oul].
"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee."
Everyone should find his own, should find it in his experience, find it
by personal investigation and study of the Bible and through spiritual
realization.
We should live in peace with all men, be able to rejoice evermore, "to
pray without ceasing"; that is, we should always be in an attitude to
receive that which is good and never admit that which is
negative;--hate, antagonism or fear,--but we should welcome love and
that which we know expresses the "Infinite Presence." Antagonism, hate,
discords prevent us from living our hundred years. "Certain classes of
men shall not live out half their days."
The last moment before going to sleep should be one of peaceful rest.
Say "Not my will but Thine" and give up everything to the Infinite and
Eternal.
My own best help is thanksgiving and praise. When I cannot give up the
thoughts and conflicts of the day, I can bring my whole being into
reposeful rhythm best by expressing thanks that I can be awake and that
I have shared in the life of a day. I praise the Infinite Presence that
I can know beauty when I see it, that I can understand truth and know
that two times three are not seven and that I can participate in the
goodness of the universe. Then, before I know it, I have laid aside the
conflicts of the day and have passed into peaceful and harmonious rest.
This method of thanksgiving especially applies to those times when I
wake up in the middle of the night.
* * * * *
Returning to Pippa, we find her retirement to her own room and her
method of going to sleep no less suggestive as an example than her
awakening.
She met the first wakening moment with joy and praise as she resolutely
put aside the dark thought of her life and went singing all through the
day with the same spirit of thanksgiving and love for all mankind.
Now she comes back to her room weary and discouraged, as we nearly all
do. She knows nothing of what her songs have accomplished, nothing of
the wonderful influence that has been exercised. In her disheartened
moment she sees the sunset in the dark cloud and thinking over the day
she would like to know what she really has done.
Yet she checks herself and returns to her morning hymn and keeps her
faith and trust. "Results belong to the Master, Thou hast no need to
measure them." She becomes very humble, willing, and submissive to the
h
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