The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1880-06-05
SANDING THE AxLEs.

| a person who can help but little is
sometimes able to hinder a great deal.
1t requires but very little talent to stand
in the way Of each others usefulncss.-
1t would require but small ability for a
roguish boy standing by machine, to
sprinkle little sand upon the oiled and
polished axlcs on which the wheels re-
volved. II might be done easily, and
quickly, and remain unobserved but
that sand, mingling with the lubricating
oil, and being carried around on the
axles, would decrease the speed, con-
sumo the power, cut the axlcs, injurc the
box, hinder the work, and derange and
ruin the machine. If the boy was try
ing to introduce pebbles or rocks into
the machine, he would do less damage,
for they would be observed and could be
easily removed but the mischief would
come from introducing the sand, SO fine
that il makes its way every where, so
small that no one would notice it.
There are men in the church of Chris,
who never have shown great ability to
plan or execute anything Of importance.
Their main forte seems to be sanding
axles. They can get in the way Of 9th
ers; they can hinder, find fault, pcrvert
and sow jealousy, dissension and sus-
picion, rs invisibly and Is effec,ually as
aboy can sand the journals Of 4 machine.
No one suspects what they are doing /;
nor can any one fastcn their misdecds
upon them, but the air grows thick with
distrust, and work is hindered by secret
contrivances and combinations good
men are burdcncd, disheartened and
worn out noble enterprises falter, fail,
and are abandoned. Every one notices
that things go hard, and that something
binders their progress, but no one seems
TO know what the trouble is, until that
day comes for a general clearing up, and
then, 10, and behold, the axles are found
covered with sand.
1t requires very little ability in man
TO fill the position Of sand throwcr-
Neither intelligence, talent, grace, nor
godliness are absolutely necessary for
this work. Conceit, envy, jealousy,
sournesS and meddlcsomcncSs are suffi-
cient qualifications under ordinary cir
comstanccs. IL does not take much re-
ligion for man to find fault some men
have been known to find fault who did
not have any. |, requires no long ap-
premiership or great skill to throw sand
on axlcs man who does not know
enough to oil machine properly could
sand it quite effec,ually.
Here, for instance, is a church. where
there are few people who try to do some
thing, and number who succeed in do
ing nothing except grumble because
what is done is not done in different
way. Here is person who from love
to the cause OF God desires to labor
earnestly, energctically and effectually
in the Masters work bu, by the time
he is under way, Others who have not
succeeded in accomplishing anything of
importance are ready TO throw sand on
his axlcs and neutralize his efforts until
the other workers are discouraged and
the work abandoned after which the
sand-throwers relapse into 4 condition
OF quietudc. They have done what they
could, which was simply to hinder Others
from doing anything, and now their song
is. IL told YOU so; ! know that nothing
would b. done" Most churches have
surplus OF these sand-throwcrs, who
could bc spared and il in their place
could be substituted few of those men
who oil the machinery. who lubricaie
instead of irritaie. who feed the fires in
stead OF throwing water upon them. and
who are Is ready to work Is those sand
throwers are to grumble, nobody would
be damaged by the change. Better still
would it be il some of these very men
would cease throwing sand and begin
pouring on oil. They might be 4 power
for good and men might thus be spared
one OF the grievous vexations of their
ves.-.SattSnari.