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T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
February, 1933
the chattering women who stoned him to death and broke his sweet lyre. Is this child’s music to be silenced ? “ A fter Duane went— rather afraid o f a girl supposed to have complexes, I imagine—Mignon turned to seek God in her loneliness. She went to evangelistic meetings, and the sweet-faced wife o f the evangelist was helping her until scared off by Miss Leila, Miss Beulah, and Miss Gratiana. “ ‘We do not wish her to cry so much! Don’t sympa thize with her. She does not always register— what’s that? Pray be careful.’ “ It was after the evangelists went away that the girl lost heart. Then she began to spend days alone in the little house. She seemed to lose the life and color with which she once sparkled, poor dear, and her little freckles stood out staringly. And girls with more regular features but not half her charm or sweetness were exalted on every side at her expense. “ Oh, the why o f it— elderly unattached females jealous o f the girl’s charm! When I said as much to Mrs. Hernan, she patted my arm. “ ‘But some unmarried is unclaimed blessings,’ she re marked consolingly. Dear old North-of-Ireland woman! Her heart is as sweet and young as— as yours! “ Could you run up and meet Mignon ? “ Maria.” • * * * * * * “ I may run up north for the week-end,” said Uncle Alan to Elise and Pauline, upon reading this epistle. “ I cannot bear to see Christ’s abundant life, that He won for us, so misinterpreted.” Even as he spoke, Little Sister brought in a telegram: taking a correspondence Bible course (the Correspondence School of the Bible Institute offers several excellent ones), by learning to play a musical instrument, and in many other ways. This is important, for service for Him should have our very best. However, He is not dependent on your tal ents and natural ability, but will give you the gift He wants you to use. Have you been looking to your works rather than to the Holy Spirit for your power? It is “ not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord o f hosts” (Zech. 4 :6 ). He will give this enduement o f power to every yielded soul that will look to Him with a real desire to be filled with the Spirit. Are you sure you are fully yielded to His will? Are you willing to fill a small place faithfully if that be His will ? Are you willing to be a failure for God, as the world counts success and failure, if the Lord wants that; or are you longing for the satisfaction that comes from being able to accomplish things ? Remember, we do not always see results at first. One plants, another waters, but God gives the increase (1 Cor. 3 :6 , 7 ) . . I appreciate your longing to make your life tell for Him. The sense o f your own failure is a help rather than a hindrance to your success; it will make you lean hard on Him, knowing that it is only He who can work, and that you must be only an empty Channel.
. “ But now I ’m pleading my own cause I see! To be hon est, I flew north with my cigarettes, for fear of becoming too pious. And the first thing that has come to me is to be plunged into a needy human life ! I wish you could see her, lithe and graceful and red-haired, good lines— only they need filling out. But I fear the poor dear is too sad for that to happen yet. That is just why I am writing you—to ask how I can help. What can I do? I am so new at this! I am merely a roving bachelor maid, it seems, and yet— and yet one whose heart God hath touched. “ To go on, there’s a love affair in it— a certain hand some Duane Mulvaney from old Erin. He’s been sent packing by the aunts because he’s a grandnephew o f this perfectly obscure darling of a Mrs. Hernan. Oh, but there are two generations of college-bred progenitors between Mrs. Hernan and him ! Anyway, I like Mrs. Hernan bet ter than most any one here, so there! Duane seems to have had violet eyes with long lashes and a flair for red-haired girls. And they used to have tea in Mrs. Hernan’s ingle- nook. “ But Miss Leila managed to get hold of a pamphlet on psychoanalysis at this time. Mrs. Hernan is, of course, hazy on this modern horror of Freud. She only knew that Miss Leila did not like Mignon’s manner with Duane! ‘An ’ the poor lamb that innoc'ent!’ Well, Freud and all his crew ought to be chloroformed and painlessly removed. “ If Mignon had been the ordinary, happy-go-lucky type, she’d have laughed at the old maids— laughed it off everywhere, and so won her little world ! But she’s not or dinary. She’s a poet. She’s agonized as only a poet can, and a red-haired poet at that. And all I can think of is the ' old legend o f Orpheus, whose music was forever stilled by Dear Miss S co tt : I always enjoy reading T he K ing ’ s B usiness and am glad we can come with our perplexities to this new “ cor ner.” I am trying hard to serve my Master, but I seem to have so few talents. I do not sing or speak very well and have not had much chance to study the Bible under a good teacher ; and sometimes I grow discouraged trying to ac complish anything worth while for God. I seem such a failure! I see others doing much for Him, and I long to do the same. What would you advise my doing to equip my life for greatet; service ? — D iscouraged O ne . Dear Discouraged One: The way you sign your letter gives the first suggestion o f your need. God cannot use a discouraged Christian much until she gets her eyes away from the cause of dis couragement and onto Him. I wonder if you have not been looking at some one who is using the gift God has given her, and coveting her gift, instead o f finding out what particular gift the Lord has given you to use. Read prayerfully the twelfth chapter o f 1 Corinthians and note especially the eleventh verse. The Lord gives to each o f His children a gift, but it is a gift o f His choosing, not ours. He will use any talent you have, and you can add to your equipment for service by
Q ir ls QUERY CORNER Conducted by M yrtle E. S cott Questions for answer in this corner should be sent to Miss Scott, 8961 Dicks Street, West Hollywood, California. No name will be published.
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