The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1862-07-23
RELIGIOUS.
rho uenErupt Merchant.

The steps Of good man arc ordered by the Lord,
and he deiightcth in his way. Though ne tall he
shall not be utterly cast down, FOR the Lord up
holdeth him with his hand Dacid
After years Of close business attention lie
had arrived at competency, aud his henevo-
lent offerings, given with prayerful good
will, attested that the canker of gain had
not perccptbly taken hold Of the heart
His integrity had never been found want
ing. and now. in the decline of life. he looks
forward to a happy old age. But at % stroke
he falls. Notes are due, and protested !;
assignment follows Do not cry fraud. A
word 80 terrible should be cautiously used.
Failures have come ~ the failures of others (;
but this does not help the disaster IL is
Just as sad. in the blight il brings, III have
not the sting of wrong, for it is hard TO
stand by and sec property, fairly earned, go
under the hummer; hard when the old
house and the souvenirs of family affection.
go the same way-gone, at the last bid OF
stranger. But il is harder still to have
the good name go with it, to be branded
by creditors as fraudulent and corrupt; to
have the name cast out perhaps until death,
for what was msfortunate and not crime.
Such cases demand SYMPATHY for this
blight upon all the fond hopes of life; of
comfort in age of noblo beneiactions. per-
haps. that have gone otherwise than the
heart would have hidden of education for
children, left now to the struggles of pover-
ty which, however quickening to energy,
are stainGul experiences.
Think. too. of tho temptations that now
assail the soul. and you will feel like pray
ing for those who have never. prehaps,
shared in your applications. Creditors
come one after another, with bitter words,
demanding security or pay. Lawyers are
possibly shaking his affairs into worse con
fusion, and urging all the malcshilts which
may evade the law. Old friends have
suddenly grown distant and cold, and the
man stands alone. harassed and pcrpleXed.
Everything darkens. Life seems univer-
sal scramble--cvcry man for himself, and
in his anxiety to save some fragment from
the wrcch, how strong the temptation to
seize it, even by questionable modes. Ii is
easy in placid waters so smile at danger,
and say, II would do thus" But east the
confident swim mer half-strangIed into the
surf, and he too will catch at straws, even
il he sink the deeper. The strength of the
trial calls for prayer for such. Grace must
keep them, and happy he who, in nadveresity,
preserves clean hands and pure heart,
thus approving himself before the world
and his Maker.
Dul mere Is lllc SdNucSl oSpGtl VI lllC lIldl,
for it shakes his confidence, even in God.
II ought not but it does, The sudden storm
breaks upon him with the violence of a tenn
pest. lie looks around him. 1t seems in
vain, all his integrity and trust for are not
guilty hands being enriched and clean ones
Impoverished? Where is he who said, "a
hundredlold in this life?' Moral order itself
seems to have fallen into chaos, and there
is left no more Of faith on Garth no more of
regard in heaven. Q the abyssl No man
can tell how frght'ul it is but he who has
been to the bottom, who has felt everything
gone-prOpcrty. (thc least loss,) character,
hopes, iaith-all shivered as with light
flash
Dear friend are you Christian Compose
your chafed and tempted spirit by looking
tn Han who is still your Farther in heaven.
The sparrow does not fall without his notice.
BE assured he has not permitted you disas-
ter without some halowed purpose. for
your elf or others. What it is do not
presume to say. jobs friends in vain c0un-
seieu JOB himself long misinterpreted the
design Ol his great affection. Bat nc found
the Interpretation in God. To him you
must look, that, learning his purpose con-
cerning you, You may resolve your heart
into it. Poor indeed are yOu If this earthly
loss deprive you of Him. You are still rich
if He--tho wise, the benign, the compassion
ate, the abundant in melcy--is still! yours.
Sec Psalm XXXvii.
1t is no time TO cast away confidence in
God when you never needed it more. 1t is
no time TO question a review of life when
life so demands to be reviewed. 1t is no
time 10 let go spiritual good when earth
bursts in your grasp. cheating bnbble.-
Ne,c York ObSerrer.