Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1878-12-12
THETRANSCRIPT
AUSTIN, M1NNESOTA:
,ru17RsDAy MORNING., DEC. IL, ls7s.
THANKSGIVING SERMON,
BY REV. c. E. WRIGHT.

Rom. v: 3, L. ''We glory in tribulations also"
nr literally I'VE rejoice in tribulatiOns
also: knowing that tribulation worketh pa
tience; and patience, experience; and ex-
perieuce hope.
1t Paul rejoiced in these things, he
must have had great deal Of happiness
while he lived. And if these are sources
of pleasure in this world, it must be a
very merry world. For there are tr:b.
ulatinns enough to make all creation
joyful if they are the source of joy.
| have no doubt but it has seemed to
some of you, that If we are to rejoice ON
this thanksgiving day, we should have to
rejoice in 'tribulation.'
We are in the midst of what we call
"haru times" Almost all feel the effects
of it keenly The land Is filled with
broken merchants; bankers upset; men
that stood high in charities brought down
by the loss Of money: with multitudes
wandering up and down the land, not
knowing where to go, or what to 40 ;
many who are willing to work and who
know all the ways Of economy, are un-
able to obtain employment. Many in.
stitutions Of trust have betrayed the poor
and have, for money taken in, paid out
bitter disappointment aud poverty.
In addition to the general distress, we
have suffered in our own immediate vi.
cinity, the failure of our principal crop.
The ]ong continued trouble in the South
ern states; the breaking up Of public
confidence, aud the consequent severity
OF the times, have all conspired to check
the boasttul oratory which once marked
all National days. There will be no
yiddy elouuence IN all the land this day.
No sacred desk will dare equal the olden
time in exaltng to the skies the Repub-
lie, for we have all been tempered Dy
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES financial and po.
litiral
But, while all this is true, we are not
to think that we have not reason to thank
God to-day. Let us not forget that in
every life and under every circumstance,
there Is abundant cause for thanks. We
have only to look on both sides of life
Clouds may be round about US, but there
is light above. We have reason to be
thankful even in our hard times:
I. Because if the times are hard they
are designed for our good. "Irlbulatlon
worketh patience, and patience expert
ence" In the same spirit Paul says IN
another place: II take" pleasure in in
firmities, in necessities, in dlstresses, for
Christ sake; for when I am weak, then
am I strong" 1t was on account of
what these things were designed to teach
him; it was because Of the moral and
spiritual qualities they were calculated
to beget in him, that he "rejolced in trib-
ulations." When the great bard sang:
"Sweet are the uses Of adversity," he
seemed to be uttering paradox. The
theory that trouble would often lead to
joy, that grief leads to peace, seems as
illogical as that cold induces heat, or tha
white leads to black But actual expe-
rience teaches US many things we would
not have believed otherwise. 1t would
seem at first sight, that Mr.. Ingersoll was
not far wrong, when he said that had he
made the world, he would have made
disease non-contaglous, and good health
catching. But it is probable that the evil
Is only valuable in that it shows us how
incapable we are Of clear judgment in
such matters After all, the poet was
right, and Paul was right, and all the
wiser men, who have spoken on this
subject, "adversity has Its sweet ',ses. :"
Eight times does St. John say: "that to
him that overcometh, there shall be a
great reward" Success is a crown
placed upon the head of struggle. Toll,
tribulation, and then a crown. That
is the law. If Mr.. 1ngersoll's idea
should prevail. man in ceasing from all
struggling against outward foes, would
have found mental and moral weakness
catching, as we'll as good health. The
facts are as evident as they are amazing.
Out of tribulations has come all inte'lec.
tual and moral good. Pain and disap.
pointment in a world like this, are reg.
ulative, disciplinary and formative. They
are not accidental. They tend to dlscip-
line and instruct men. They tend to
mould and confirm men in higher man.
hood. it's universal law. acknowledg.
ed even in the world, that no great char.
acter can become complete, without trial
and suffering. The ancient Greeks and
Romans. admired a good man struggling
against misfortune, as a spectacle worthy
of the Gods Old trees that stand on
mountain sides, and that the wind plays
with through summer and winter, grow
strong, 80 that the tornado cannot wrest
them from their places. But take the
palm tree that never has been outside OF
the conservatory. And how much can il
bear! If the gardner but leaves the door
open for single night, and the frost
comes to it, it is gone. 1t has no stamina
1t is softened by the things thet made il
grow so fat. And how many men have
been spoiled by prosperity. Many chill
dren are born into comfort. They never
know what it is to want. They never
have pressure made upon them. They
are rocked in the cradle of ease. They
have wealth in abundance. And they
are growing up under such circumstan.
ces, without ever having had motive to
develop themselves. How many thous.
and men have been ruined by the abun
dance of their opportunlties-by thei,
advantages. On the other hand, how
many men mourn to think that they had
no chances in (ife The child lived fal
from schools, far from churches, far from
good society. But he was endowed with
some aspiration His very necessity was
his schoo1-master. Amidst pain, and
suffering, ard poverty, he pours over his
books, and lays the foundation for On