furrows. Yet the chal-lenge of the furrows ... the challengeof the rich quantity of joyful successof the moments known ... the chal-lenge may be met with more courageand. more energy in His strength ...and we·can love better now than everbefore. There are new furrows withnew-turned soil for a new Tomorrow.

"andl' ... Charity "is kind".The creation of love is beautiful.

These are the forever lines that live inthe forever Tomorrow. Plain Christianpraying and toiling will bring the won-ders of our heavenly Father. Greatthings may dawn each moment withcolor-hued glory, for charity is great.Kindness is the tones of Tomorrow. Itswonder rests in its very beautiful sim-plicity. Yet, with our mortal body, ouremotions and commotions, it seems·attimes so very difficult, so complex, sointricate to grasp. Our play of valuesso easily eludes our thought:;;in eternaltones.

So we must ever through this "mo-mEmtary"look beyond the sunset of ourflesh, into the great and beautiful. He\vho would know the Dawn must travelthrough the twilight of this day. Hemust reach the last out-post of the emo-tions, must by-pass the schedules and

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THE SILVER LINING 3plans and demands of the workingmind, and find the sky-lift of Hisstl'ength. God kindles the em-bers till the horizon of the heart isaflame with His rose·rest sunrise. Hiskindness reaches from Dmvn to Dawn,and we learn how to overtone the mo-ment with the sweet and lovely. Wemeet the challenge, control the emo-tions to His credit, and beautify themind with His success. And we know,and people can know, that where char-ity glows, the sapphire blue of an etern-al dreamland rests the heart in quietloveliness.

"... charity envieth not;"The heart may indeed now take a

rose-rest, forever, from certain injuri-ous things that dreary the hours. Thereis a spiritual life that is climate-per-fect, past the last thresholds of theflesh. For the duration also of thesecalled days, we may have a continualjoy in God. In the midst of heaven'swalk through the palm trees, we mayhave vacation now from the severityof envy's .storms, and such like. Ah,that is satisfying, that is a Paradise,triumphant life in the child of Godnow.

How then to lift our faces and bathethem in the delightful breezes thatbring continual beauty and refreshinghappiness? Communication is the ave-nue that continually brings us this howof perfect love. If we would know suc-cessfully the why and the how of themovements of the heart, we must studyHis diagram. His map and then inthe map of our life, follow the fingermarkings He has traced. :Manya com-mandment whose beauty the mind ca'n-not fully follow is revealed when wetravel its miles. The words that aroseheavenward find their answer in wis-dom revealed, and where we need itmost, in those parts of us, our spiritand soul, which we are weak in under-standing.

"... ehm'ity vaunteth not itself, ... "Eternity's grade card of intelligence

will be delivered, not with the pompand intricacy of worldly knowledge,but in the markings of success of love.In heaven's class-rooms, we learn how

to avoid that which the flesh showeredon itself. In the old school of thought,we were taught the painful imagina-tion of boast. Not one was exempt, andeven now each must contest wisely toescape and throw its coy influence. Itscentral line was "over one another",better than the next. It relished to takea bow, and was ingrained with foolishnotions that sought out this world'sconfetti and showers of ticker tape.

In the agenda of the vanishing hours,we turn from the show-play to thereal. If we can really throw the influ-ence that the idea and habit of compe-tition exerts, we will indeed breathemore beautifully in the life of Tomor-row. Competition threads us into thecompartments that do not profit, andhinders our production of the beautiful.The currents of thought of a civiliza-tion of defeat run counter to the waysof happiness. True beauty will growunannounced. The loud, formal call ofthe legislating of the mind, the vainparade of showing off, are not the wayof wisdom. Love is in the beauty of ahand in hand walk, in the secret of theesteem for others. It is in the beautyof the Dawn, a lovely vacation forever,if followed, from old annoyances, ~acZream of reality.

Love "is not puffed up, ... "There is nothing that can block our

way to spiritual know-how unless weallow the swelling of the head andinflation of the soul to do it. The Archi-tect's dream can becomefull reality inour lives if we humble ourselves andseek only His smooth flowing lines. Hebuilds in fadeless beauty in the verymidst of the problems that immediatelyconfront us. We cannot chase in ourthoughts that which is not so. We mustmeasure things as they are. Where thenis boasting? It can be eluded, if wekeep our mind and heart divinely ar-ranged, appointed in His appointments.Then we are beautiful in our site withthe preparation for that Harvest Home.

The road that leads through the duskof the twilight of the hill leads home.It is a road that finds those last throesof the flesh ebbing out, and the Dawnof love love-lighting its fragrant love-

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liness. The g'olden gleam of His faith-ful promises enrich the road ahead,while the erpst is wonder-lit with theover-the-hill hue from the gloriousSomewhere. Love is the answer as wejourney on. It makes travelling pleas-ant. We have the marvels of a Com-forter's love, and know He can do all.A day at a time, and this vanishinglife vanishes. We weather the storm,while experience sees hope fonder. vVegrow, and golden line a diary, penningthe pages that are numbered. When thecover is closed, and we view it in thenumberless, how very short and howvery important will this "now" be seento have been. So let us make the min-utes count!

Charity "Doth not behave itself un-seemly, ... "

Charity polishes us, and we walk inthe quiet dignity of the Master's eti-quette. A violent disregard of the sign-posts of the highway can bring us intoconflict with our Lord's wishes. OurGod is a good organizer; He is pleasedwith good order. Though a given cus-tom or .way of order may not read lit-erally word for ,vord from the holyscriptures, yet the meaning, the idea,is often the expressed-in-action will ofthe Father. Thus, we bear the marks ofHis college training, and through awalk of good taste it is evident we area man or woman of His distinction.

Likewise, the walk of love is a well-planned day-to-day behavior of eachone of His own. One who has experi-enced the very deep meanings of thereality of faith should not interrogatehis happiness ,,,ith vain pursuits. It ispossible to pass the time with chatterand clatter of babyish play-things, butit is not becoming. It is possible to dashin and out and only skim the surfaceof tlie world's doorways, but it sticksout like a sore thumb in the beautifulsociety of the well-mannered. The little,things do show up. We do what we are,and what we do shows up in what weat·e. How well then to spend time in al-ways having the inner person smartlydressed. How good to attend to its pos-ture, to train it in the way of spiritualpoise. That is the walk of refinement,

a walk th<1t means a freedom from~hame, worlel without end.

Chal'ity ":;;:eekethnot her own,".The way of love runs counter-clock-

wise to the natural way of the world.It is amazing-how utterly different thevery essence of life in love is.·The oldrules sent the satellites of deeds revolv-ing around the center of gravity of self.But now something new has attractedus. God, in· love, has drawn us untoHimself. The new mathematics is un-derstandable only in His revelations ofthe equation· of love. Indeed, any fac-tor beside the factors He has given pro-duce an answer that can not equal thecharm that He would have us possess.

It is no small thing, this opportunityof the new and battle with the old thatiHnow our picture in reality. 'Ve havethe chance of an eternity daily beforeus. 'Vhen our thoughts survey the hab-its, the track:;;:of use that time has seenwell worn, it seems so Vt3ry difficult.Our motives would be weighed downwith a great tiredness. Normality tendsto inertia. Then through faith, a pio-neer into the Sunrise, we grasp the sim-plicity and the beauty of the serviceof love. The more we see this eternalcharity growing, so much the more do,vesee the other factors increasing. Joybecomes luxuriantly full, the hope ofabundant harvest increases; we growmore and mOl'eacquainted and at homewith the life and loye that is now andto come.

Charity "is not easily proyoked".Striving and flying off the handle are

detrimental to the acts of success. Theym;e droughts that harden the groundand prevent at least for a time the ten-der shoots of the desired result frompushing through. Charity knows thevalue of its heavenly cultivation. Itsows in faith of the descent of the bless-ings of heaven. It is in beat with therhythm of the divine timetable. It iswilling to wait, after sowing its idea,its work. Rather than rushing andcrushing at the moment, in. inexperi-enced greenness, love chooses alwaysthe seasoned way to happy success.

We are business men and womenworking for Tomorrow's profits. We

i,iji.

IjII1

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THE SILVER LINING 5

should seek to learn all the angles inthis heavenly trade. It is certain thatthe moments spent in hasty talk andbeing easily provoked purchase onlywhiteelephants. To be successful, wemust daily strive to turnover that lovein that beautiful salesmanship so vivid-ly described in the holy scriptures. At-tracting attention, cr~ating de~ire, se-curing actio:p, in one's own craftsman-ship will be had by exercising the soprecious traits of charity. They are allplainly set forth, and can be donethrough prayer and faith.

Charity "thinketh no evil;"'rhere are emotional and mental

storms that are generated by impropercontrol of the dynamos of the mind.However, it is far from thatoncecha-otic landscape, a dismal picture of thecommon and leveled debris of sin. But,without prayer and caution, withoutGod's grace, charity will leave and sad-ness begins. It can be that the last lightof the precious love would leave its lin-gering, and the soul faces a frantic eter-nity. How well then to continue in pa-tient well-doing. How well to strive forglory and honour and immortality!

You, whoever you are, stand on thesmall hill called time. Before and away,where the measureless is on and onwithout multiple, is the endless eter-nity. Inside of you is the screen thatflashes the picture you see. Somehowdeeper still are the directional controlsthat control the wave lengths received.The facing of the antenna of the heartis discernible by the characteristics ofthe things sought. Strange, how thethings we use can drag us down to alower level. Strange, how the smokecan get in the eyes, without seeminglyrealizing the biting fact. But, with thesmallness of this incline of time, andthe fearsomeness of the on and on age,better that we wreck the instrumentor the attendance or financial drives orwhatever might plunge us into partialor total wreck!

Charity "Rejoiceth nQtin iniquity,but rejoiceth in the truth ;"

There is a, continuous broadcast forthe believer if he sets his heart to thechannel of Tomorrmv's living always.

Only the truth win measure the beauti-ful, timelesH contours of Tomorrow.Truth is the sturdy pillars of the house,the strong I-beams, the beautiful pic-ture windows, the ultra-modern finish-ing of eternity. Within its portals, joyand contentment abound. Within itsportals, the inner man is free in eternalspaciousness, happy in true grandeur.Truth brings the joy of morning, theunending song of eternal daybreak, theclarity and thrill and wondrous colorof the immortality of the Master's love.

Truth will one day be the judge ofwhether you are one in His love, orstand outside its rapture. Its factsmake it evident that this pursuit ofthe earth in this time beat called dayis speeding toward gigantic climax. Thecataclysm of eternity is already crash-ing in this precinct called time. Eternalovertures only beat when learned whileit is yet day. Iniquity falsifies the bal-ances now, to bring rejection on judg-ment morning. Truth ,demands thatyou, if conscience points its finger ofwoe, repent. It has strung its wirelessto heaven, and repeats that the powerand strength and knowledge is yoursfor the' asking. Eternity is converging,the enemy is trapping, fastening final-ly, if possible, the jaws of death on theblinded victim. Still day yet lingers.Truth whispers that you can come tothe Cross. Now ... now ... all can bewell ... the darkness of the dark canfall behind ... the load can roll away... peace can be thine ... now.

Tomorrow? No, not tomorrow. Whenonly a heartbeat stands between thethreatening and the cataclysmic? Whenthe terror of judgment morning is sureto strike the sentence to someshrouded guilt forevel~! When the trea-suring up of God's wrath might changefrom "pending" to the awful strike ofthe gavel? The issue drowns out theheadline of thepa per on the table ...it shrills over the loudest shout of theamazements of wave-wrecked mankind.I t's read in the heavens ... it's heardfrom Truth ... the facts of the never-ending. Now is the time Now is thetime to cry in earnest now is thetime to strike with one fell sweep the

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6 THE .SILVER LINING

fictitious, the measly, the unimportant.Through God's might, the fears andpainted shado\vs become as paper rib-bons, and you would break through toreality ... to things that really count... and to life unending.

Reach forth thine hand that He may

touch, and lead thee to victory. "Im-portant" only vaguely pictures the im-measurable meaning of now.

Angels would rejoice ... a Father'sheart waits ... a nail-pierced handbeckons ... while you clasp in your"yes" or "no" the fate ~Dithout end.

The Shepherd's Love--Part IVCharity Always

And The WorId Of TomorrowCharity "Beareth all things, believ-

eth all things, hopeth all things, endur-eth all things."

This love in this preparation time iscompletely different from natural waysof schooling, thought, and action. Wehad learned to gauge our thoughts andmotives from the effects of nerves andemotions. As we grew older, the soul'snerves and emotions became burnt anddeadened to anything of the spirituallife. We became cemented in, encasedin a vault of empty echoes of vanity.We had no understanding, but slavedourselves in the servitude of "entirelythe natural man." It was the feelingsand emotions of a "seen" existence.

How happy we are that there is sucha thing as the Cross, and a Saviourthat suffered and died for us. Certain-ly the hand of God reached to us andbrought a complete "new". So magni-ficent and so wonderful is the marvel ofredemption. Something woilderful hasperioded our old self with a finish, andfrom the waters came a new creature.We can not understand him with anytextbook save that marvellous revela-tion, the word of God. It is an astound-ing dividing point, where "the alto-gether change" brings the altogetherdifferent out-look and up-look. Motivesand thoughts, desires and emotions, inall, the general life of success, mustbe understood and learned on a differ-ence that is higher than the heavensabove the earth.

"Charity never faileth: ... "The world of Tomorrow will be a

fitting tribute to the Love of Always,an eternal pleasure and joy now to the

faithful. Our lines are sighted to thatdream Ages of ages. The climaxes ofthis day, those that baffle and pain andsadden, with the other moments, whenworked with the faith that workethby love, produce the fadeless color ofTomorrow in the inner man. The heav-enly Architect balances well the day'strial on the scale of eternal welfare.'rhe wonderful genius of our heavenlyFather in action blesses us with thosevery things that in our pioneer life oflove we need. Love must be tuned andincreased in the bearing, the believing,the hoping, and the enduring.

There shall be no night in the for-ever happy land. Now there is no nightin the forever happy love. This trainingin tribulation of this time has its pur-pose. It is to keep us on the route tothe "unseen". It is to build us up moreand more through the school taught inlove. The method of addition and thetables of multiplication of this edifyingin love must be in the way of the cross,and in the new of resurrection morning.And in affliction, the last shades of"the seen" are fading away. While inthe beauty of morning, the "unseen"eternal sphere becomes more sharplyin focus.

" ... but whether there be prophe-cies, they shall fail; ... "

\Ve live in time-traced earthly mo-ments. Earthly thought can compart-mentalize us unduly. Weare well ac-quainted with the time element.Though ts of time can make us tired,and blur our focus of the work at handsomewhat. Time's thoughts can getsomewhat beyond our control and rush

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THEI SILVER LINING 7on to the next and the next, and extrabUl'(lensconverge and crush in on us.Time can sound in our thoughts till itsbeat somewhat drowns out the impor-tant eternal beat of the heavenlies. Yetthere comes a "then" when all the wrin-kles and mal'ks of time will be in thepast. There comesa glorious morn whenin .a new body we shall be in eternalrest, forever free from everything thatnow wearies us of time.

The mountains that seem to looms6 .menaCinglyin the steps ahead provethrough the grace of God to be butridg-esthat, in victory, give a beautifulview of the after and its glory. Eachday has its crests to surmount. Whenwe have climbed its last ridge, then wehave passed another milestone in thisjourney with its, already determinedmileage. Prophecy is an accurately de-tailed map that effectively marks outthe day's route for the traveller.Through it we recognize the "why" ofthe toils and hardships. Through it weget encouragement and comfort, a goodway to travel pleasant.

"... whether there be tongues, theyshall cease; ... "

On this side of the great "cease",there is a "becoming". On the otherside of it, there is an eternal, happy,satisfied "being". The instruments ofour schooling will be forever outgrownafter the last day of school. Though thegift of tongues as given in the days ofthe early church we do not see, yetthere are yet words given in our jour-ney that measure the distance in ideaand explain the route. They are jewelsof immeasurable value. Sometimeswhen we are in the garb of daily lifeand working the hours ... sometimesthrough the unpretentious conversationwith a brother or a sister .. , sonietimesfrom the beautiful sounding of the pul-pit.

.On the calendar pad ahead, there isa day that will be the 31st of life'slittle month. We should keep clearlyin mind that we cannot replace thesepages as they are torn off, one by one.For those open lines with the day'sdate at the top, let us write in themthe words of love. This day we shall

-------------------~not pass this way again. Eternitylooms so measurelessly immense, sooverwhelmingly incomprehensible toarithmetic thought, so awesomely end-less. Let us in beautiful kindliness, inso firm, yet so gentle a tone, ministerthe gift of words. They mean so much.They can brighten the day, encouragethe weary, warn the traveller, help usto keep in the rhythm of the eternalOne. Let us record, on that which is sosure to be played back, the words that1·ea.71ycount ... those spoken in love.

"... \vhether ther'e be knowledge, itshall vanish away."

The grading period for eternity isthese short days we are in now. Thepromotion is being summed up or lostnow. The unique but magnificent grad-ing method makes high honor availableto all, but without exception rules outall who fail in love. It is so good tolearn the way to the A's of our heav-enly Teacher. They are certainly wonthrough the pressure points of theCross. The painfulness of its pain, thethuding of its nails, sharpens our witsof inner clarity. The bed-ridden course,the weary course, the temptationcourse, and other courses outlined, pro-vide opportunities to register winningmarks. In all, let us listen to His ex-planations on how to limber our fin-gers of doing and waiting even withprayers and pleasantness limberingourselves to His firm but steady graspand movement of charity.

A conduct that will bring and keepeach child in the upper honor is abid-ing in His love by doing His command-ments. Understanding His knowledgeenlightens the pathway. Yet the ac-complishment eternal comes in the fol-lowing through of His directions. Thegiving in ... the shorter end ... theceasing from anger the passingover of a mistake the bearing ...the enduring ... the giving of self forothers. These becomerealities of eternalvalue through doing the Plan of theknow Giver. Love is the cue to thechime of joy. It is the perfume of love-liness in the midst of a thousand andmore rainbows. Love gives us strengthand keeps us free from heart fatigue

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and boredom. Love winds through eachtiny terrace of the moments in blossom-ing fragrance, through the beauty ofthe Master's commandments ...through the doing of what He said.

"For we know in part, and we pro-phesy in part."

The day's trail is outwardly unmark-ed, but becomes plainly discernible tothe travellers of love. Love asks thelimit in doing the way the Master says.We pioneer in hitherto unknown qual-ities, and know the fragrance of Hisministering of the gifts He has givenin His love. Each day and each hourmay be an adventure in His love. Weare travelling towards a dreamlandblue and paradise delight. Let us thenjoyfully search each pause and work-ing moment with an inquiring mind inhow to travel better and more hope-fully. Let us be quick to discover eachobsolete hindrance of thought and hab-it, and keep the mind clear in His vi-sion. Then we can rejojce the heartin the glorious color of His glory morefully. Then we more happily view thealways nearer beautiful sunrise radi-ance of color, iridescencing the horizonahead.

We must clarify this with our self,that comprehension of the magnificenteternal age is not in self-contained.earthly reasoning. The former selftaught himself that the "I" containedthe range of pleasure. When we finallyopened our eyes to a wonderful neweternal life, we were brought into rich.fellowship with Him who lives forever.What immense new vistas of under-standing were opened to us! More andmore there are mists lifting, and a real-ly wondetful previously unexploredbeauty scene is enjoyed. Yet the joythat brings great happiness rejoices inthis, that there are better things tocome, things that must wait to the-beautiful morn.

"But when that which is perfect iscome, then that which is in part shallbe done away."

\tVeare so soon apt and do chalk avacation picture from the strands of

.parthly experience. We are so very weakin this body of our pilgrimage. Our

mind's. picture of the moment may 110teven be the beautiful and soft color-cast of the holy scripture. Our manyfailings must yet be dealt with, andwe experience of heaviness. Likewise,the words not of love in our day-to-day life are allowed to have a tremen-dous effect on us. The state of ourhealth we allow to influence somewhatour delight. Emotions rise and fall,and we pin our pictures somewhat onlyon them. There is, as we have experi-enced, a degree of movement on thechart that gauges our expectation ofbetter things to come.

Yet, the inner house can be built up,and with it that picture-window, withits glorious, colorful view of things ina vacation future. We must build rightup into the cycles of clouds that neednot obscure. We must accept fully theneed, the real necessity, of the Cross.Then we must reach to the nutritionof the inner man. Have we really seento it that all the vitamins and min-erals, to build and keep us robust inheart have been adequately provided?Do we lack enthusiasm because we havenot taken enough time to pray? Or havewe abundantly followed where the Mas-ter walked through reading His word? .Have we humbly bowed in submissionto His will, even that part that isrough and hewn in the splintered woodof the Cross? Have we earnestly triedto "Follow after charity"?

"When I was a child, I spake as achild, I understood as a child, I thoughtas a child: but when I became a man,I put away childish things."

There is the blue of the sky ... some-times fleecy clouds ... sometimes rain.There is the getting up ... the work· .. the meals ... the familiar rim ofthe sunset horizon. The sky has color· .. the sunset has color ... we arereal ... life is no dream. We stand onthe converging of rapidly approachingwonderments. Life is no dream. Thesoul never dies, except the poor dere~licts of eternal unbelief. If .Jesus livesin your heart, everything is beautiful· .. and will be for ever and ever ifyou continue· to abide. DiJe eternal!A few more days that were sure to

rt

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I'I,,

pass ... every day and hour and mo-ment give indisputable evidence theyare drawing toward the close ... aridthen the morning of immortality.

I t will be vastly more wonderful thanmind can picture. If you look into theclearing, a brighter blue, a beautiful,up-lifting, heart-thrilling blue beginsat "the passing of the storm". There isnever a cloud that floats in that bril-liant expanse. Look to the West, pil-grim, for surely there is an end. Thecolor of the grandeur is shining in theblue. Somewhere, over the horizon, thelight-jeweled dream-blue shimmerf, inecstatic loveliness. The clouds are lift-ing, and not only will every sorrow beto the rear, but also eve-rything thatcould even touch our happiness indreamland beauty. The clouds are lift-ing ,and all along the horizon of for-ever is the breath-taking beauty de-scribed in His promises ... the dream-fulfilled of forever.

"... we glory in tribulations also:knowing that tribulation worketh pa-tience; And patience, experience; andexperience, hope: And hope makethnot ashamed; because the love of Godis shed abroad in our hearts by theHoly Ghost which is given unto us."

The misting time ... the drenchingtime ... the heat-beaten time ... thispilgrim walk into the Sunrise mustplod through the grays and storms. Hisconstant love thoroughly works out apurpose. Between the storm and thesoul, His Hand would direct our vi-sion into the fair and pleasant. Onlyas we learn with the heart in thesecourses through trouble, many andvarious and persistent, can we knowmore and more the abounding of beau-tiful hope. This workshop, where weharmonize our soul with the beautifulcolors of eternity, must know thecraftsman who learns in affliction.

Our nerves, our glands, our brain donot of self know how to work ineternal realities. But when the thou-sand and more quivers and pounds ofpain are met in obedience of faith, theinner man bmvs in humility, learns inobedience, . and· the multiplication ofhappy blessings begins. Experience can

only come in this time when patiencelearns to rest in sweet submission towhatever God permits. With the ob-structions removed, with the innerroom shut out to the darkening shadesof the world, then God can open moreof the wonderful, wonderful of betterthings to come, glory revealed. Withhope abounding, the soul grows moresweet, and loye increases, always, ifwe permit.

"For now we see through a glass,darkly;"

It uoes give a lovely view, however,of the Dream of Tomorrow. Howeverclearly we focus this mirrored tele-scope, trained on Home, it will not beas beautiful as when we live in its ex-perience. We do see a ceaseless alwaysof happiness and complete satisfaction.Through the mists between, we can seedreamland blue waiting to be revealed.Our swing of hope carries a happy childhigh in exuberant delight over the beau-ties of the land of Tomorrow. Wonder-ing faces look over the scenic harborsand towering mountains on earth, overinto the soft, light, wondrously beau-tiful colors of its rainbow-sunrisedhorizon.

"... but then face to face: ... "Time's irresistible dash for the ex-

panses of eternity is continually bring-ing us closer to "then". What a mar-veilous moment it will be when we willsee our Saviour in person, never to beparted. We looked and now look byfaith, and saw Him suffering at Cal-vary. We felt His call, and came toCalvary. He came to live in us, andthrough the seconds on earth is ourcomfort and is forever our guide. Andthen we shall see Him as He is. "Thineeyes shall see the king in his beauty:"Behind us, the little pause of a pil-grim's pilgrimage. Before us, the reach-lessness of forever. With us, our glori-ous Saviour, our joy, our beauty, ourlife, our all.

Really at home! The familiar streetsof hope fulfilled. Gone forever will bethe lonesome past houses of earth, thatlost the ring of the familial' voices. Wewill happily rejoice, and forever. Herecomes one whom time's joul'ne;y has

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put space between. It is a familiar lovedone, a familiar voice. Oh, how happy "\vewill be! vVe shall he together enfoldedin the arms of His protection. Real.· ..we read the photographs in the future... not from time's memory, but fromGod's revelation ... really "face tofactt' with our Saviour and with thosein His love! The laughter and love ofloved ones together will be for ahvays.

" ... now I know in part; but thenshall I know even as also I am known."

\Ve fly through the pilgrim life.VV e~re only moments out of home. Withthe rough weather you and I must en-dure, let us then keep a seasoned eyeon the control panel. Through pain andsickness, temptation and disappoint-ment, we should hope more and moreof "the glorious after". There is no de-feat that can plummet us downward ifwe keep in our ears the ·steady direc-tional beamed from heaven. He makesbeautiful the flying. Let His love di-rect your view, moment by moment,over there where the soft, beautiful,blue jewels a glorious skyline. Lookover there, where all the world's abeau-ty with the glory of God. Look, and thepath, the daily, foot stepped path of thehourly struggle, is bathed in wondrousLight ... the shining light that shinesmore and more unto the perfect day.

"And now abideth faith, hope, char-ity, these three; ... "

These are originals that will designus in the success of home. They ac-quaint us while here with the customsand language of home. They make itplain how distasteful are the foreignand fleeting ways and fashions of theworld. They make it pointedly clearhow empty and museum-encased arethe hollow vaults of the masses. Theyattach our longings to the land ofpromise. They knit our fellowship andfamily ties to the hearts there. Theycondition our hearts to fit in with va-cation beauty, for something at thebest.

The world of Tomorrow ... its im-pulses will always be satisfied. Its dra-matic will be unceasing It will be al-ways carpeted with His softness, andwe will walk with springy and gay

steps forever. Its touch of beauty findsno interpretel· who can now perfectlyvisualize to ns what eye has never seennor ear heard. It will have the com-mon, hUlllble touch that we love, anda communion of heart to heart. Theworld of Tomorrow, where real love,,-ill keep its loved ones. VVhereeternalyouth will be an actuality. Where thecolor of the Artist will be balanced inHis glorious taste for perfection.

r;'aith is our lllap that directs us inthe faithfulness of God. It is the titledeed, recorded in the sureness of Hispromises, for Home. It is the convic-tion that those reflections we see asin a mirror lake now have a colorfulreal awaiting. It has the eyes that lookin the distance, that travel first classin happy rejoicing. Faith views thebeauty of heaven's shore-line, and looksto the loveliness of a sky-line of a com-ing city. It trains its ears for heaven'sovertones, where ·all unseen universe isadrift in the soft, rapturous sweetnessof Tomorro·w.

Hope sky-lights our world with theadream hues that glisten beyond theseen horizon. In the depth of its far-off beauty are scenes so lovely the cas-cading waters and color-changing can-yon walls are far out-shone. It is thecontemplation of the inner man, as helooks o,-er the harbor, beyond fleecywhite clouds, into a far-off blue. It isin the lad \vith wonderment, sailinginto new horizons, in the seasoned ma-riner who has weathered many a stormand knows perfect loveliness is justahead. It lifts you over the clouds oftemptation, and everything that beatsthe frail bark. It glistens the flight ofTomorrow, and rainbows the tears withits Light.

" ... but the greatest of these is char-ity."

Love is not limited by the dimensionsof time, nor those of space. It is thelife of the omnipotent One. Yet it isthe powerhouse that in this time be-lieves and hopes, bears and enndures."Vhen we are smoothly running in itsglory, then there is happpy travellingand thoughts are of a perfect vacationbeginning and never- ending. The

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THE SILVER LINING 11ganges of happiness are sensitive tothis wonderful charity, and dull mo-ments can always be traced to a mis-take that is in some form or other notlove. So the road of happiness is thatbeautifully paved and prepared way wehave endeared in our heart. Its delightsand sweetness are hidden and appearluxurious in the love that leaves theself and serves others, in descriptionof His commandments.

In love, we will one day be at homeand find it is neither an unacquaintedplace nor is its people unknown. Whenwe have turned that last bend in theroad, it 'will be a familiar and joyfulsight that will greet us. The things ofearthly toilage will seem faint andstrange. There will be the familiar

street that unseen love has become ac-customed to. There will be the familiarhouse of our hope that will be endearedforever. And there will be the familiar,yet new, faces of the morn ... the lov-ing hearts that our longing hearts nowpress in memory and hope. Yes, love'sendearing charm of forever yet holds •us one in Him, and one day will bringus face to face and forever. More realthan consciousness of existence is thisglorious Life ... here is the splendorthat soars our hope into the unprece-dented grandeur that only He could do.All we can think and realize and hope... and more the perfect gloriousone hundred the ages to come .the world without end.

NEWSPEORIA, ILLINOIS Carl Hoerr and Evelyn Reuter, both

Brother Henry Hartman of Peoria of Peoria, were united in marriage onpassed away. Funeral and burial was January 22.at Morton on August 16, 1956. Funeral Joe Aberle of Burlington, Oklahoma,and burial services for Dave Weigand and Albert Fisher of Chicago were vis-of Montana were held in Peoria July iting ministers on July 5. Emanuel27. Sister Emily Stickling of Peoria Gudeman of Cissna Park was in Peoriadied; funeral was May 21. The funeral on May 6. Noah Schrock of Oakvilleof Brother Chris Hoerr Sr. was May 28. was in Peoria on May 27. June 24, JoeThe funeral of Sister Anna Baer was Getz from Morton, and July 1, AlbertJuly 14. The funeral of Sister Lydia Scheitlin and Herman Kellenberger ofSutter was April 28. The Funeral of Elgin, Illinois, were in Peoria.Brother Sam Un sicker was April 17. Dave Keiser of Princeville was in

'fIle funeral of Brother Stani Hon- Peoria on March 18, and on .Januaryegger was February 26. The funeral of 8, David Mangold and Joe Hodel wereSister Rose Miller was January 2, and in Peoria.services of the funeral of Sister Anna Baptized on July 1 were Eugene andKellenberger was December 21. Velma Kellenberger. John Woerner

The wedding of Robert Miller and was baptized on February 26.Betty Woerner, of Peoria, took place On June 24, after knowing that theon August 5. Jim Knobloch of Prince- following were of like faith, the fol-'ville was united in marriage to Helen lowing were given full membership inStauh of Peoria on June 10. On May 27, our memberhood: Alex Simon, Clara Si-Howard Herman of Peoria and Naney ~ mon, Ben Vogel, Eliz Vogel, LillianMartin of Roanoke were united in holy Meister, Alfred Simon, Louise Simon,matrimony. Robert Waibel of Peoria Emily Simon, Lydia Simon, Hebert Er-and Ethel Hodel of Cissna Park were kert, Christina Erkert, Madge O'Moran,married on May 13. Dick Aeschleman Henry Simon, Margaret Simon, Marthaof Peoria and Rose Ann Knobloch of Simon, and Fredda Christ.Princeville were united in marriage on The follo"\\ing is the sick list. TheseMay 20. are all shut-ins; remember them with

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.:!

i!:I'[

fII'I

liI

t

a card or letter.Sister Eunice Getz, Detweiler Drive ;

a sister, Mrs. Paul Sauers, 817 LinnSt.; Sister Emily Hoerr, St. FranCisHospitaJ; Sister Marie Martin,' St.Francis Hospital; Sister Anna' Schu-bert, 409 Lawndale Ave.; a sister, Mrs.

• .John Schwenger,' 103 N.University; asister,:Mr~. 'Lydia Pfistel>, 507 N. Sher-idan; Brothel' August Veirling, 5028CircleConrf; Sister Lydia Wertz, 1005W. Gift; Sister Louise Ginzel, 205Frye ; and 'a sister, Mrs. Rudie H('~rr,305 Elmhurst.,

'LATTY. OHIO

The wedding engagement of Brothel'Darl Stoller, Latty, and Sister IvaFunk, Cis~ma Park, Illinois, was re-cently announced. They plan to be mar-ried on September 16.

,Two new, souls were added to the"fold on July 29. Sister Pauline Stollerand Brother Rayrodnd Klopfensteinwere proved and baptized.,Sister Shirley Gerber, Latty, and

Brother .John Feichter, :Bluffton, wereunited in marriage August 5.

Mr. and Mrs. Norman Stoller are theparents 0,£ a son, Neil Lynn, born July31.

Sister Bertha Stoller is convalescingafter a fall which resulted in a brokenhip. We all wish her a very speedy re-covery.

There were some unusual vis-itors with us recently. Mr. and

'Mrs. Chisholm, who are American citi-zens, but now reside in Pusan, Korea,spent the week end with Mr. and Mrs.Kenneth Stoller and visited our assem-bly on Sunday. Mr. and Mrs. Chisholmhave been )iving in Korea for approxi-mately 35 years doing missionary work.Also, he iR a surgeon and medical doc-tor and has done a lot for the Koreanpeople in th~, way of medi,cal help. Theehis.holm home was the meeting placefor a number of our soldiers while sta-tioned in Korea. The boys learned tolove the Chisholms for ,their hospitality.

There was also another visitor from

Korea, Shill Tong Haull, who is Koreanborn. He is presently going to collegein our country taking agriculture andforestry. He expects to return to Koreasome day and teach his people moremodern ways of agriculture. He livedin Seoul, Korea, and worked in the ar-my kitchen with Kenneth Stoller forapproximately a year. He -stated thathe enjoyed the day at Latty very muchand it was the happiest, day since heleft his country. He further stated thathe was very much disappointed in theAmerican "so-called" Christians" as a'whole, as they allow themselves far toomuch liberty and still consider them-,selves Christians. He was, firmly con-vinced that a real Christian walk wasclearly in evidence in the ApostolicChristian faith.

WOLCOTTNew Arrivals:

Mr. and Mrs. Vernon' Schwab arethe parents' of a son, Jonathan Paul,born July 1.

A SOIl. was also born to Mr. and Mrs.Harold Lehman on July 9 and has beennamed David Lynn.

Mrs. Pete Luthi and Lloyd Kybm:zare both recovering from recent sur-gery.

Edward Kyburz, Jr., is a patient atRoss Sanitorium in Lafayette recover-ing from tuberculosis.

We enjoyed having a group of Bluff-ton folks with us on July 29 and hadBro. John Yergler as our visiting min-ister.

TAYLOR, MISSOURIBaptismal services, conducted by

Bro. Noah Schrock, were held on June17th for Josephine Brown and Nancy,Hodel of Quincy, Ill., and on July 29th,for J oann and Rosemary Hoerr andMr. and l\'Irs.Clarence Kolthoff, all ofTaylor. '

Louis Hoerr was inducted into theservice on June 20th. He is receiving hisbasic training at Fort Sam Houston,Texas.

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Mrs. Raymond Hoerr left for Ger-many Aug. 5th, where she will join herhusband who is stationed near Stutt-gart.

A daughter was born to Mr. andMrs. Roy Grimm on July 4..The Sunday Schooi picnic was held

on July 1st,' also entertained were someof the members of the Bible Class andtheir parents from Princeville, Ill.

Several of the members of our churchattended evening services at Pulaski,la., on July 16. Services were conduct-ed by Ben Maibach, ,Jr., of Detroit,Mich.

Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Sutter returnedfrom a three weeks trip to Sacramento,Calif., where they visited her motherand other relatives.

MORTONBro. Sam Aeschliman of Bluffton,

Ind., conducted services for John Kip-fer, who passed away April 30. He issurvived by his wife, Anna M., anddaughter, Margaret.

Funeral services were held on May7 for Miss Emma Zobrist, 63, who diedat the home of her sister, ~frs. HarleySmith.

(Bro. and Sis.)Mr; and Mrs. HenryRapp spent Sunday in Cissna Parkwith her mother, Sis. Emma Keubler,who celebrated her 91st birthday.

A daughter was born on Apr. 28 toMr. and Mrs. Alvin Neukomm.

Funeral services were held at theWilkey Funeral Home in Tremont andburial in the Morton Cemetery for Mrs.Caroline Aupperle, (88 years old)June 8. She was the sister of Miss KateLindauer and Mrs. Chris. Sinn.

Bro. Joe Getz assisted with commun-ion services in Goodfield on June 3rd;also in Fairbury on May 27.

A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs.Joe C. Witzig June 12.

The coming marriage of Bro. GaryFite and Sister Velda Leman of Fair-bury was announced.

Mr. and Mrs. Rudolph Kilgus and

family of Fairbury have moved to Mor-ton.

Sister Kate Stieglitz is convalescingat the homeof her sister, Mary Roecker,after falling and breaking her hip.

Bro. Ben Maibach of Detroit, Mich.,conducted services here on July 18.

A daughter was born to Bro. andSis. Harold Witzig July 28.

Bro.• Joe Wittmer of Berne, Kans.,and Bro..Joe Strahm of Sabetha, Kans.,visited with us Sunday, July 29.

The funeral of Lulu Kaufman washeld July 26th.

Sis. Minnie Schock, 73, died at herhome July 24. Funeral services wereheld on July 27.

Bro. Otto N01'1' of Leo conductedservices here Sunday morning, Aug. 5,and Bro. Joe Aupperle of Kiowa, Kans.,held services in the evening.

ELGIN, IOWAOn May 6, the engagement of Sister

Norma Pulfer and Bro. William L.Butikofer (SP-3), Ft. Ord, Calif., wasannounced. The wedding date has notbeen set till his army service expiresin August.

On June 3, Bro. Paul Banwart ofWest Bend, Ia., officiated at· the wed-ding of Sister Ruth Pulfer and Bro.Lynn Rinkenberger of Gridley, Ill.They will make their home at Gridley,Ill. Relatives and friends from Grid-ley, Morton, Pekin, and Roanoke, Ill.,and West Bend, la., attended.

On ·July 5, Bro. Noah Schrock of Oak-ville, Ia., conducted funeral services forBro. Emil Moore. For the past twoyears he had been in ill health, priorto that he had served in the church asminister,· and will be missed by thechurch, the family and friends. Oursympathy is extended to the family.Many from a distance attended the fu-neral.

On July 7 a son, David Paul, wasborn to Mr. and Mrs. Paul Pulfer. Mrs.Pulfer's mother,-Mrs. Ernest Welti, ofRockville, Conn., came to stay with the

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family a few weeks.On July 8, Bro. Fred Grimm of Tay-

lor, Mo., conducted services for Openhouse. Others from a distance that at-tended were Mr. and Mrs. Will Buti-kofer, Lorna Steffen, Ronnie and J ose-phine Brown of Quincy, Ill., Mr. and~irs. Paul Butikofer and Timmy, Mr.and Mrs. Eli Sutter, Taylor, Mo., Mrs.Rose Frieden, LaGrange, Mo., Mr. andMrs. Ezra Steffen, Elgin, Ill., Mr. andMrs. Chris Martin, Princeville, Ill., andMr. and Mrs. Chris Elsasser, Edelstein,Ill.

On July 15, dedication services wereconducted by Bro. Ben Maibach of De-troit, Mich. Other churches represent-ed were: Oakville, Ia. ; West Bend, Ia.·Pulaski, Ia. ; Lester, Ia. ; Morris, Minn. ;Winthrop, Minn.; Elgin, Ill.; Taylor,Mo.; Forrest, III.; Bay City, Mich.

TOLEDOServices were held in the main As-

sembly Room of our new church for thefirst time on August 5, although thechurch is not quite completed. We areglad to commenceSunday School class-es again, as we haven't had them since:l\'Iay27th in our old church.

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Stevens have anew daughter, Nancy, born April 23.

Mr. and Mrs. Edward Stevens havea new son, Brent, born July 12.

JAPAN

1408 Kaneko-MachiChofu-Shi, Tokyo-ToJapanApril 22, 1956

Job 28 :28 "And unto man he said,Behold, the fear of the Lord, that iswisdom; and to depart from evil is un-

.derstanding."Today has been an inspirational day

for those of us in Japan who this day.gathered together here in our littlehome for worship service and the chil-dren's Sunday School. The text for thismorning service was from Acts, the

third chapter, with emphasis on the6th verse where Peter said, "Silver andgold have I none; but such as I havegive I thee:" Truly there are more val-uable gifts than silver and gold whichwe can share with others, especially ifwe have realized our own insufficiency,and our own lost condition and fulfilledthe teaching of verse 19 to "Repent ...and be converted, that your sins maybe blotted out... " The word 'converted'refers of course to conversion to Christ.If we have Christ and He has us weare then in a position to share with oth-ers God's message of salvation, the loveof God, a smile based on peace withGod, plus a sympathetic understandingof others' heartaches and concerns.These gifts are more valuable by farthan silver and gold.

The Sunday School lesson was basedon one of the Ten Commandments,"Thou shalt have no other gods beforeme." Sister Kazuko taught the 24 chil-dren present and explained that themany gods here in Japan are not living,that they are man-made and that thereis only one true and living God whohas created all. It was also pointed outthat a new bicycle, baseball, niceclothes, etc., can become our god if weput those things ahead of devotion tothe true and living God and perhapsno longer come to Sunday School.

The house of worship which is beingbuilt in the country is to be completedwithin five weeks. We plan to have adedication service the first part of.June. A very small dwelling house isbeing built behind the church and isto be completed at the same time. 'Vehere in Japan are indeed grateful toall in America who contributed towardthis building project and particularlywish to express our appreciation. Wetrust and do believe that these build-ings will be a blessing and not a hin-drance to God's work.

The church building itself is expect-ed to seat between 100 and 150 adults,if the balcony is utilized. It really isn'tso very large. It is designed for SundaySchool with the main room having slid-ing doors which divide it into threeclass rooms, each class room having

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T.HIID 'SILVER, LINING 15acapaeity of about 50 children; 'Ve willjJr()bablynever have' adult. services andSunday School at the same time.

There is a baptistry built in underthe pnlpit. Tllere are flannel boardsand black boards built in along the leftwall f()'r'the nse of t~e Sunday Schoolteachers.

'l'here isa great deal of hand ,workinvolved in the construction of a build-ing here. We have seen ,no electricequipment in the vicinity, of -thebnild-ing. R,afters, etc., are notched and madeto inferIock. ]'ew nails are used. Boltsand iron braces are used some. The in-ner plaster work in the walls is donewith mud and straw.

-There is still about' one·third acre ofland on the church plot which is notcovered by the buildings. That is a lotof ground in J apan. We plan to raiseFlowers there, chrysanthemums. Akirais to be manager of the enterprise andis to be assisted by Yoshito, the 15 yearold lad in the country whom you prob-ably' remember, as he is one of thosewho have put their trust in Christ, andturned from those things which wouldhinder the spiritual life. Yoshito's fa-ther is in the flower-raising business.It is to be the church's business withappropriate wages going to those whodo the work. Lois and I will get in onsome of the work and some of thewages, too, we hope. According to Mr.Utsuki, who is a tax expert, it is pos-sible in Japan for a non-profit organi-zation to be in such a business withoutpaying any tax:, providing all profitsgo to the church and not to any indi-vidual. Appropriate wages can be paid.If this business is successful and Godblesses, we have hopes of the churchhere being self~supporting financiallywithin 3 or 4 years. Also, we hope tqbe able to offer employment and as-sistance to those who may be excom-municated from their parent's home be-cause of their devotion to ,Jesns Christ.Scriptural teachings make it quite im-possible to follow the cu~toms of J ap-anese society in case of a relative's fu-neral, etc. '

Speaking of custom, not too manyyears ngo1 it was the custom here in

.Japan for the maids nt hotels to 'wash,the feet of traVelers who stopped at thehotel for the night. Even today it isnot an embarrassing thing for the host-essin a country home to wash the 'feetof '(1 visitor who has been·'walking'on:the dusty road, especially if he is bare~foot except for wooden:sandals. How--eyer; some of our customs, even sucha common one as shaking hands, is bothawk\vard 'and embarrassing to Japan-ese living in the'rural areas.

I expect to continue my status in J a-pan as a student but have applied tothe .Japanese government to do outsideactivity which I hope will permit meto drop out of the university for a termif I desire or to take only ,apartial load.,We wish to spend as much time as pos-sible at the church in the country.

We wish to thank all those who re-member us and God's work here inprayer. Please ask the Lord also tohelp us make our home a proper spir-itual retreat for the service men whooccasionally visit us. Please ask alsofor the presence of the Holy Spirit tobe wi th us.

Lois and Kazuko have searched dili-gently for appropriate illustrative ma-terial for teaching God's Word to t4echildren in' our Sunday School classes.It should be made in Japan so that anyprinting on it will be in Japanese. Loisdropped language study for 3 months inorder ,to devote more time to SundaySchool work. They found some satis-factory material but we have had toresort to making our own handworkwhich is usually a mimeographed pic-ture which tells a Bible Story and hasa memory verse in Japanese. Sister Ka-zuko does the art work in the drawingof the stencil.

Hideko and Satoyoshi, the two girlsin the country, still attend our meet-ings and we believe are growing ingrace and understanding. Then thereis the young man, Yoshito, as well asthe older couple, Mr. and Mrs. Take-shita, who worship and fellowship withus having common faith in JesusChrist.u Here in the .Toky·oarea thereare Sister' Kazuko, Akira, and theyoung lad, Kiyoko, from the Akabane

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16 THE SILVER LINING

poor home, which we sometimes refer toas an orphanage. 'The~e all, we hope andtrust, will be able to say at the endof their life-time, as did the ApostlePaul, "I have finished my course, Ihave kept the faith", but we do notmean to insinuate that they are with-out their struggles or that they nevermake a mistake, any more than Loisand I are without our struggles or that'we never make a mistake. Yet we havea hope that we and they together, bythe grace of God, will some day becounted among the faithful.

Although there have been times ofdiscouragement since Lois and I cameto Japan, we are very grateful to ourLord that we have been able to retainthe vision and assurance that we shallhave a part in carrying out His willhere on earth, for this purpose werewe born into this world.

Unlike the usual stimulating storiesyou hear of this sort of work, one at-tempting to teach God's Word in aland away from home is usually putunder pressures, which include lan-guage study, correspondence, and thework itself, probibly in that order.

May I leave with you the followingthought which ran through my mindone day. "If we have trouble forgivingothers we should remember we are notso pe~fect ourselves; except in thesense that we are the recipients ofChrist's perfection through faith. Inour flesh there dwelleth no good thing."I refer you to Phil. 3:9 and Romans7:18.

Followers of the Lord Jesus Christ,Willis and Lois Ehnle.

ETERNITY, ETERNITY,ETE;RNITY!

How lono' is endless time to beWhich h:s its name "eternity"?No human mind can full perceive,I ts endless length in mind, receive.

These years on earth ... how short theyseem.

Just like a shadow, like a dream,Less than a drop in boundless sea ...Compared to long eternity.

All grief on earth, tho' long will last,Sooner or later, all is past.Not so with long eternity'1'0 which no end will ever be!

A treasure great in heaven's bliss,That we can know of, will be this:To know it will forever last,Never more it will be past.

But also in the other placeFor all who must its horrors face,The very great pain for them it is'.ro know there is no end to this.

POOR ONLY CHILD"All but one," what does this mean?With deep grief, it must be seenThough all the rest the truth will find,One of them could stay behind.

Is it God's will that it be so?In one accord we all say "no,"If this one child be lost forever,God's not to blame, oh never, never.

Poor only child, think what 'twould beIn endless, long eternity,To know. mv chance was like the rest,But I aIlI lost, and they are blest.

Without a sob ... without fears,I did see, for me, their tears.Now their fall no more I see,rrhoRewho once did plead ... for me.

"I am now a poor lost sheep,Without hope," forever weep!To days of grace, no 'more can turn,Because Christ's bidding I did spurn.

Oh, only child, make up your mind,And turn to Christ, who is so kind.Wi th the rest, you then can be,Blest in all eternity!

The best in Life's the silI!-plest,Love will last when wealth is gone;Just be glad that you are living,And keep cheering someone on.