The Treasures of Darkness

“Tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope.’”’ — Rom. v. 8, 4. Pp hop

Wuo would have imagined that hope would be the child of tribulation? But, then, who would have dreamed that the beautiful yellow pond-lily would have been born and nourished in its bed of slimy ooze? Who would have thought that from coal-tar we could extract colours whose brilliance would make Solomon’s glory seem dim? Nay, who would have thought that from this same coal-tar, with its oppressive smell, we should derive some of our most delicate and exquisite perfumes? In coal-tar we can find the beauties of the dawn and the scent of the new-mown hay! And in tribulation we can find the strong grace of patience and the radiant grace of hope.

There is no dark experience from which) we cannot obtain the stuff of noble character, We can make the apparently unfriendly circumstance pay homage to our souls. ‘The clouds ye so much dread are big with blessing.”” Everything is not Ree) because it comes to us with a frown. A, gracious gift can come to us in a gay and tinted envelope, but it can also come to us in an envelope with a black border. And therefore it is part of the ministry of believers in Christ Jesus to show to the world whaty benediction may hide in dark things. We, are to be fine experts in growing lilies of peace in most unlikely places, and in deriving lovelier tints for the affections in the gloomy experiences of disappointment and apparent defeat. We are to make manifest that “‘ the things which happened unto us turned out rather to be the furtherance of the Gospel.”

Now graces, like diamonds resting on dark velvet, shine most resplendently against a foil of gloomy experience. It is so with peace in the midst of tribulation, it is so with hope in the time of general fainting, it is so with the joy of the Lord in the dark and cloudy day. When the noisome thing brings forth perfume, the scent is felt to be of a superlative kind. In Christ Jesus we are made competent to give this witness before the world. It is the promise of His word: “All things work together for good to them that love God.” Yes, even the dark things become the ground-bed of everlasting flowers. ‘‘ Tribulation worketh patience and patience hope.”