National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-06-21

bread,n is inappropriate TO you, for you
have made provision for a hundred years.
Then q black providence comes, and II
sweeps everything away, and then you
begin TO pray, and you begin to feel your
dependence, and begin to be humble before
God, and you cry out for treasures In heav-
en-. Tho black providence brought you
salvation. The white providence brought
you ruin. That which seemed TO be harsh
and fierce and dissonant was your greatest
mercy. twas raven.
There was a child born In your house. All
your friends congratulated you. The other
children Of the family stood amazed look
ing at the new conner, and asked q great
many questions, genealogical and ohron-
illogical. You sad-and you said truth
fully-that a white angel flew through the
room and left the little one there. That
little one stood with its two feet In the
very center Of your sanctuary OF affection,
and with its two hands II took hold Of the
altar Of your soul. But one day there came
one OF the three scourges of children
scarlet fever, or Group, or diphtheria-and
all that bright seen vanished. The chat
tering, the strange questions, the pulling
at the dresses as you crossed the noor--all
ceased. As the great friend Of children
stopped down and leaned toward that
cradle, aud TODD the little one In his arms
and walked away with II into the bower OF
eternal summer, your eye began to follow
Him, and you followed the treasure
| He carried, and you have been
following them ever since; and instead OF
thinking OF heaven only once week, as
formerly, you are thinking Of II all the
time, and you are more pure and tender
patiently waiting for the daybreak. It is
not self-righteousness in you TO acknowledge
| that you are better man than you used to
| be--you are better woman than you used
TO be. What was 1t that brought you the
eanctifying blessingY oh, IL was the dark
shadow on the nursery; II was the dark
shadow on the short grave; IL was the dark
shadow on your broken heart; II was the
brooding OF great black trouble; IL was a
raven-lt was a ravenl Dear Lord, teach
this people that white providences do not
always mean advancement, and that black
providences do not always mean retrogres-
sion.
Children Of God, get up ont of your de-
spondency. The Lord never had 30 many
ravens as he has this morning. Fling your
fret and worry to the winds. Sometimes
under the vexations OF life you feel like my
little girl OF 4 years, who said under some
childish vexation: ooh, wish | could go
TO heaven and see God and pick ilowersp'
lie will let you go when the right time
comes to pick flowers. Until then, what
ever you want, pray for. l suppose Elijah
prayed pretty much all the time. Ire
mendous work behind him. Tremendous
work before him. God has no spare ravens
for iders or for people who are prayerless
put II In the boldest shape possible, and
am willing to risk my eternity on 1t; ask
God in the right way for what you want
Mrs. Jane Plthey, Of Chicago, a well-knowr
Il Christian woman, was left by her husband
q widow with one half dollar and cottage
She was palsied and had mother 80 year.
Of age to support. The widowed soul every
day asked God for all that wal
needed in the household, and. tn,
servant even was astonished al
the precision with which God answered thu
J prayers Of that woman, item by item, item
by item. One day, rising from the family
altar, the servant said: "You have not asked
, for coal and the coal is out" Then the,
stood and prayed for the coal. One hou
after that the servant threw open the doc
| and said: 1.-THE coal has Gomez A gene
, rous man, whose name could give you
. had sent-as never before and never since
l a supply Of coal. You cannot understand
} It. l do. Ravensl Ravens
Myfriend, you have right to argue fron
r precedent that God is going to take care o
, you. Has He not done It two or tire
times every day? That is most marvellous
Q / look back and / wonder that God ha
D given me food three times day REGULAR
} all my lifetime, never missing but once an
T then l was lost In the mountains; but tina
r very morning and that very night met th
J, ravens.
, Oh, the'Lord is so good that lwish all thi
!, people would trust Him with the tw
0 lives--the life you are now living and tina
t which every tick OF the watch and ever
stroke of the clock inform you is approach
D ing. Bread for your immortal soul come
: to-day. Sect Tney alight on the platform
, They allght on the backs of all the pew
: They swing among the arches. Ravens
o Ravensl "Blessed are they that hungt
Q after righteousness. for they shall be filled.
s Tofall the shining and the sorrowiHg an
I the tempted deliverance comes this houl
n Look down and you see nothing but you
r spiritual deformitles. Look back and 20
Q see nothing but wasted opportunity. Gas
!; Jour eye forward and you have fearfu
J., looking for of Judgment and fiery indigni
tion which shall devour the adversary. Bu
a look up and you behold the whippe
k shoulders Of an interceding Christ and th
!, face Of q pardoning God and the irradli
a ton OF an opening heaven. hear th
8 whirr Of their wings. Do you not feel tn
9 rush OF the air on your cheekP Raven
Ravensl
r There is only one question / want to asl
8 How many Of this audience are willing
!: trust God for the supply Of their bodiC
8 and trust the Lord Jesus Christ for the n
& demption of their immortal souls? Ami
j, the clatter Of the hoofs and the clang of IL
h wheels Of the judgment chariot the who
o | matter will be demonstrated.