they will see on the shore of the troubled sea of their
little day's life the form of One whose presence will give them
strength and confidence, and who will help them to victoriousness.
Before his sweet smile the shadows flee away. At his word new strength
is given, and, after that, work is easy, and all goes well again.

Men, too, in their busy life, are continually called to struggle,
ofttimes to suffer. Life is not easy for any who would live truly.
Work is hard; burdens are heavy; responsibility is great; trials are
sore; duty is large. Life's competitions are fierce; its rivalries are
keen; its frictions sometimes grind men's very souls well nigh to
death. It is hard to live sweetly amid the irritations that touch
continually at most tender points. It is hard to live lovingly and
charitably when they see so much inequity and wrong, and sometimes must
themselves endure men's uncharity and injustice. It is hard to toil
and never rest, earning even then scarce enough to feed and clothe
those who are dependent on them for care. It is hard to meet
temptation's fierce assaults, and keep themselves pure, unspotted from
the world, ready for heaven any hour the Lord may come.

It is no wonder that men are sometimes discouraged and lose heart.
They are like those weary disciples that spring morning on the Sea of
Galilee, after they had toiled all night and had taken nothing. But
let us not forget the vision that awaited these disciples with the
coming of the dawn--the risen Jesus standing on the shore with his
salutation of love and his strong help that instantly turned failure
into blessing. So over against every tempted, struggling, toiling life
of Christian disciple, Christ is ever standing, ready to give victory
and to guide to highest good.

Life would be easier for us all if we could realize the presence and
actual help of Christ in all our experiences. We need to care for only
one thing--that we may be faithful always to duty, and loyal to our
Master. Then, the duller the round and the sorer the struggle, the
surer we shall ever be of Christ's smile and help. We may glory in
infirmities, because then the power of God rests upon us.

It is not ordinarily in the easy ways, in the luxurious surroundings,
in the paths of worldly honor, in the congenial lot, that the brightest
heavenly visions are seen. There have been more blessed revealings of
Christ in prisons than in palaces, in homes of poverty than i