| The Every Day of Life |
Chapter 6 |
Page 6 |
It is often in sorrow that our lives are taught their sweetest songs. There is a story of a German baron who stretched wires from tower to tower of his castle, to make a great Aeolian harp. Then he waited to hear the music from it. For a time the air was still and no sound was heard. For a time the air was still and no sound was heard. The wires hung silent in the air. After a while came gentle breezes and the harp sang softly. At length came the stern winter winds, strong and storm-like in their forces. Then the wires gave forth majestic-music, which was heard near and far. There are human lives that never, in the calm of quiet days, yield the music that is in them. When the breezes of common care sweep over them they give out soft murmurings of song. But it is only when the storms of adversity blow upon them that they answer in notes of noble victorious-ness. It takes sore trouble to bring out the best that is in them.
“Spare not the stroke! do with us as thou wilt!
Let there be nought unfinished, broken, marred;
Complete thy purpose, that we may become
Thy perfect image, thou our God and Lord!”
Come what may, we should make our lives songs. We have no right to add to the world’s discords or to sing any but sweet strains in the ears of others. We should start no note of sadness in this world, which is already so full of sadness. We should add something every day to the stock of the world’s happiness. If we are truly Christ’s and walk with him we cannot but sing. If we live according to the law of God, which is really the law of our own inner spiritual life, our lives should be sweet songs.
“By thine own soul’s law learn to live;
And if men thwart thee, take no heed,
And if men hate thee, have no care -
Sing thou thy song, and do thy deed;
Hope thou thy hope, and pray thy prayer,
And claim no crown they will not give.”
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