The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-08-02
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
Third Discourse Of tho Series on
voices of Gardens and Fields"
The B'bse's Fertility In Symbols--;od's
Observance Of Little Things-sH Hu-
man Doings Arranged aud Watched
Over by v Loving Father

Over by Loving Father
Rev. 7. Dewitt Ta,mage delivered the
third of his series Of discourses on ''Voices
of Gardens and Fields" at "The Hamp.
TONS" taking for his subject ''The Cheap
Sparrow" and illustrating it from the fol.
lowing text:
Arc not Ave sparrows sold for two farth.
ings. and not one OF them 10 forgotten before
Goi?-II,ke xiii, G.
You see the Bible will not be limited in
the choice of symbols. There is hardly
beast or bird. or insect, which has not
been called to illustrate some divine truth
the OK. patience, the ants industry, the
spiders skill, the kinds sure fooi edness,
the eagles speed, the doves gentleness,
and even the sparrow's meanness and
insignificsnce. In Oriental countries none
hut 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
there is Of 1t. The comfortable population
would not think of touching it any more
than you would think Of eating bat or
ismprey. Now, says Jesus, IL God takes
such good care OF a poor bird that is not
worth cent, won't he care for you, an
immortal?
We associate God with revolutions. We
can see divine purpose in the discovery
of America, in the invention of the art of
printing, in the exposure Of the Gunpow.
der Plot, in tho continuance of the needle.
gun, in the ruin Of an Austrian or Napo.
leonic despotism; but how hard 1t is to see
God in the minute personal affairs of our
lives.
We think Of God as making record of
the starry hosts, but can not realize the
Bible truth that he knows how many hairs
arc on oar head. 1t seems grand thing
that God provided food for hundreds of
Thousands Of Israelites in the desert; but
we can not appreciate the truth that, when
asparrow 10 hungry, God stoops down and
opens lis mouth and puts the seed in. We
are struck with the idea that God fills tho
universe with his presence; but can not
understand how he encamps in the crystal
palace Of dewdrop, or finds room to
stand without being crowded between the
alabaster pillars Of pond lily. Can we
see God in these flowers at our feetf We
are apt to place God on some great stage
or to try to do it-expecting him there to
act out his stupendous projects; but we
forget that the life of Crom well, an
Alexander, or Washington, or an arch.
angel, is not more under divine inspection
than your life or mine. Pompey thought
there must be mist over the eyes of God
because he so much favored Caesar. But
there is no such mist. He sees everything.
We say Gods path is In the great
waters. True enough. but no more Ger.
tainly than that 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 do.
nides which road or street you shall take
in coming to church. Understand that
God does not sit upon an Indifferent or
unsympathetic throne, but that He sits
down beside you to-day, ind stands be.
side me to-day, aud no affair OF our lives
is so insignificant but that it is of impor.
tance to God.
In the hrst place God chooses for us our
occupation. / am amazed to see how
many people there are dissatisfied with
the work they have TO do. think three.
four,hs wish thoy were in some other &C.
cupation, and they spend great deal Of
time regretting that they got in the wrong
trade on profession. want TO tell you
that God put into operation all the infiu.
ences which led you to that particular
choice. Many Of You arc not in the bust.
ness that You expected to be In. You
started for the ministry and learned mer.
chandse; you started for the law and you
are physician; you preferred agricult-
ure and you became a mechanic. You
thought one way, God thought another.
But you ought not TO sit down and mourn
over the past You are to remember that
Coda beneflcent God, kind God. Low.
ing God-arranged all the circumstan ces
by which you were made what you are.
Hugh Miller says: 81 will be a stone.
mason" God says: "You will be q geolo.
gist." David goes out to tend his fathers
sheep; God calls him to govern nation.
Saul goes out to hunt his fathers asses,
aud before he gets back finds the crown of
mighty dominion. How much happier
would we be IL we were content with the
places God gave usl God saw your tom.
permanent and all the circumstances by
which you were surrounded, and believe
n'ne.tenths Of you are in the work you
are best fitted for"
near great racket In my watch, and
find that the hands and the wheels and
the springs are getting out of their places.
send II down to the jewelers. and say:
"Overhaul that watch and teach the
wheels and the springs and the hands to
mind their own business"
You know man having large estate.
He gathers his working hands in the
morning, and says to one, "You 60 and
tim that vines" to another, "You go and
weed those nowers;" to another, "You
pillow that tough glebe," and each one goes
to his particular work. The owner Of the
e,tate points the man to what he knows
he can do best; and so IL is with the Lord.
He calls US up and points us to that field
for which we are best fitted. So that the
lesson for to-day, coming from this sub.
ject, is: "Stay cheerfully where God puts
you"
remark, further: That God has ar.
ranged the place Of our dwelling. What
particular city or town, street or house
you shall live in seems to be matter of
accident. You go out to hunt for house,
aud you happen to pass up a certain
street, and happen TO see sign and you
select that house. Was IL all happening
so: oh, no! God guided you in 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 10000 habtations of the city. Our
house, however humble the roof aud how.