ference from afar how man, with infinite blunderings, sufferings
and tears makes his way forward. Yet He who holds the sun in the
hollow of his hand, who takes up the isles as a very little thing, who
counts the nations but as the dust in the balance, is also the gentle
One. Like the wide, deep ocean, that pulsates into every bay and creek
and blesses the distant isles with its dew and rain, so God's heart
throbs and pulsates unto the uttermost parts of the universe, having a
parent's sympathy for His children who suffer.

Indeed, the seer ranges through all nature searching out images for
interpreting His all-comprehending gentleness. "Even the bruised reed
he will not break." Lifting itself high in the air, a mere lead pencil
for size, weighted with a heavy top, a very little injury shatters a
reed. Some rude beast, in wild pursuit of prey, plunges through the
swamp, shatters the reed, leaves it lying upon the ground, all bruised
and bleeding, and ready to die. Such is God's gentleness that, though
man make himself as worthless as a bruised reed; though by his
ignorance, frailty and sin he expel all the manhood from his heart and
life, and make himself of no more value than one of the myriad reeds in
the world's swamps, still doth God say: "My gentleness is such that I
will direct upon this wounded life thoughts that shall recuperate and
heal, until at last the bruised reed shall rise up in strength, and
judgment shall issue in victory."

And as God's gentleness would go one step further, there is added the
tender lesson of the smoking flax. Our glowing electric bulbs suffer
no injury from blasts, and our lamps have like strength. The time was,
when, wakened by the cry of the little sufferer, the ancient mother
sprang up to strike the tinder and light the wick in the cup of oil.
Only with difficulty was the tinder kindled. Then how precious the
spark that one breath of air would put out! With what eagerness did
the mother guard the smoking flax! And in setting forth the gentleness
of God it is declared that, with eyes of love, He searches through each
heart, and if He find so much as a spark of good in the outcast, the
publican, the sinner, He will tend that spark and feed it toward the
love that shall glow and sparkle forever and ever; for evil is to be
conquered, and God will not so much punish as exterminate sin from His
universe. His strength is inflicted toward gentleness, His justice
tempered with m