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You never knew what real happiness was!
(J. C. Philpot, "A
Bold Challenge" 1866)
One false charge against the children of God, is that
they are a poor, moping, miserable people, who . . .
know nothing of happiness,
renounce all cheerfulness, mirth, and gladness,
hang their heads down all their days like a bulrush,
are full of groundless fears,
nurse the gloomiest thoughts in a kind of melancholy,
grudge others the least enjoyment of pleasure and happiness,
and try to make everyone else as dull and as miserable as
their dull and miserable selves.
Is not this a false charge?
You know—that you never had any real happiness
in the things of time and sense—that under all your
'pretended gaiety' there was real gloom—that every
'sweet' was drenched with bitterness—that vexation
was stamped upon all that is called pleasure and
enjoyment.
You never knew what real happiness was,
until you
knew the Lord, and were blessed with His presence,
and some manifestation of His goodness and mercy!
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