The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-05-22

what did your brothers dieP" "Of hay
ing nothing to do,n was the answer.
"Ah." said Spinola, "thats enough to
kill any general of u.s." 0, CAN'T be pos
sible in this world, where there Is so
much suffering to be alleviated, 80 much
darkness to be enlightened. and 30 many
burdens to bear, that there is any person
ia this house who cannot find anything
to do? Madam De Stael did q world OF
work in her time, and, one day, whlle
she was seated amid instruments OF mu,
sic. all of which she had mastered, ana
amid manuscript books which she had
written, some one asked her, "HoW 40
Won find time to attend to all these
thingsP" "O," said she, these are not
the things | am proud Of My CHIEF
boast is in the fact that have seventeen
trades, by any one of which. l co9Id
make a livlihood, if necessary" And II
in secular spheres there is so much 10
do. in spiritual work how vast the field!
How many dying all about us without
one word of comfort We want more
Abieails, more Hannahs, more Rebekas,
more Marys, more Deborahs-consecrat-
ed body, mind and soul, to the Lord who
bought them.
Once more learn from my subject the
value of gleanings. Ruth going INTO
that harvest field might have said:
"There is straw, and there is straw;
but what is a straw / can'tget any bar
lev for myself or my mother.in'laW out
of these separate straws." Not so said
beautiful Ruth. She gathered two straWs
and put them together, and enough TO
make a sheaf Putting that down she
gathered more straws and put them TO,
gether until she had another sheaf and
another, and another, and then she
brought them all together and threshed
them out, and she had an ephah OF bar
lev, nigh bushel. 0, that we all might
be cleaners! 1t is all the straws that
make the harvest; it is the pence that
make the pound, and it is all the oppor'
tunities for doing good that make life
of usefulness, if properly employed.
EIihu Burritt learned many things while
toiling in blacksmith shop Abercrom-
BILE, the world.renowned philosopher,
was a philosopher in Scotland, and he
got his philosophy, or the chief part OF
it, while as a physician he was waiting
for the door of the sick room to open.
Yet how many there are in this day who
say they are so busy they have no time
for mental or spiritual improvement; the
great duties of life cross the field ike
strong reapers and carry off all the hours
and there is only a fragment here ana
there left that is not worth saving, Ah,
nv friends, you could go into the busiest
day and busiest week of yonr life and
find golden opportunities, which, gath:
cred, might at last make a v hole sheat
for the Lords garner. It's the stray OPP
portunities and the stray privileges, ta-
ken together and bound up and beaten
out, will at last fill you with much joy
yea, more joy than Ruth felt when che
took home to her mother-in law Naomi
the ephah of barley.
We have come near the close of this
Sabbath mornings service, and your
meditations may have reaped nightly
of the hopes and joys of the Gospel, but
there are few moments left worth the
cleaning. Now, Ruth, to the field! May
each one have measure before you 90
home-a measure full and running over.
Oh, you cleaners to the field! And if
there be in your household an aged one
or a sick relative that is not strong
enough to come forth and toll in this
Sabbath field, let Ruth take home to the
feeble Naomi the sheaf of the gleanings.
"He that goeth forth and weepeth, bear
ing precious seed, shall doubtless come
again with rejoicing, bearing his sheaves
with him." May the Lord God of Ruth
and Naomi be our portion forever!