Evening Republican, Volume 59, Number 95, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 May 1917 — SHADOW BEFORE SUNSHINE [ARTICLE]

SHADOW BEFORE SUNSHINE

Life of Joseph Is an Earnest as to What Christian Should Be Willing to Look Forward. "Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a fountain; his branches run over the wall.” These words are a part of Jacob’s prophecy regarding his son Joseph; they picture the sunshine period in the life of a man who was not unacquainted with the shadow. Like many another, Joseph began hie life in the favored light of pampered home surroundifags. Then came his captivity, and with his slavery new lessons and opportunities to be of help to others. He uses his poetic gift to interpret the dreams of his fellow prisoners, and this leads him to the court of Pharaoh, and on to the office of premier of the king of Egypt. From his hour in the dungeon he begins to tread a new road, the road of help to others. His early selfishness slowly drops from him, and when his brethren come seeking help from famine, Joseph is ready with forgiveness and the greatness of soul that marks the capacity of the man. With many a man or woman, it is the captivity that precedes the true freedom. Out of the cloud the sun breaks forth, and as we look back upon the dark places of our life journey, we thank God for the shadow; that introduced us to the sunshine, because it turned our selfishness into service, ‘ converted our pride into prayer, made our sorrow the key to* sympathy, helped ns to save our lives* by teaching us to give them to others* in their need. The trouble with the* boy Joseph was that everything seemed easy for him, there was no shut door, no obstacles to overcome and no sense of need in his heart. His star was always in the ascendant, his sheaf always outgrew the sheaves of his brethren. He was lost in his sunshine, he could be saved only by the shadow. . Is my life filled with burdens? Do I know the sting of poverty? Has the promise of my morning been broken by the failure of ideals, by the mist and the rain? God is leading through shadow to sunshine. Let me remember Joseph.