The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1886-09-03


your Christian friends, God sent them to
| traitorous 1t is only to bring out the value
OF those who remain. II some die, it is
only that they may stand at the outpost
Of heaven to greet you at your coming.
You always will have friends, warm
hearted friends, magnanimous friends,
and when sickness comes to your dwelling
there will be watchers; when trouble
comes to your heart there will be sympa-
thizers; when death comes there will be
gentle fingers to close the eyes and fold
the hands, and gentle lips to tell OF q
resurrection. o, we are comprised by q
body. guard OF friends! Every man, IL he
has behaved himself we'll, is surrounded
by three circles Of fIiends-those of the
outer circle. wishing him well; those in
the next circle. willing to help him; while
close up to his heart are few who would
die for him. God pity the wretch who has
not any friendsl He has not behaved
well.
Iremark again: That God puts down
the limit to our temporal prosperity. The
world Of finance seems to have no God in
1t. You can not tell where q man will
land. The af1iuent fall; the poor rise.
The ingenious fail; the ignornnt succeed.
An enterprise opening grandly shuts in
bankruptcy. while out Of the peat dug up
from some New England marsh the mil.
lionaire builds his fortune. The poor man
thinks 1t is chance that keeps him DOWN.
the rich man thinks II is chance which
holds him up. and they are both wrong. 1t
is so hari to realize that God rules
the money market, and has a hook
in the nose Of the stock gambler, and that
all Of the commercial revolutions
Of the world shall result in the very best
for Gods dear children. My brethren, do
not kick Against the divine allotments.
God knows just how much money it 10
best for you to lose. You never gain un-
less it is best for you to gain. You 60 up
when it is best for you to go up, and 60
down when it Is best for you to 60 down.
Frove it, you say. will: Romans. viii,
%:
All things work together for good to them
that love God.
There are two things. says an old prov
erb, you ought not to fret about: First,
things that you can help: and, second,
things which you can not help. II you can
help them, why do you not apply the rem.
edyi II you can not help them, you might
as we'll sur, ender first as last. Ny dear
brethren, do not sit any longer moping
about your ledger. Do not sit looking so
Responding upon your stock OF unstable
goods. Do you think that God 10 going to
allow you, Christian man, to do business
alone? God Is the controlling partner in
every firm; and although your debtors
may abscond; although your securities
may fail; although your store may burn,
God will, out Of an infinity Of results,
choose for you the very best results. Do
not have any idea that you can overstep
the limit that God has laid down for your
prosperity. You viii never get one inch
beyond it God has decided how
much prosperity you can stand hon.
orably and employ usefuily; and con-
troll righteously; and at the end of
1886 you will have just 90 many
dollars and cents, just so much wardrobe,
just 30 much furniture, just so many bonds
and mortgages, and nothing more. l will
give you $1o0 Tor every penny beyond
that. God has looked over your life. He
knows what h best for you, and He is
going to bless you in time. and bless you
for eternityi and he win do it in the best
way.
Your little child says: sPapa, I wish
you would let me have that knife"
no." you say, sit is sharp knife, and
you will cut yourself"
He says: 81 must have It."
"But you can not have it,n you reply.
He gets angry and red In the face, and
says he will have it; but you say he shall
not have 1t. Are you mot kind in keeping
it from HIM: So God treats His children.
I say:
81 wish. Heavenly Father. 10 get that"
God says: mo. my child"
Isay: 81 mutt have It."
God says: "You CON not have it.n
get angry and say: ~ will have It." |
God says: "You shall not have it," and |
do not get it.
Is He not kind and loving and the best |
Of fathers! Do you. tell mo there is no
rule and regulation in these thingsi Tell
that to the men who believe in no God and |
no Bible. Tell It not to me.
A man Of large business conclude % to 70 |
out Of his store, leaving much OF his in.
vestments in the business, and he "a Va to |
his sons:
SNOW. I ann going to leave this business
10 your hands. Perhaps may come back
IN little while, and perhaps not. While
| am gone you will please to look after
Affairs.n
After awhile the father comes back and
lnds every thing at loose ends, and the
whole business seems to be going wrong
He says:
II am going to take possession Of this
business-you know never fully surren-
Tered 1t; and henceforth consider your.
Ielves subordinates."
Is he-not right in doing III He saves the
business. The Lord seems to let m 20 on
N life, guided by our own skill, and We
make miserable work Of II. God comes
iown TO our shop or our store, and saws:
Things are going wrong, leone to take
charge. am master and know whit In
'est, and proclaim my authority.n We
ire msrely subordinates.
II Il like q boy at school with q long
'um that he can mot do. He has been
working at It Tor hours, making figures
here and rabhinS out figures there, and it