Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1886-08-06
lR. TALMAGE'S SERMON.
TIE CHEAP SPARROW.

farthings, and not one Of them Is forgotten
before Godf'-Luke xii, q
You see the Bible viii not be limited In the
choice of symbols There is hardly a beast,
or bird or insect which has not been called to
illustrate some divine truth-the ox's pa
ten e, the ants industry, the spiders skill,
the hind S suretOotednesS, the eagles see ID,
the doves gentleness, and even the sparrows
meanneSs and insignifcance. In Oriental
countries none but the poorest people buy the
sparrow and eat it, so very little meat is
there on the bones, and so very poor is it,
what thCre is Of it. The comfortable popula-
ton would not think of touching it any more
than you would think Of eating a bat or a
lamprel. Now, says Jesus, if God takes
such good care of a poor bird that is not
worth cent, won't no care for you, an inn
mOrtals
We associate God with revolutions. We
can see divine purpose in the discovery OF
America, in the invention Of the art of print
ing, in the exposure of the Gunpowd der Plot,
in the cOntriyan Of the needle-gun, in tho
ruin of an Austrian or Napoleonic dc spoti5m;
but how hard il is to see God in thu minute
personal affairs of our lives We think OF
God as making a record of the starry host
but cannot realize the Bible truth that He
knows how many hairs are on our head. 1t
seems grand thing that God provided food
for hundreds of thousands of lsraelites in the
desert; but we cannot appreciate the truth
that when sparrow is hungry, God stoops
down and opens its month and puts tie seel
in. We are struck W th the idea that God
fills the universe with His presence; but eau
not understand how He elcamps in thu
crystal palace of the dewdrop, or finds
room to stand, without being crowded, be-
tween the alabaSter pillars of q pond lily
We can see God in the clouds. Can we SEQ
God i'll these flowers at oar feetl We are apt
TO pla g God on some great stage-or try to
do it-eXpectin9 Him there to act ont His
stupendouS pro ectS; but we forget that the
LIE Of a Cromwell. an Alexander, or Wash.
ington or an archan- ell, is not moro under
divine inspection than your LIE or mine
Pompey thought there must be a mist over
the eyes Of God because He 50 much favored
CRa But there is no such mist He sees
every thing, We say Gods path is in the
great waters. Trde enough! but no more
certa My than He is in the water in the glass
on the table. We say God guides the stars in
their courses. Magnificent truth! but no
more certain truth than that He decides
which read or street you sh Ill take in coming
to church. Understand thai God does nots c
upon an Indifferent OF unsympathetic throne {;
bat that lie sits down beside you to-day, and
stands beside me to-day, and no affair of our
lives is So insignificant but that it is of i'm
portance to God.
In the first place, God chooses for us our
occupation. am amazed to see how many
people JneTe are u.SSaU Slleu WIN Gl9 work
they have to do. | think three -fourthS wish
they were in some other occupation; all
they snend great al of time in regrettng
Il AZ they got in the wrong TIA lie or profess
sion. | want to tell you that God put into
operation all the influences which led you To
that particular choice Many of You are not
in the business that you expected to be in.
You started for the ministry, and learned
merchandise; you started for the law, and
you are physcani you preferred agricul-
ture, and you are mechanic. You thought
one way; God thought another But you
ought not to 81 lown and mourn over the
past You ar to remember that Coda
benefCent God a kind God. loving God
arranged all these circumstances by which
you were made what you are.
Hugh Miller says: 81 will be a stone
mason Godsays; You will bea geo.o sist. J
David COOS out to tend his fathers sheep.
God calls him to govern nation. Saul GOES
out to hunt his fathers asses, and before he
gets back finds the crown of mighty domin-
ion. How much happier would we be if we
were content with the places God gave us!
God saw your temperament and all thu cir
cumstances by which you were surrounded,
and | believe ninc-tenths Of you are in tho
work you are best fitted for.
hear great racket i'll my wat h, and
find that the hands and the wheels and the
springs are getting out of their places
hanl that watch, and teach the wheels and
the spring and the hands to mind their own
business
You know man having q large estate.
He gathers his working lands in the morn
ing, and says to one: You go and trim that
Ylne;" to another: You 60 and weed tho "a
flowers" to another: "You plow that tough
glebe; and each one goes to his particular
work. The owner of tie estate points the
man to what he knows he can do best, and 50
it is with the Lord. He calls us up and points
lis to that field for VII oh we are best lifted.
So that the lesson for to-day, coming from
this subject, is: 'Stay cheerfully where God
puts you.
remark further; That God has arranged
the place of our dwelling. What particular
city or town, street or house you shall live in,
seems to be mere matter Of accident. You
20 cut to hunt for a no Ise and YOU happen
to pass up certain street, and happen to see
sign, and you select that house. Was it all
happening so? o, MOI God guided Won i'm
every step. He foresaw the future. He knew
all your circumstances, and he selected Just
that one house as better for YOU than any
one of the ten thousand habitations in the
city. Our house, however humble the roof
and however lowly the portals, is as near
God S heart as an Alhambra or a Kremlin.
Prove it, yo1 say! Proverbs ill.,, 80: "He
blessed the habitat,on of the justn
remark further. that God arranges all
our friendships. You were driven +, tina
wall You found man inst at that crisis
who sympathiled with you and helped you.
You say "How lucky l was" There was
no luck ahout il God sent that friend inst
ms certain as He sent the angel to STRENGTHEN
Christ. Your domestic friends, vour bust
ness friends, your Christian friends. God
sent them to bless YOU, and if anv of them
have proved traitoroI,s it is only to bring ont
the value of those who remain. If some die.
it is only that thew NAV stand at the ont.
post of Heaven to erect Won at vonr coming.
You always will have frieuds-warnI.
hearted friends, 1nagnanimons friends: an
when sickness comes to your dwelling there