284 THE WHALE AND 



Magnetism of Faith. The Christian's Centre of Attraction. 



There is an analogy to this in the mind of a 

 Christian under a storm of trial a mind that 

 has been once thoroughly magnetized by the 

 grace of God, and stamped with the law of 

 DIVINE POLARITY, making it to turn always to 

 that POLE-STAR OF BETHLEHEM, the great mag- 

 net of the regenerated soul. Though ordinari- 

 ly true to his pole, yet in sudden emergencies, 

 on the first storm-burst of trouble, it is seldom 

 or never that the Christian can at once repress 

 the flutter and agitation of nature, control or 

 understand its deviations, collect his energies, 

 and repose calmly on God. 



It is rare that Faith, taken by surprise, does 

 at once steady the soul, and lift a man in a mo- 

 ment clear above hostile infirmities and fears. 

 Be it true that, when once magnetized by the 

 love of Christ, the soul does always point up- 

 ward by kindred strong attraction, as the com- 

 pass-needle to the north, yet, like that same 

 needle, suddenly acted upon by a disturbing 

 force, you must give it time to recover its bal- 

 ance, and, its oscillations done, to fasten upon 

 the central point of rest. 



I have sometimes known God's own dear 

 children, when calamities came suddenly in 



