The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1884-08-28
"Do Men Gather Figs of Thistles 2"

With more than one poor weak
mortal has the great truth been man
ifest that there is power overseeing
the affairs Of men, which ordaineth
all things well, doeth all things for
the best. We have all been taught,
many years ago, the lesson that "man
proposes, but God disposes." Men
may lay the most cunning schemes Of
deception, but the great, glaring light
of Truth will certainly be turned
full upon them, no matter whether
those schemes have for their object
the securing of political power, or
attainment of private ends.
When man seeks to place himself
before his fellow men in the light of
one Of greater purity than they, or of
superior attainments, he should re-
member the solemn warning, "be sure
your sins will find you out" And
mans sins will find him out, even as
the clouds follow the sunshine.
We live in great Nation, a Nation
of wondrous character, and wondrous
resources. Yet for years we have
been told by many of the public
prints, and by political orators, that
we were all wrong, that the Nation
was drifting on to destruction because
of wicked men-even they of the
great party which is called Republi-
can. So baleful had the story be-
come, that the heart sickened, and the
head swam-even the heads Of the po-
litical orators we looked long
ingly for perfect man, to lead US to
the Canaan Of moral and political pu-
rity.
Lo! He came! In his one hand
he carries an olive branch, and upon
the leaves thereof, appear hieroglyph-
les which say Free Trade, Free Rum,
and Free Democracy" and in his 9TH
er hand-by which hand he "relies
upon the will Of Go@"-he carries
book, which book is, as it were, loved
by all mankind. That book is strange
to the pure man, but there are those
who expect to see him read it, and
with beautiful smile he opens the
book, and, looking over the shoulder
of the pure man we read: Learn to
do well; seek judgment, relieve the
oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead
for the widow" The pure man hast
lily turns the sacred page and reads:
Il am sought Of them that asked not
for mel / am found of them that
sought me not" 'She weepeth sore
in the night, and her tears are on her
cheeks; among all her lovers she
hath none to comfort her; all her
friends have dealt treacherously with
her, they are become her enemies" q"
Behold, O Lord; for | am in distress;
my bowels are troubled" The pure
man looks up in despair, and beholds
even a painter, painting upon
mighty wall, and the figures are like
this: A beautiful woman upon her
bendea knees, her eyes uplifted im-
ploringly to frightful mo~~4 ar ubo
AA se'A'1 -vr infant boy, and who
points her to an asylum near by.
The pure man is interrupted in the
contemplation of the picture, and
looking about him, 10! he sees mighty
multitudes Of good people, and all Of
them point the finger of scorn at him
and cry, with one accord: "Thou art
the monster!" The pure man looks
at his garments, and they are filthy;
he views his person, and he is filthy;
he looks about, in his desperation, and
all things pertaining to him and his
are filthy. And the people saw it,
even as Cleveland, the pure man"
did, and drawing their garments close
ly about them, they departed from his
presence, forever. His sins had found
him out.