Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1875-09-23
The Small Worries.

Ihe Christian world mas long oeen
guessing what Paul's thorn in the
flesh was. We have. book that in
ten pages tries to show what Paul's
,rthoyn was not, and in another ten
pages Tries to show what it acas.
Many Of the theological doctors
have felt Paul's pulse to see what
was the matter with him. We sup
pose the reason he did not tell us
what it was, may have been because
he did not want US to know. He
knew that if he stated what it was,
there would have been great many
people from Corinth bothering him
with prescriptions as to how he light
cure it.
Some say it was diseased eyes, some
that it was bumped back. 1t may
Nave been neuralgia Perhaps it was
gout, although his active habits and
a sparse diet throw doubt on the sup
position. Suffice it to say it was a
thorn-that is, it stuck him. It was
sharp.
Il was probably Of not much ac-
count in the eyes of the world. 1t
was not a trouble that could be COM
pared to a lion, or boisterous sea.
Ii was like a thorn that you may
have in your hand or foot aud no one
know it. Thus we see that it te-
comes a type of those little nettle-
some worries Of life that exasperate
the spirit.
Every one has thorn sticking him.
The house-keeper finds it in unfalth-
ful domestics; Or an inmate who
keeps things disordered; or a house
too small for convenience, Or too small
..wasAA kept cleanly. The professional
Nm finds it in perpetual interrup-
ions or calls for "more copy" The
s5bath.sehool teacher finds it in in
ttentive scholars or ne'ghboring
Reachers that talk loudly and make a
great noise in giving a little instruc-
ton. One man has rheumatic joint
which, when the wind is northeast,
lifts the storm signal. Another, a
business partner who takes full halt
the profits, but does not help to earn
them. These tl:als are the more net
tlesome because like Paul's thorn
Aey are not to be mentioned. Men
bet sympathy for broken bones, and
8 mashed feet, but not for the end OF
4 sharp thorns that have been broken
of in the fingers.
Let us start out with the idea that
,re must have annoyance. 1t seems
+o take a certain number of them to
.-1-ae.-lus humble, wakeful, and pray
i''a4 To Paul the thorn was as dis
;4linary as the shipwreck. If it is
tot one thing it is another. If the
ssstove does not smoke the boiler must
isak. If the pen is good the ink
1 +o,,st lust be poo-. If the thorn does not
7s,the knee, it must take you in
lex. Life must have sharp things
We can not make up our robe
Aistian character without pins
Beedles.
want what Paul got: grace to
these things. Without it we
5me cross, censorious, and irrasci-
We get in the habit of sticking
s s, : horns into other peoples fingers.
But. God helping us, we place these
annoyances in the category of the
g al things work together for good. ="
We see how much shorter thorns are
man the spikes that struck through
The palms of Christs hands, and, re-
membering that He had on His head
) whole crown of thorns, We take to
(Sprselves the consolation that if we {;
E. Sbr with Him On earth, we shall
SGed with Him in heaven.
- ss> could Paul positively re-;
st 6ssqfrnities?i The school
the 6ssi classes of schol-
xDst;isas wlsh thor1s
81 zti. ~ ~