The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-08-04
DR. TALMAGE'S SERMON.
THE CHEAP SPARROW.

Text: care not five sparrows sold for two
farthipgs, and not one of them Is forgotten
before GodF-Luke xii, 6.
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 oS's pa-
tien'e the ants industry, the spiders skill,
the kinds surefootedness, the eagles speed,
the doves gentleneSS, and even the sparrow s
meanness and insignificance. 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 there is of it. The comfortable popula-
tion would not think of touching it any more
than you would think OF eating bat or a
lamprel. Now, says Jesus, if God takes
such good care Of a poor bird that is not
worth cent, won't he care for you an i'm
mortal!
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 Gunpowder Plot,
in the contrivanoe of the neede-gun, in the
ruin of an Austrian or Napoleonic despotism;
but how hard it is to see God in tn, minute
personal affairs of our lives! We think Of
God as making 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 lsraelitesin the
desert; but we cannot appreciate the truth
that, when sparrow is hungry, God stoopS
down and opens its mouth and puts tie seed
in. We are struck with the idea that GCd
fills the universe with His presence; but can
not understand how He encamps in the
crystal palace of the dewdrop, or finds
room to stand, without being crowded, be-
tween the alabaster pillars Of pond lily.
We can see God in the clouds. Can we SEQ
God i'll these flowers at our feet2 We are apt
to place God on some great stage-or try to
do it-expecting Him there to act out His
stupendous projects; but we forget that the
ington, or an archangel, 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
Cesar. But there is no such mist. He sees
every thing, We say Gods path is in the
great waters True enough! but no more
certa My than He is in the water in the glass
their courses. Magnificent truth! but no
more certain truth than that He decides
which read or street you shall take in coming
to church. Understand that God does not sit
upon an Indifferent OF unSympathetic throne;
but that He sits down beside you to-day, and
stands beside me to-day, and no affair of our
lives is 50 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 there are dissatisfied with the work
they have to do. | think three .fourths wish
they were in some other occupation; and
they sDend great d. al of time in regretting
ttat they got in the wrong trade 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
al tlo@ oAoI b. H.
You started for the ministry, and learned
merchandise; you started for ths law, and
you are physician; you preferred agricul-
ture, and you are mechanic. You thought
one way; God thought another. But you
ought not to st down and mourn over the
past You are to remember that God-a
benefcent God, kind God. loving Cod
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 geologist."
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 usl
God saw your temperament and all thu cir
cumstauces by which you were surrounded,
and | believe nine-tenths Of you are in the
work you are best fitted for.
/ hear great racket in my wat,h, and |
find that the hands and the wheels and the
springs are getting out of their places.
send it down to ths jewelers. and say: "Over-
hanl that watch, and teach the wheels and
the spring and the hands to mind their own
business
You know a man havin! a large estate
He gathers his working hands in the morn
ing, and says to one: "You go and trim that
rin ~ RI onnfhnr. cn md he.
flowers" to another: "You plow that tough
glebe; and each one go?s to. his particular
work. The owner of the estate points the
man to what he knows he can do best, and so
it is with the Lord. He calls us up and points
us to that field for " h.ch we are best fitted.
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
60 out to hunt for house, and you happen
to pass up certain street. and happen to see
a sign, and you select that house. Was it all
happening so? o, no! God guided you in
every STEP He foresaw the future. He knew
all your circumstances, and he selected jus.
one of the ten thousand habitations in the
city Our house, however humble the roof
and however lowly the portals, is as near
Gods heart as an Alhambra or a Kremlin.
Prove it, You say! Proverbs ill.,, 80: ''He
blessed the habitation Of the JUST
remark further. that God arranges all
our friendships You were drivsn to the
wall. You found man just at tnat crisis
who sympathized with you and helpsd you.
no luck about it. God sent that friend just
as certain as He sent the angel to strengthen
Christ. Your domestic friends, your busi.
ness friends, your Christian friends, God
sent them to bless you, and if any Of them
have proved traitorous it is only to bring out
the value of those who remain. If some die,
it is only that they may stand at the out
postof Heaven to greet you at yolr coming.
You always will have friends-warm.
hearted friends, magnanimous fr:eads; and
when sickness comes to your dwelling there
will be watchers; when trouble comes to your
heart there will be sympathizers; when
death comes there will be gentle fingers to
close the eyes and fold the hands, and gentle
lips to tell of resurrection. Oh, we are COM
passed by body-guard of friends! Every
man, if he has behaved himself well, is sur
rounded by three circles of friends-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 wret n who has not
any friends He has not behaved we'll
1 remark, again, that God puts down the
limit of our temporal prosperity. The world
Of finance seems to have no Col In !t fou
can not tell where man will land. The af-
fluent fall: the poor rie; the ingenious fail;
the ignorant succeed An enterprise open
ing graudly shuts in bankruptcy, while out
Of the peat dug up from some New England
marsh the millionaire builds his fortune.
The poor man thinks it is chance that keeps