Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-06-28

The happiness of the Christian is always
iu proportion TO the sincerity and depth Of
his trust In Cod lie may be overwhelmed
by aflliction, his plans may be thwarted. his
good name assailed, his hopes for this world
blasted aud yet, If he has an unimpaired,
serene, loving trust in God, his peace will be
as a river, whose pure depths and strong cur
rents are uudisturbed by the things that gex
its surface. Nowhere in the Bible is this
trust more powerfully aud sublimely de
picted than in the prayer of Ilabakkuk .
" Although the fig tree shall not blossom.
neither shall fruit be III the vines the labor
of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall
yield no meat tie flock shall be cut of
from the fold and there shall be no herd in
the stalls yet ! will rejoice in the Lord, ]
will joy in the God Of my salvation" The
sublime poetry Of the Orient is in these
words, but they are not too strong to express
the feelings of one in any cline OF age,
whose mind aud heart are truly "stayed
on Cod"
In times of prosperity, when our veins are
full Of healthy blood when family and social
ties are unbroken, and our hopes and am
billions are not thwarted, but moving on in
the full tide of success, we may easily
persuade ourselves that we are trusting in
God, while in fact our faith in Him is Of the
feeblest sort. 1t is when troubles come, and
all earthly SUPPORTS fail us, that our faith is
put to the test. Ii hen our faith does not
fail us, happy indeed are we. Such faith
is not too dearly purchased 10y any earthly
calamity or loss, and TO many, doubtless, il
never comes through any other process. Any
trouble or allliction that brings us near to
God aud leads us 10 cast ourselves mnre-
servedly upon Him as our strength. our
providence and our eternal hope, is bless
ing for which We should he profoundly
thankful. Such faith eXalts and enrobes
all the virtues and graces Of humanity, deep
ems the sources and widens the domain Of
character, and fits us for the highest use
fulne.s and happiness in any sphere Of life.
Such faith gives US power over men, TO
win them from selfish and worldly ways and
bring them to Christ. We may have a creed
Of unquestioned soundness, and know how to
defend it by arguments that no man can inn
peach but if We lack the Sweetness and
light that are born Of a pure trust in God,
and sense of intimacy with Him, our in
huence as Christians will be poor and small,
II is well to preach Christ in our words, but
far better to preach Him in our example and
by all the influences that flow out of q char
acter formed upon the model of His divine
manhood. The trust in God OF which we
speak will cause our faces TO shine and our
eyes to glow with a heavenly radiance, and
our lives will distill an aroma so pure, that
men, taking knowledge OF Us that we have
been with Jesus, will be drawn toward Him
I by an irresistible attraction.
/ Trust in God is a well-spring Of joy and
/ peace in the heart, springing up eyermort
unto life eternal. Having this divine inner
itance, knowing God as lie is revealed il
/ Christ Jesus. and having no will but Ills, ",
can appropriate, as descriptive Of our own
daily experience, the precious lines of Faber
" lie always wins who sides with Cod
10 him no chance is lost
Gods will Is sweetest 10 him when
II triumphs at his cost
" ll that Gcd blesses is our good,
And unblest good j. ill
And all is right that seems most wrong,
II it be His dear viii.
When obstacles and trials seem
Like prison-walls 10 be,
do the little can do,
Aud leave the rest 20 thee.
"ihave no cares, o blessed VIII
For all my cares are thine
live in triumph, Lord, for thou
Hast made thy triumphs mine.