"How typical also of our lives may this Easter lily be. What seems more lifeless than the bulb of a lily? Plant it, bury it, and lo! it is resurrected into a thing of wondrous beauty. That which seemed like its tomb has proven to be the gateway into true life. Thus our faith gives us the blessed assurance, with Paul, that 'if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.'" THE WOUNDED TREE --Steadfastness --Constancy It Tells the Story of Courage and Patience that Approaches the Sublime. THE LESSON--That steadfastness in the right not only keeps the life upright but it restores the repentant one to righteousness. Each one of us needs the quality called steadfastness--not the obstinacy which denies us the right to judge fairly every condition about us, not the bigotry which prevents us from a charitable consideration of the views of other people--but the steady adherence to positive Christian principles which keep us constant in our faith and unwavering in our hold on heavenly virtues. ~~The Talk.~~ "Today, we are going to talk about steadfastness. And what does it mean to be steadfast? It means that with God's love to protect us against every temptation, we shall never willingly do anything to grieve Him. A life ruled by this power may grow to be so truly in harmony with the spirit of the Master that even though the waves of trouble dash wildly against it, it will continue to stand firmly, because it knows that 'Jehovah will give grace and glory and no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.'