Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1852-07-23

u tuc iOiu, duu tucTc SuIil Ue no HtTu III tut
b stalls: yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
will JOY in the God of my salvation. Now
: We want you to show us the Habakkuh
r spirit of persevering faith. You have bceI
o seeking after heaven for many years, and
: you will not give it up now! No, never"
; This kind of conversation called up al
f that was in the heart of Aaron Fuller, SC
r that he girded up the loins of his mind
| put on his armor, and played the man in
, the fire of his affiicton. So true it is tha.
, as iron sharpeneth iron; SO a man sharp
, eneth the cOuntenance of his friend that
| is, cheers his mind.
Man is born unto trouble, as the sparks
, fly upward, and many were the trials tina,
John Brook had to endure. He lost his
only son, just when he most needed the
comfort of his affection and his company.
Then he met with an accident that deprived
him Of the sight of one of his eyes and
a false friend wrongcd him Of the greater
part Of his worldly possessions, and SIAN
dered his good name. These things would
have broken many spirit, but they broke
not the spirit of John Brook. When a
mans hope is on this side the grave, it
may be blown about by the winds and
storms Of calamity but when it is fixed
above the stars, i; is safe. The short en-
couraging sentences, Hope to the end, Be
Of good courage, and Thy God is with
thee, were never long absent from his lips.
He found them useful to himself, and he
made them equally so to others.
At the time when the pestilence visited
the village, half the people would have
deserted the place, and the sick would have
been but sadly attended to; but John
Brook fearlessly visited the afflicted, poin-
ting them to the Great Physician, render
ing assistance, encouraging hope, inspiring
confidence, and dispensing the general
gloom which had begun to prevail Fear
the Lord and not the pestilence, was the
language of bis lips, Thou shalt not be
afraid for the terror by night; nor for the
arrow that fieth by day; nor for the pes
thence that walketh in darkness nor for
the destruction that wasteth at noon-day
A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten
thousand at thy right hand; but it shall
not come nigh thee: because thou hast
made the Lord which is my refuge, even
the Most High, thy habitation. His in
creasing attention to his afflicted neighbors
during this visitation affected his health,
and he was advised by many to give it up ;
but to this advice he gave his accustomed
reply, "GIvE IT UP? No, NEVER"
On went John Brook, through his use
full life, with hope unclouded, and faith
mistaken, always looking upward for
strength, and teaching others to look up
ward too. Many a dropping cottager held
up his head, and many desponding heart
rejoiced, which, but for his example,
would have continued in heaviness. His
sunny influence was felt all around. "Let
us perseverc, like John Brook" and
"Give it mp? No, never." became COM
mon sayings in the village. With truth
it might be said that he was 4 blessing to
his neighbors.
The bright, hopeful, rcrsevering spirit
of John Brook may supply useful lesson
and profitable example to us all for how
many of US have turned back from pur-
suits that we ought never to have left .
What kind intentions have we left unper-
formed. What desires after holy things
have been rcpressed! Instead of follow
ing on to know and love the Lord, how
have we fingered and loitered on the hcav
emily road
Reader, young or old, trim your lamp
afresh, kindle your expiring zeal, pcrsevere
in every good word and work; and remem-
Der that when your object is good one,
when you are pursuing it by lawful means,
when you are looking upward for strength
to attain it-even to Him who of his
boundless compassion found way, by the
sacrifice of his well-bcloved Son, to recon-
cile sinners to himself when they were
lost-when, with such Notwithstanding
cncouragements as these, you are pursuing
what ought to be attained, let the ques-
ton, "WIl you give it up?' come
from what quarter it may, have this an
swer-" Give it up? No, never !"
i No man, having put his hand to the
plough, and looking back, is fit for the
kingdom of God. Then shall We know,
if we follow on to know the Lord. Gird
up the loins Of your mind, bc sober, and
hope to the end for the grace that is to
J be brought unto you at the revelation o.
! Jesus Christ. Looking unto Jesus; who
for the Joy that was set before him endured
! the cross, despising the shame-Conside'
) him that endured such contradiction o
, sinners against himself lest ye be weariec
IL c,;ut IN rnuv minds