The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-07-30

garment hold out Q little longer, with
whom the great question Il not which IL
the best investment or the most lucrative
security, bat how shall make the two
ends meeti To such people I bring the
coincidence Of this Christian truth.
You may have seen . map on which II
described, with red ink. the travels Of the
children of israel through the desert to the
Promised Land. You see how they took
this and that direction, crossed the river
and went through the sea. Do you know
God has made map of your life with
paths leading up to this bitterness and
that success, through this river and across
that sea? but, blessed be Godl the path 81.
ways comes ont at the Promised Land.
Mark thati Mark thati
Iremark again: That all those things
that seem but accidents in our life are
under the divine supervision. We some
times seem to be going helmless and
anchorless. You say:
"If had some other trade; IL I had not
gone there this summer; II had lived in
some other house."
You have no right to say that. Every
tear you wept, every step you have taken,
divine inspection, and that event which
startled your whole household with hor.
ror, God met with perfect placidty, be.
cause he knew It. was for your good. It
was part Of a great plan projected long
ago. In eternity, when you come to
reckon up your mercies, you will point to
that affection as one of your greatest
blessings. God has q strange way with
US. Joseph found his way to the prime
minister's chair by being pushed into .
pit: and to many . Christian down is up.
The wheat must be failed; the quarry
must be blasted; the diamond must be
ground; the Christian must be afflicted;
and that single event. which you supposed
stood entirely alone, was a connecting link
between two great chains, one chain
reaching through all eternity future, SO
small an event fastening two etsrnities
together.
A missionary coming from India to she
United States, stopped ut st. Helena
while the vessel was taking water. He
had his little child with him. They walk
ed along by an embankment, and q rock
at that moment became loosened, and,
falling, instantly killed the child. Was IL
an ACCIDENT Was it q surprise to Gouf
Had he allowed his servant, after q life NJ
conservation, to come to such . trial? Not
such is my God. There are no accidents
in the divine mind. though they may seem
SO to US. God is good, and by every single
incident Of our life, whether it be ADVERSE
God will demonstrate his mercy.
hear man say: "That idea belittles
God. You bring Him down to such little
things" Oh, have . more thorough APP
probation of God in little things than I
have in Great things. The mother does
not wait until the child has mashed its
foot or broken its arm before she admin.
listers sympathy. The child comes In
with the least bruise, and the mother
kisses 1t. God does not wait for some tre-
mendous crisis in our life, but comes down
to us in our most Insignificant trials and
throws over US the arm Of His mercy.
Going up the White mountains some
wears ago thought Of that passage in the
Bible that speaks of God IS weighing
mountains in q balance. As looked at
those great mountains thought, can it be
possible that God can put these great
mountains in scales? II was an idea too
great for me to grasp; but when l saw .
blue.be down by the mules foot, on my
way up Mount Washington, then UNDER
stood the kindness and goodness of God.
It is not SO much of God in great things 1
can understand, but Of God in little things.
There is q man who says: "That doc
trine can not be true, because things do 60
so very wrong" reply, it is no incon-
sistency on the part of God, but lack Of
understanding on our part. 1 hear that
men are making very fine shawls in some
factory. I 60 in ON the first floor and see
only the raw materials, and ask: "Are
these the shawls that have heard
about?"
'No," says the manufacturer; Ego up
to the next floor" and 60 up, and there
begin to see the design. But the man
says:
"Do not stop here; go mp to the top floor
Of the factory, and you will see the idea
fully carried out"
do so, and having come to the top, SOC
the complete pattern of an exquisite
shawl. So in our life, standing down on .
low level of Christian experience, We do
not understand Gods dealings. He tells
us to 90 up higher and higher, until We
begin to understand the divine meaning
with respect to us, and we advance until
we are at the very gate Of Heaven, and
there see Gods idea oil wrought out-a
perfect idea Of mercy, of love, Of kind.
ness. And we say:
"Just and true arc all Thy ways"
1t is all right at the bottom. Remember
there is no inconsistency on the part Of
God, but II is only our mental and spirit
ual incspacity.
Some Of you have been disappointed this
summer-vacations are apt TO b disap-
pointments-but whatever have been your
perplexities and worriments. know that:
Mans heart deviseth his way. bus the Lsrd
directeth his steps.
Ask these aged mon in this church II Il
is not 80. II has been 20 In my own life.
One summer / started for the Adiron-
dacks, but my plans were 30 changed that
Handed in Liverpool. studied law and
got into the ministry. ! resolved to 60
as q missionary to China, and I staid in
the United States. Thought would like
to be in the East, and went to the West
all the circumstances Of my life, all my
work, different from that which ex-
pected.
A mans heart deviseth his way. but the
Lord dlrecteth his steps
So, my dear friends, this day take home
this subject. Be content with such things
a. you have. From every grass blade IN.
der your feet learn the lesson Of divine
care, and never let the smallest bird dit
across your path without thinking Of the
truth, that
Five sparrows are sold for two farthings,