ows and fears of which it knows nothing. But there comes a time to
every sensible and earnest young heart when it realizes the
transitoriness of all earthly things, and longs for something on which
the heart can take hold and rest. I do not believe any young person
fails of this experience sooner or later. It is a hunger of the heart
which nothing but the love of God can fill, and if, when it is first
felt, the heart only humbly and earnestly turns to God with high and
firm resolve to seek a knowledge of Him and His laws, to bring all
actions and plans of life into harmony with His revealed will, the
foundation of an enduring happiness is laid for this life, and doubtless
for the life to come.

But this desire and effort after a knowledge of God and obedience to His
will do not come without a struggle. We are strange and mysterious
creatures, having within us a nature that is most susceptible to
temptations, to do evil. Every one of us is conscious of a struggle
constantly going on in our hearts and lives between evil and good. The
temptations to selfishness, greed, unkindness, untruthfulness,
irreverence, indolence, are constant and severe until we have by long
conflict and repeated victory habituated our hearts to choosing the
right. Yet every victory over self and temptation helps us toward that
spiritual attainment which will in time enable us to say, with the sweet
psalmist of Israel: "The Lord is the portion of my soul; the Lord is the
strength of my heart; the Lord is my light and my salvation."

Most usually the heart first turns toward God with deep earnestness
through sorrow. There are many griefs and burdens of life which cannot
be alleviated or lightened in any way except by spiritual comfort and
help. And this spiritual comfort and help are among the deepest
realities of life. There is a strength, a happiness, a peace and a
support in sorrow which the world can neither give nor take away. How
priceless a blessing to possess! The saddest, darkest, most suffering
life can be irradiated and uplifted and enriched by this spiritual
blessing. The most fortunately circumstanced life may be made poor by
its absence. Dean Stanley tells us of a sister who for perhaps forty
years was a constant sufferer from spinal disease, and during that
period almost constantly confined to her couch. Yet her countenance was
irradiated with cheerfulness, and she seemed to inspire everyone who
came near her with comfort, and with ar