The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-07-07

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to rest upon his eternal truth and
fatherly love, than to waver to and fro
in querulous questionings. They en-
courage revcrance in mystery, and 81
lence in sorrow. bidding US wait
through the night, until glorious
morning shall break upon US.
And how persuasive this word OF
cheer! How many motives to unfal-
tcring trust is repealed by all our ex-
periences as christians. How often
with full heart have we sung:
Amazing grace, how sweet the
sound
That saved a wretch like me-
What wondrous unexpected deliv-
erance have we enjoyed in many a
sore temptation! What manifold
reasons has every believing soul to
praise God that his ways are not as
our ways, nor his thoughts as ours.
Our text is the language of COM
plant. God is called to account for
the evils that prevail on earth. To-
day we stand face to face with these
calamities which are wont to provoke
such an outcry. Several communi-
ties mourning their most beloved cit
liens; churches deprived of their lion
ored members; families bereaved OF
husband and father, sister and broth
Ell, by sudden and frightful stroke
alas we are all tempted to urge this
presumptuous question. In the pres
ence of calamity with which every
heart thrills, it becomes US to vindi-
cate the ways OF God in the evils be-
falling men.
The evils men suffer are either those
they bring upon themselves, or else
those which Gods goodness alleviates
and turns into blessings.
a large propotion of those evils
which men charge their Creator are
produced by themselves
Gods gifts are ample for useful or
happy life. We have 6ody, beau
tiful, dextrous for all the uses and the
arts Of life. We have world to min
lister to its wants; whole system of
provisions and of pleasures at our
hands; a seasonable and bounteous
nature. We have a better part-a
SOFT gifted with reason and immortal
ity. an instrument of the highest ac-
tivity-a capacity for the purest Joy,
for the knowledge Of the Father Of
Light and giver of all good-for a
better life awaiting us in Heaven.
Why then is there so much evil in
the world? The parable of the tares
teaches US the reason. An enemy
hath done this. When men slumber-
ed and slept, a dark spirit scattered
the seeds of Sin and death. And still
by his emissaries the dreadful work
goes on.
Much ofhe eca IN life arise from
bad man. Envy and pride infict mis-
cry upon others, even when no advan-
tage accrues to the wrong doer. The
terrible suspicion whispered here and
there among US, that yonder bridge
was not secured when the rail was
moved perhaps indicates the source Of
the grief that fills SO many hearts to-
day. Or malace may be let loose up
on others even to the injury of self, as
experience shows, or the mere reck-
lessness of folly as well as the promp-
ting of passion, may ill life with eel
amity.
Now how can God be held respon-
sible for all this? The evils men in
dict upon each other, he forbids and
threatens. And he lessons them as far
as moral influence can avail, by the
command and example ofJesus Christ.
He says: Pit on as The elect Of God, A2Iy
md beloved, Joscels Of mercies, Kindness,
hunlJleaeSS Of mind, naeeL1sesS, longsuGt,'
ing! torJearjnJ one another and toryjr-
ing one another, # any naanhare quar-
rel against aay; even as Christ t1yyare
you, so also doye. These laws observ-
ed, how blessed life would be
And to !. large extent, the Affections
we endure, befall US because of our
spiritual slumber. How much evil
comes from our vanity-our inconsid-
eration-our unloly desires, our abuse
of mercies, our moral sloth and disor-
der Jas. l: II, as slumber at an engine,
or remiss hand at the brakes, may
hurl a whole freight OF precious life
into the yawnirg grave. Thus sorrow
comes to those whom God made to be
happy. Vainly for them are Gods
bounties spread, and Gods embassies
sent. The Spring comes with its
green wreath, and Summer crowned
with wrestling ears, AMI Autumn with
purple clusters and they all call upon
the sleeper to awake and gather their
goodly stores, but the hands are folded
and the eyes closed until the stormy
Winter RACES around him, and the
f;smished wretch wakes to weep, to
shiver and to die.
Now for all these evils, those which
we create and permit, how can God
be responsible? Had his will been res
pected the bridge whose ruins are
streaked with sacred blood would have
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