ONE of God's methods is to bring good out of evil. But this is not a license to us to do evil that good may come, for it takes the skilful hand of God to work this miracle.
A lapidary brought a large and beautiful onyx to a distinguished artist for whom he had obtained many precious stones for carving.
"See how clear, pure and transparent this stone is," said the lapidary; "what a fine one for you to exercise your skill upon were it not for this one fatal blemish!" And he pointed out in one spot an underlying tinge of iron rust, which, as he said, "ruined the stone."
But the artist, with far-reaching sight, seized upon the onyx, and, having examined it attentively, purchased it. With matchless skill and delicacy, he wrought upon the stone, carving the graceful form of a lovely goddess. And by a wonderful exercise of ingenuity, by sharp cuts of his engraving tool, and by light and patient touches, he fashioned the spot which had been thought an irreparable blemish into a leopard skin, upon which rested the foot of the goddess—the contrasting colors enhancing the beauty of the lovely cameo.
As the artist, by patient skill and labor, changes the unsightly spot on the onyx into a beautiful decoration, so sometimes does God work upon his children. He sees in them some fault, some evil passion which blemishes the whole character, and he begins to use the discipline to give that moulding which, by slow processes it may be, will change the blemish into something lovely.
He may use sharp tools, and the work may be tedious and trying; but if we submit ourselves to his hand, and especially if—unlike the passive onyx—we ourselves, being conscious of our faulty character, use our own earnest endeavors, latent graces will gleam out where only blemishes were seen.—Selected.
