A Day at a Time, and Other Talks on Life and Religion

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Alexander Archibald. A Day at a Time, and Other Talks on Life and Religion

I. A DAY AT A TIME

II. GOD IN THE WHEELS

III. A TRIPLE BEST

IV. FINICAL FARMING

V. THE DOCTOR

VI. WELL AND NOW

VII. THE "WASHEN FACE" IN WAR TIME

VIII. THE REAL MARTHA

IX. OUR UNEARNED INCREMENT

X. SMOKING WICKS

XI. CULPABLE GOODNESS

XII. A KHAKI VIRTUE

XIII. THE OVERCOMING OF PANIC

XIV. THE DAY'S DARG

XV. GASHMU THE GOSSIP

XVI. GOD IN FRONT

XVII "UNBELIEF KEPT QUIET"

XVIII. THE EQUIPMENT OF JOY

XIX. THE GOD OF THE UNLOVABLE MAN

XX. UNDER THE JUNIPER TREE

XXI. INSTRUCTING THE CABIN BOY

XXII. GOD'S DOOR OF HOPE

XXIII. NOW-A-DAYS

XXIV. ROUNDABOUT ROADS

XXV. THE EXTRAVAGANCE OF LOVE

XXVI. THE ART OF "DOING WITHOUT"

XXVII. WONDER

XXVIII. THE FATHERHOOD OF GOD

XXIX. THE UNRETURNING BRAVE (EASTER DAY, 1915)

XXX. THE SACRAMENT OF SUNSET

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If any one of us knows a word of hope or has picked up a message of comfort anywhere, it is his plain duty to share it, these days. We owe it to each other to cherish as exceeding precious, and to pass on to others, every brave and helpful word or thought we come across.

Well, here is a splendid one for us all, and especially for those who have most at stake in this great conflict, and are looking anxiously ahead and fearing what the weeks may have in store, – "As thy days, so shall thy strength be." It is a great and glorious promise. And just a couple of verses further on, it is caught up and included in one greater still, – "The eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms." Fathers and mothers, with a boy, or more than one, perhaps, away on active service for King and country, this promise is for you, to take to your heart and hide there, like some precious secret between you and God, – As thy days, so shall thy strength be.

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Our forefathers in the pulpit were fond of reminding their hearers to live each day as if it were their last. And in solemn truth, without being in the least morbid, that is the way to live. If a man knew that after to-day, he would not smell the sea again, how fully and gratefully would he fill his lungs with its ozone to-day! If he knew he were not to enter God's House again, how earnestly and sincerely and reverently he would join in its worship to-day! Yes, but the point is, why should his hope, that he has other days to come, prevent him taking out of this day all that he possibly can? Why should this day be any less prized, because others in all probability will follow it?

But the great value of this word is the comfort of it to those who are anxious and fear the coming days. And which of us is not in that category? I do not suppose there is one of my readers upon whom, somehow or other, the war has not levied its tax. Nearly every one has somebody belonging to him or her who is in this gigantic struggle, and whose welfare is a matter of real concern. And, closer still, there are fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers, whose very dearest are "in it" or are getting ready to do their share. They have joined, and we are proud that they have joined, for this is a cause that ennobles every mother's son who fights for it. But who shall say what the mother's thoughts are, these days? How proud, and justly proud, the father is that his boy has played the man, and offered himself to his King and for his country! But only God, who made the father-and the mother-heart, knows what the surrender costs. And only God knows how eagerly and anxiously they look ahead to try to see what the future may hold.

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