Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1860-09-21
LITTLE THINGS.

7
great occasion, when they can bring their
powers into fuli exercise, and show their
real ability. Bn, they rarely find It and
their genius wastes its fragrance on the
desert air. Fidelity and success in little
thin e indicates true power, and prepares
one to take advantage Of more impor,an,
occasions. Rev. VIM. Warren has some
good thoughts On this point;
Things that are deemed great are ofen
actually small; and things that seem
small are often great ia their bearings
and consequences. Trifles lighter than
straws are often the feathers that iurn
the scale Of character and destiny.
The vast events and phenomena Of
earth are gradual in their progress and
slow in their growth; whatever comes
to pass suddenly commonly passes away /
suddenly. Jonah's gourd grew ap in a /
might, but perished in the morning
Startling theories and speoula,ions that
break forth upon The world like the sun
from behind cloud, or like the lightning
that turns the cloud and night into flame,
soon silt upon the earth their expiring
ashes. Exeitements in the church or
state that spring themselves upon the
world, and dash or fash along the times
liike meteoss or Hghtnings, are soon fol-
lowed by denser darkness. We shall
lind by careful noticing Of things, that
great and valuable results are usually Of
gradual growth, from slight original
: causes. The little leaven, in its grad
ual operations, ieavens the whole lump.
The least of all seeds becomes great
tree, under the branches of which the
birds of heaven come and shelter them
selves. The vast river rolls on TO the
, sea il leaps easaracts, floats navies, inn
pells mighty machinery, and mandates
wild regions Of country; but it started, ii
may be, in the crevice of a rock, OF in a
dewdrop not bigger than a tear. Great
islands and archipelagoes, the seat, per-
haps, of mighty empires, are the work,
often, Of very little animals that build
] them up slowly from the bottom Of the
= sea. Il is said that whisper s,irs the
S air all around the globe. Touch the rest
e less sea anywhere with the tip Of your
finger, and you move relatively the whole
"a ocean. Nothing is more certain than
e that cur every word, and act, and whis-
e per, ia its influence upon the moral world
and upon eternity, is ike the results just
aamed. Such is the moral and social
5, machinery, that there is needed often
IT only the touching Of match, the pressing
S Of a spring, or turning of a valve, to start
n tremendous train Of consequences. The
: pebble from tbe sling of a shepherd boy
n which he picked up out of little brook
n was a little thing, bat il decided the fatc
"a Of two armies and two nations. Tho
F. eating Of an apple led to the worlds lall,
f and the falling of an apple, to the worlds
c philosophy. The mariners needle and
u is play are little matters, but the diseov-
cry OF great continents, aud the carrying
= OF Of the world commerce are not little
matters. The nice touches and shade.
: given by the skillful artist TO bis painting
are little matters, bat littles here make
perfection. The sculptor does not mould
the countenance at once. A Thousand
blows roughcast il, says one, aud ten
! Thousand ehisel points polish and perfect
, Il, and bring out the exact leatuges ant
y the living expression. Il Is a work o
i time. So do human influences aud &C
ions chisel out slowly Cur fixed charaeiei
and habits. Every day adds sonelhin.
to the slow work. The little dropping
insensibly wears tie solid rock iha
> laughs al the storm and deiies the suFget
Of the sea. Achau's wedge Of gold wa
q little thing bat II led 10 vast results
The two mites Of the poor widow we're
little sual, but measured by theiF n1olige
= they we're, perhaps, the largest eontribu
ton ever made 70 Christian charity. Ib'
= eolors ID Joseph's coat we're iitiie things
= ba, his reigning over Egypt was MOI
= The ark Of bulrushea Waa little lhins
= but The giving Of ihe moral las was not
7 leading Israel from bondage 10 Canaal
8 sas not. There i poseF 10 ltiiies.
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Small sanas sac Haaaaiasas aale, aa9als q.
wesld,
r. s.omeuss il.e pear. snd lnaes tiias, aaa 81
eteultg
he 4 traet of % more, Il may be, iha
b. tao Ieares, from the hand ot q sefyaa
x girl, perhaps Led 70 tbs Conversion Of q
ID less than Richard Baxter. lie asOk
Is