The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-01-07

and in comparison with His power but
as the falling of leaf or the whitening
of the grass under the summers sun.
The second false assumption is that
there may be such dissertation of the
great things and the small things that
the former may be directed and controlled
without attention to the latter. No great
event has ever yet occurred to which a
number of minute and insignificant
events have not stood in such relation of
cause or constituent that the great event
could only be brought about by close and
careful attention to those apparently
trivial ones These little thing are the
pivots upon which the great ones turn.
AS the whole machinery of watch will
come to a stand-still if one of the almost
invisible Jewels be dislodged, or a grain
tiny cogs in it's various attachments, so if
one of these minute events should 90
awry the whole order and course of provi-
dence would be disturbed or arrested. [
stood, not great while ago, looking at a
splendid locomotive, about to be put upon
its trial trip. The engineer, proud of his
beautiful engine, at signal from the con-
ductor placed his hand upon the lever and
applied the steam. But though there was
a culver, as if every nerve of the iron
horse were wrought to its utmost tension,
there was no motion of the great wheels
A second time the lever was applied but
with the same result. Then the quick eye
of the engineer detected the cause. A sin
gle thumbscrew had been insufficient
ly turned. There was but the light
touch of his fingers upon it, and again the
steam was applied and the train moved
gracefully away. These little things which
men think beneath our heavenly Father
notice, what are they, but the valve
screws of the great engine? what but the
cogs and jewels of that secret mechan-
ism which causes the hands of all human
destiny to move upon the dial-plate?
But it is time that I should assume
that Of which I am happily persuaded,
namely, that whatever others may think
of this doctrine of a particular providence,
you, to whom [ speak, rest with delight
in its belief, and will not have it wrested
from you by all the specious arguments
and cavils which It's enemies may employ.
Let me then as we stand this morning
upon the vestibule of the new year and
seek to grid ourselves for it's duties and
possibilities; as we take each his staff
in hand to go forth to its unknown vicis-
STUDIES and trials; draw for you some
practical lessons of instruction and com
fort from the words of the text, "not one
Of them is forgotten before God"
And first let me remind you what
sanctity it gives to the little things of
life that Gods eye is upon them, and that
we can have fellowship with Him in
them. So much of our life is taken up
with little things, things that do not seem
to tell upon the great issues and interests
of eternity or of Christ's kingdom in the
world, that we are likely to feel as if the
time spent in them is time lost from the
service of God. The mother with her
little brood about her, the housewife with
her busy cares, the merchant with all the
inventory of his active brain, the teacher
with the tedious routine of the class
room-one and all with the daily throng
of little duties, little vexations, little
cares, let us remember that not one of all
these is forgotten before God There is
a sanctity and q blessedness given to life
when we can see Gods hand in every
thing-in leaf and flower in pebble and
stone and the dull monotony of the
most hum-drum life may be relieved by
this thought Of the ever-presence and
sympathy of our heavenly Father.
Again, let me remind you that if not
one Of the least of these dumb creatures
is forgotten before God, they should not
fail Of all due kindness and consideration
from us How much wanton cruelty,
how much thoughtless neglect would be
avoided, did we always keep before us
the consideration, not one of them is
forgotten before God How this thought
Of our heavenly Fathers watchful over
sight and tender care binds us as with a
band of gold not only to the humblest and
poorest Of our kind, but to all that vaster
family whom His loving arms enfold, and
who rest upon the bosom of His care
Third, and lastly, while we know not
what the changes or trials of this year
may be, there is one thing we do know,
and that is that not one Of us in any one
of them shall be forgotten before God.
However dark the pathway, His eye will
be upon US in it His infinite arm will be
about us to protect us; His wing of love
will overshadow us, and He will make
good to us His precious promise that as
our days so shall our strength be-" And