Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-09-19
The Beauty Of Quiet Lives.

There are great multtudes Of lowly lives
lived on the earth which have no name
among men, whose work no pen ever records,
but which are well.known and unspeakably
dear to God. They make no noise in the
world, but it needs not noise to make life
beautiful and noble. Many Of Gods most
potent ministries are noiseless. How silently
the sunbeams fall all day long upon the
fields and gardens, and yet what Joy, cheer
and life they diffuse How silently the flow
ers bloom, and yet what sweet fragrance
they emit How silently the stars move on
in their majestic marches around Gods
throne, and yet they are suns or worlds
How silently Gods angels work, stepping
with noiseless tread through our homes, and
performing ever their blessed ministries
about us Who hears the flutter of their
wings, or the fantest whispers of their
tongues Andyet we know that they hover
over us and move about us continually. So
Christ has many .lowly earthly servants,
who work so quietly that they are never
known among men as workers, whom he
writes down among his noblest ministers.
They do no great things, but they are bless
lngs, oftentimes perhaps unconsciously,
wherever they go. 1t is said that when
Ihorwaldsen returned to his native land
with those rare and wonderful works of art
which have made his name immortal, chis-
eled with patient toll and glowing inspira-
ton in Italy, the servants who unpacked
them scattered upon the ground the straw
which was wrapped around them. Thsi
next summer flowers from the gardens in
Rome were blooming in the streets of Co
penhagen from the seeds thus borne and
planted by accident. So Christ's lowly,
quiet workers unconsciously bless the world.
They come out every morning from the pres
ence of God, and go to their business or
their household work. And all day long as
they toll they drop gentle words from their
lips, and scatter little seeds of kindness about
them; and tomorrow flowers from the gar
den of God spring up in the dusty streets of
earth, and along the hard paths of toll on
which their feet tread. More than once in
the Scriptures the lives of Gods people in
this world are compared in their influence
to the dew. There may be other points of
analogy, but specially noteworthy is the
quiet manner in which the dew performs its
ministry 1t falls silently and impercepti-
bly,. 1t makes no noise. No one hears it
dropping. 1t chooses the darkness of the
night, when men are sleeping, and when no
one can witness its beautiful work. 1t covers
the leaves with clusters of pearls. 1t steals
into the bosom of the flower and leaves
new cupful of sweetness there. 1t pours it.
self down among the roots of the grasses
and tender herbs and plants. And in the
morning there is fresh beauty everywhere.
The fields look greener, the gardens more
fragrant, all life grows and sparkles with
new splendor 1t is quiet, unheralded lives
that are building up the kingdom of heaven.
Not much note is taken of them here. The,
are not reported in the newspapers. Their
monuments will not make much show in the
churchyard. Their names will not be passed
down to posterity with many wreaths about
them. But they are Gods favorites. Their
work is blessed. IN this world they are like
those modest, lowly flowers which make no
show, but which, hidden away under tall
plants and grasses, pour out sweet perfumes
aud ill the air with their odors. Aud in
heaven they will get their reward not praise
of men, but open confession by the Lord
himself, in the presence of angels and the
Father.-The EVANGELIST.