THE ADVANTAGES OF DISADVANTAGE.
THE apostle Paul says, "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." Rom. 8:28. This is a good text to remember when circumstances seem to be against our good intentions. Paul's whole life experience, from the time of his conversion, was in demonstration of this fact. This was why he could so emphatically say, "We know," etc. One instance is particularly striking: He was anxious to visit Rome (Rom. 1:13; 15:22-24, 28, 29), but circumstances were apparently against his purpose for a long time; and just as he had finished all that he had in mind to do before starting, he was attacked by a mob in Jerusalem, and the police threw him into prison to save his life. Then followed charges against him by the Jewish authorities, and because some men had sworn to kill him, he was removed by night to Cæsarea. There, by delays in the trial of his case, and by changes in the governorship, he was kept a prisoner for two years or more. At last, however, on his appealing his cause to Cæsar, it was necessary for the government to send him to Rome. By this means he was taken to his desired destination at government expense, and permitted to do some important missionary work by the way. See Acts, chapters 27 and 28. But this was not all. On arriving in Rome, he was still kept in prison "two whole years;" but he was allowed to live in a house by himself (guarded by soldiers), and to receive all who would come to him to hear the Gospel. He was thus secured from any attack from the enemies of truth, to which he had been subjected in other cities. Moreover, through his connection with the soldiers, he gained the attention of people in the emperor's palace, and some of them were converted. Phil. 4:22. It is just possible that he could not have reached these in any other way, and that he enjoyed much freedom in proclaiming the Gospel, of which he would have been in various ways deprived had he come to Rome privately and been nominally at liberty. While Paul was a state prisoner, his personal enemies and the enemies of the truth were also restricted against doing him harm. Here is a lesson for the servants of Christ in our time, who are wont to become discouraged because of untoward circumstances. One of our brethren in Canada, Brother G. W. Sowler, a canvasser, reports to the Union Messenger how a discouraging outlook worked to the advantage of his work. Writing from Parry Sound, he says:— In the past few weeks I have been canvassing in the country, and altho the weather has been cold, and the snow very deep, I have met with success, and have been much blessed in my efforts to spread the precious truth. Before I started out in the country, Satan tried to discourage me; the snow was so deep, it was so terribly cold, I would not be able to stand it. These were some of the suggestions that came to my mind, but the Lord gave me courage to start out, and when I started out He opened the way for my success, and all the hindrances that seemed to be in my way have turned out to be blessings in disguise. The deep snow and extreme cold have evidently frightened most of the worldly canvassers and agents from striking out into the country; the people are kept at home more, so that I find some one at nearly every house, and better than that, I have sold something in nearly every place. The population is very much scattered in this country, and some of the people live a mile back from the main road, but I only came to one place that I did not care to go into. It was about a mile from the road, and no road broken to it, and I had about decided to skip it, when the post-master, who keeps a country store, and who had bought a book of me, said he was sure I could sell a book there, and asked me if I could use snow-shoes. I said I had walked a few miles on snow-shoes ten years ago. He asked if I would like to try them again, and I said I would not object, when he forthwith produced a good, strong pair. I put them on, and in about fifteen minutes I reached the house. They received me heartily, gave me my dinner, and I made two direct sales of $1.00 each. I thank the Lord for opening the way through apparently difficult and impossible places. While we may, at times, feel tired of the long winter, and wish for spring to come, let us not forget the treasures of the "beautiful snow," and remember also that the winter time is the time when the people have more time to read than at any other time of the year.