THE UNCERTAINTY OF LIFE

     Life is likened to several things: To a vapor that appeareth for a moment -- then it is gone; to the waving green grass of the field that is soon cut down and withered; to a beautiful flower that sheds forth a pleasant fragrance, then fades and is cast aside. Yes, life is a mystery. There are many things concerning life and death which we cannot fathom. For instance:

     We can easily understand why a deformed or idiotic child should be taken out of a world of suffering; and we can readily see why a sickly and crushed wife might be taken from a brutal husband; or we can see the wisdom of God in translating a dear old saint who has accomplished his life's work and is fully ripened for heaven.

     But, I cannot comprehend why our girlie, who was clearly called to win souls, then spent a great deal of time and money in preparation for that work, just as she was beginning to enter upon life's work, and was recognized as a success by everyone who heard her sing, pray and preach -- for such an one, on the threshold of a joyful and useful life, to be prematurely cut down -- I confess this is hard to understand. I find no rebellion, but am completely crushed while waiting patiently for an explanation.

     Many passages of Scripture are comforting, but the one in Isaiah 57 :1 gives me the most satisfaction, namely, "The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away; none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come." We do not readily "consider" that God in mercy may see best to kiss one away from the unseen evil down the pathway of life. It seems to be beyond our comprehension.

     We are so finite that we cannot see very far; hence poor humanity has tried to fix it up and extend our vision. We call it "extension life." We have the microscope to magnify at close range, and the telescope to see out yonder, things that we could not otherwise behold. We have another extension, to our hearing, namely, the radio and the telephone, by which we can hear thousands of miles.

     In like manner, faith has an extension; our precious daughter, Evangeline, is perhaps now looking over the battlements of Glory, and saying to her fond papa, "What are you weeping about? I have laid aside the telescope and the radio; you are still using them, but I am 'face to face' with my Lord. You now 'see through a glass darkly,' but shortly you, with me, will see Him 'face to face.' Why should you ask me to come back and use these cheap inventions of man? I am 'face to face."

     We had a beautiful little garden at our home. There were several nice flowers therein, but the Master-Gardener came along lately and plucked the rarest flower. He had a perfect right to do so; perhaps He wanted to decorate a little in heaven.

     More than eighteen months ago we made a present of our first-born child to a gifted and noble young man -- Rev. Walter Surbrook. On his recent birthday, March 4, he would have naturally expected a gift, but, instead of receiving one, he gave to his Lord the best he had. God bless you, my magnanimous son, and give something back to you more precious than you have given to Him!

     Just as a money-lender sometimes recalls a loan (for he wants to get a higher rate of interest), so our Lord loaned to us a lovely child for some twenty-five years. He had a perfect right to recall this loan that He might receive more glory. In due time we hope to fully comprehend this mysterious providence.