I think that is always the way when we trust in Christ.  He has promised never to leave us nor forsake us, and we can rely upon His word.

THE HAPPY MAN

Once upon a time there was a king who was very rich, but very unhappy.  He had a beautiful marble palace, with extensive parks and grounds, fine horses and carriages, but he was not happy.

So one day he called together his court-messengers, and sent them out into the world, telling them to travel far and wide until they found a man who was happy beyond all others, and when they found him, to take off his shirt and bring it to him.  For he thought that perhaps by wearing this shirt he might gain the happiness he sought.

The messengers went forth, and after a long search finally found a man who seemed happier than all his fellows.  And as he sat singing in the sunshine the king’s messengers pounced upon him to take away his shirt; but lo, when they took his coat off they found he had no shirt!

The story means this, that happiness does not depend upon what you have or have not.  It comes from within, and not from without.  If you have the right spirit you will have a song, riches or not.  But if you have not the right spirit you will not be happy, no matter what you have.

A SERMON FOR THE BOYS

A teacher said the other day that ninety boys out of every hundred who fail in grammar schools and high-schools smoke tobacco.  He says also that boys who smoke are nearly all unruly and disobedient in school.  And he says again, that boys who get their lessons well and stand high in grammar-schools take lower marks in high-school if they begin to smoke in high-school.  This ought to be enough to make any boy stop and think before he begins to smoke, for it shows that it not only hurts a boy’s mind, but his morals also.

I think the reason most boys take up smoking is not because they like it, but because their schoolmates do it, and they want to be one of “the crowd.”  When you boil that down it means either that a boy wants to be smart, or else he has not courage enough to stand alone; that is, he is a coward.

You would not think much of a boy who was about to enter a race and, just before he entered it, hurt his foot on purpose, so that he could not run his best, would you?  Well, that is just what every boy does who smokes:  it hinders him in the race of life.  You ought not to smoke before you are twenty-one years old, because your body is not strong enough to stand it.  The safest way is not to smoke at all, but at least don’t smoke until you get your growth.

TIRE-TROUBLE