The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-09-08
The Small Worries.

The Christian world has long been guess
ing what Paul's thorn in the flesh was. We
have book that in ten pages tries to show
what Paul's thorn was not, and in another
ten pages tries to show what it was.
Many of the theological doctors have felt
Paul's pulse to see what was the matter with
him. We suppose the reason he did not tell
what it was, may have been because he
j not want US to know. He knew that if
ae stated what it was, there would have
been great many people from Corinth both,
ering him with prescriptions as to how he
might cure it,
Some say it was diseased eyes, some that
it was bumped back. 1t may have been
neuralgia. Perhaps it was gout, although
his active habits and sparse diet throw
doubt on the supposition. Suffice it to say
it was thorn-that is, it stuck him. 1t
was sharp.
1t was probably of not much account in
the eyes of the world. 1t was not trouble
that could be compared to lion, or bois
ferrous sea. 1t was like thorn that you may
have in your hand or foot, and no one know
it. Thus we see that it becomes type of
those little nettlesome worries of life that ex-
asperate the spirit.
Every one has thorn sticking him. The
housekeeper finds it in unfaithful domestics,
or an inmate who keeps things disordered, or
house too small for convenience, or too
small to be kept cleanly. The professional
man finds it in perpetual Interruptions or
calls for "more copy" The Sabbath School
teacher finds it in .unattentive scholars, or
neighboring teachers that talk loudly and
make great noise in giving little instruc-
ton. One man has rheumatic joint which,
when the wind is northeast, ifts the storm
signal. Another, a business partner who
takes full half the profits, but does not help
to earn them. These trials are the more
nettlesome because, like Paul's thorn, they
are not to be mentioned. Men get sympa-
thy for broken bones and mashed feet, but
not for the end of sharp thorns that have
been broken off in the fingers.
Let us start out with the idea that we must
have annoyance8. 1t seems to take cer-
tain number of them to keep US humble,
wakeful, and prayerful. To Paul the thorn
was disciplinary as the shipwreck. If it is
not one thing it ia another. If the stove
does not smoke, the boiler must leak. II
the pen is good, the ink must be poor. If
the thorn does not pierce the knee, it must
take you in the back. Life must have sharp
things in it. We cannot make up our robe
of Christian character without pins and
needles.
We want what Paul got; grace to beaI
these things. Without it we become cross,
censorious, and irascible. We get in the
habit of sticking our thorns into other peo-
ple's fingers. But, God helping US, we place
these annoyances in the category of the sal
thiogs work together for good" We see
how much shorter thorns are than the spikes
that struck through the palms of Christ s
hands, and, remembering that he had on his
head a whole crown of thorns, we take tc
ourselves the consolation that if we suffer
with him on earth, we shall be gloriied with
Him in heaven.
But how could Paul positively rejoice in
these infrmities? The school Of Christ has
three classes of scholars in the first class
we learn how to be stuck with thorns without
losing our patience; in the second class We
learn how to make the sting positively ad
vantaeeouS in the third class of this schoo
we learn how even to rejoice in being pierced
and wounded but that is the Senior class
and when we get to that we are near grad
uation into glory.