plans. Actually, they spent many hours preparing fo r the ascent. On a clear, crisp morning they started on their way. A fter they had le ft the grassy slopes o f the highlands, ropes, picks, and other im plements o f mountain climbing were brought out. Over the crags, across chasms, up beyond rugged precipices they continued until finally a fter much strain and exhaustion, they reached the summit. Doubtless there was a great sense o f achievem ent fo r each o f them. A s they began to take the packs off their backs, however, you can I im agine their disappointment as they found some un m istakable evidence. There w ere old tin cans and other rubbish indicating some one had been there earlier. Looking a little fu rth er they w ere greatly chagrined to discover on the other side o f the mountain a clear and nearly unobstruct ed pathw ay up the side. They had se lected the difficult approach, while the other way would have given them easy access. Yet, wasn’t their m istake typical o f many o f us today? We try to find solutions to our own problem s without bringing them, fir s t o f all, to the Lord. Then we wonder why there are so many fru stration s and discouragements we have to fa c e. L et us follow the divine exhortation to “Commit thy way unto the L o rd ; trust also in H im ; and He shall bring it to pass.” * * * If absence makes the heart grow fonder, there must be a lot of people who love the church. ★ * h DANGER OF EMPTINESS In the little province o f Segovia, a sm all portion located in the northern p art o f Spain, there is an interesting reservoir which now stands in ruins. Centuries ago workmen had constructed it out o f plain adobe. It is reported that 28
N O SPACE FOR SELF It was nearly 3SO years ago in Scot land that farm ers had a strange super stition. They would till all o f their a cre age w ith the exception o f one sm all por tion. This tiny section they called the “Goodman’s Croft." It was thought that by dedicating this little unworked land to the fo rces o f evil, the gods would be satisfied and not harm the rest o f the land. O f course, what actually happened w as that the w eeds grew here in pro fu sion and abundance. The seeds from this sm all plot w ere blown over the re m ainder o f the farm , thereby ruining the entire crop. Sometimes we reserve a space in our h ea rts; our own “Goodman’s C roft.” In essence we say to the Lord, “You can have all o f my life, but . . .” Then we set aside some selfish desire, some uncon fessed sin, some purpose outside o f His will, which we do not want to turn over to Him. It begins to grow like a rapidly spreading cancer. Spiritually speaking it ruins our joy and testimony fo r the Saviour. The exhortation is sounded fo r th again down through the corridors o f time, “Bu t put ye on the L ord Jesu s Christ, and m ake not provision fo r the flesh , to fulfill the lusts thereof. * No one can improve his work by tearing down the work of another. * * * THE EASY PATH There are b om again believers who, while they are saved, m ake things diffi cult fo r themselves by not follow ing the L ord each step o f the journey. News papers carried an interesting, and rath er amusing story o f a group o f people who decided to scale one o f the p eeks o f Colorado. They thought it hadn’t been climbed fo r sometime so they made their * *
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