Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1867-02-19
MOrGJ and Religious.
For the Spectator.

Extracts from sermon delivered by Rev.
DIR. Watson In the Presbyterian Church in Lock
Haven, Pennsylvania, On Sabbath, the third
instant.
His text was in Romans, eighth chapter
twenty-elghth verse: ''And we know that all
things work together for good to them that love
God.''
The speaker commenced his discourse by say
ing it is the comprehensive statement of Paul
that all things, and we are not to take it as
loose and underlined declaration uttered without
meaning, but in its literal sense, in the fullest
and broadcast import of the term that all things
assuredly all things work together for good to
every being who loves God Be his birth ele-
yated or humble, his opportunities, many or
few, no difference either, what his fortune
health, sickness, gains or losses griefs or joys.
To-day he may be in health, tomorrow stretch
ed upon bed of languishing and pain; to-day
he may be buoyed up and cheered with worldly
expectations, elated by successes In business to-
morrow cast down and depressed because of
some unforeseen calamity, over which he had no
control. To-day fortune may smile, friends
gather around his social board, the world ap-
plaud, and life seems very fair and beautiful to
HIM, tomorrow fortune, ever changing, may
frown, his friends desert him, the world con-
denim where most before it praised. Thus, even
the christian may be, an he is las others) sub
ject to the constant mutations of this ever chan
ging life, yet we know, for we are assured, that
not only his joys, but his sorrows; yea, all
things, whether they be prosperous or adverse,
Joyous or sorrowful, work together for his good.
In the second place, the speaker considered the
Unity OF Him for which all things work, not
singly and alone, but together. All things that
are capable of thought, word, work or volition,
are called workers, and declared to be working,
working for one purpose, working in concert,
working together. All the countless events and
changes that are meted out to us In cur person
al, present, every day life, all that have been in
the past and will be in the future, draw succu-
lence one from the other and thus combine en-
ter into co-partnership in design and unity
They work together and, if we love God, they
work for our good They form harness like
so many swift coursers of.the sky to draw US on
and up. AS the drops of water trickling down
the mountain side unite and flow together in
one mighty stream SO all the incidents that
make up life are centered In one mighty. COM
mon purpose They work, and work together
for the good of the christian ; and that was the
third point considered. The design for which
all things work together, viz for good, for our
good, 1T we love God, to make men and women
out of us, to regenerate us, purify US, build up
our character, fit us for all the duties of this life
and for the eternal joys of Heaven. But as
we try one another, so God sometimes tries us.
He would test our faith in Him, try our love to
Him, and thus He sometimes leads us through
the deep waters of faflliction; sometimes thwarts
our carefully laid plans for future successes, dis
appoints our hopes, crumbles TO dust our beau
tifully built aircastles yea He sometimes, al
most, casts the star of hope out of our sky and
wraps US up in darkness Yet, we know it is
our Father, who will lead us through the dark
ness, and His strong arm holds US up, though
we be weary, breathless, and our feet may some
times we-nigh slip on the rocks and mountain
passes, and
When at last the blessed vision through Him
attained
Breaks on our longing sight as the mountain
top is gained
And we see the distant home.
Every one straightway forgetting all the
perils all the fears,
All the struggles, Paintings, conflicts of the fast
receding years,
Will kiss the hand that leads us home.
Then will we know, and feel, and see that ''all
things work together for good to them that love
God" But, alas alas to those who do not
What shall we say? Hear what the apostle
himself writes-'If any man love not the Lord
Jesus Christ let him be Anathema, Mariana
tha;" accursed when the Lord shall come
Lock HAVEN.
Enhruarv 7 1897