| Strength and Beauty |
Chapter 25 |
Page 7 |
The child needs the father’s care, guidance, counsel, and loving patience – now. A few moments given each day would make indelible impressions upon the boy’s soul, and bind him fast with chains of gold about the feet of God. But a little later it may be no use to try to bless his life. He will have passed beyond the period when even a father’s hand can mould his life.
Never leave out of your busy days love’s duties to your heart’s own, whatever else you may leave out. It were better to miss almost anything else in life than what affections demands. Work while you have the light; do the things that are most important, most sacred, most vital.
Over the doorway of the Cathedral of Milan is the inscription: “Only the eternal is important.” There are a great many things it is not worth our while to do. Some of us spend our days in poor trivialities which bless no one, and which will add no lustre to our crown. “Only the eternal is important.” Therefore “Walk while ye have the light, that the darkness overtakes you not.” Waste no opportunity. Despise no privilege. Squander no moment. There is just time enough in God’s plan for you to live your life well if you spend every moment of it in earnest, faithful duty. One hour lost will leave a flaw. A life thus lived in unbroken diligence and faithfulness will have no regrets when the end comes. Its work will be completed. It will not be night that then overtakes it in the mystery which men call death, but day, rather, the morning of eternity.
“Turn thy face unto the wall,
The weary day is done;
Be thy doings great or small,
Night draweth darkly on;
Thou no more hast part in all
The work beneath the sun;
Turn thy face unto the wall,
For day is done!
“Fold thy hands to peaceful rest
And happy dreams of home;
Lay them crosswise on thy breast–
No more thy feet shall roam.
The shadows deepen in the west,
And night is come!
“Weep not thou with sorrow bowed,
Low in the dust to lie;
The sun for aye behind the cloud
With gladness fills the sky;
E’en now he lifts his banner proud,
For morning is nigh!”
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