The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-08-23
The Discipline of Suffering.

The following is from the Pittsburgh
Christian Adcocate
TO suffer is the lot of man. Lite with
ont pain and disappointments is unhoown.
The great world throos with anguish, and is
everlsh with the GIBBS and flows Of grief.
The ministry Of suffering is profitable, though
unpleasant. Night, as we'll as day, has Its
uses. Joyous Spring cradles itself in the lap
Of stern winter. Broken boughs often yield
t he richest fruit. The cloud which obs urcs
TIE present may serve to brighten aud halow
the iu,ure. 1t is even so in intelligent and
responsible life. No Christening for the
present seemeth to be joyouSs, but grievous ::
nevertheless it aftcrward yedeth the peace
able fruits of rig hte0usncsS unto them which
are exercised thereby. Joy trips along lightly
and scarcely leaves "a trace but sorrow treads
heavily, and makes deep and permanent i'm
impressions. Strength, tortitude, endurance,
energy and grandeur Of character are {; II the
offsprings OF adversely.
Men are made perfect through suffering.
Life springs from death From the grief OF
One came all our good. Ali who suffer with
Him and Tor HIS sake shall attain to glory.
honor and immortality. But he who never
varied with misery, nor suffered the discipline
of adversely, will hardly show himself Il hero
in the hour of trial. Our best hopes are
born of pangs. They alone are crowned who
endure when tempted aud tried Lilies or at.
est heroes, whom the world has delighted to
honor, were formed in the furnace of adver.
sty. Luther and Wesley, Knox and Henry
Martin, Howard and Wilbertorcc knew trial,
sorrow, and disappointment before they at.
tanned to emnence. Their early schooling ia
adversely prepared them for their slbIlme
achievements III matulcr years. Two men,
not dlssimilar in character aud endowmcnis
thread together lies uneven pathway. The
one suffers. lAeS burdens tax and drvelon
his energies. The other knows but IittIo sor.
row. Late Is il pleasant dream. His path
way TO manhood is batned III perpetual sun
light The hour oI trai finds the first eouaI
to the highest emergency, and leaves the last
dlsnonored wreck, unequal to the grave de-
nandS Of life. Adversely has its uses. I'VE
glory said an inspired apostle. in tribuIa
lions also knowing thai trbulation worketh
patience, and patience experience, and expert.
ence hope
Churches, like individuals, are Bothered bv
sutterinss. Prosecuted Churches multinly
rather than diminish their numbers. The
blood of the martyrs has been called the seed
OF the Church. Christianity at its planting
was persecuted. Many of its first teacher,
and declplcs scaled their ia,tl with their
BLOOD. Yet itspread. Opposition gave il
notorlety and instead of huderinc, aided in
its diffusion. TIE Lutheran Reformation wa.
prosecuted. Martyrdom awaited many Of its
friends Butts growth was thereby advanced
rather than retarded. The Wesleyan Rovi
val was prosecuted. Its first converts and
friends were fned, imprisoned, matreatea
Yet the Rcvlval grew and prospered. It,
bltterest enemies aided by Their opposition 70
give 1T publicity, AID thus miuistered TO ,bf
growth of what they aimed to check. This
enlargement of Churches by the discipline O,