Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-07-28


FIELDs''-THE CHEAP SPARROW
'THE HAMPToNs," LONG ISLAND, Sun
DAY, July 18.-The Rev. T. Dewitt Tai
mage, D. D., is continuing his series of
sermons on s'Voices of Gardens and
Fields" His subject to-day was, "The
Cheap Sparrow" and the text, Luke xii,
verse q: care not five sparrows sold for
two farthings and not one of them is: for
gotten before God ?" Following is the dis
course in full:
You see the Bible will not be limited in
the choice of symbols. There is hardly a
beast, or bird, Or insect which has not
been called to illustrate some divine truth
the ox's patience, the ants industry, the
spider skill, the hind ssure-footedness, the
eagles speed, the doves gentleness, and
even the sparrow's S meanness and insigni6-
cance. In Oriental countries mona 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 population would not
think of touching it any more than you
would think of eating bat or lamprel.-
Now, says Jesus, if God takes such good
care Of poor bird that is not worth a
cent, won't he care for you, an immortal !?
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 the contrivance of the needle
gun, in the ruin of an Austrian or Napole-
onic despotism; but how hard it is to see
God in the minute personal affairs of our
lives We think OF God as making re-
cord of the starry host, but cannot realise
the Bible truth that he knows how many
hairs are on our head. 1t seems grand
thing that God provided food for hundreds
of thousand of Israelites in the desert; but
we cannot appreciate the truth that when
a sparrow is hungry God stoops down and
opens its mouth and puts the sead in. We
are struck with the idea that God fills the
universe with His presence; but cannot un-
derstand how He encamps in the crystal
palace of dew drop, or finds room to stand
without being crowded between the alabas-
ter pillows of pond lily. We can see God
in the clouds. Can we see God in these
flowers at our feet? 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 Cromwell, an Alexander, or a Wash
ingtop. Or an archangel, is not more under
divine inspection than your life or NINE
| Pompey thought there must be a mist over
the eyes of God because He so much favor
ed Caesar. But there is no such mist. He
sees everything. We say Gods path is in
the great waters. True enough but no
more certainly than 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
decides which road or street you shall take
| in coming to church. Understand that
God does not sit upon an Indifferent or un-
sympathetic throne, but that He sits down
| beside you oday, and stands beside me to-
day, and no affair of our lives is so insight
can't but that it is of Importance 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 spend great deal of time in re-
GREETING that they got in the wrong trade
or profession. l want to tell you that God
put into operation all the influences which
led you to that particular choice. Many of
you are not in the business that you expect
ed to be in. You started for the ministry
and learned merchandise; you started for
the law and you are a physician; you pre-
ferred agriculture and you became a me-
chanic. 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 benefcent |
God, kind God, a loving God-arranged
all these circumstances by which you were
made what you are.
mason !" God says: eYou will be a geolo-
gist." David goes out to tend his fathers
sheep; God calls him to govern nation
Saul goes out to hunt his fathers asses,
and before he gets back finds the crown of
mighty dominion. How much happier
would we be if we were content with the
places God gave us God saw your temper
ament, and all the circumstances by which |
you were surrounded, and | believe nine
tenths of you are in the work you are best |
fitted for.
I hear great racket in my watch, and |
find that the hands. and the wheels, and
the springs are getting out of their places. |
I send it down to the jewellers and say:
"Overhaul that watch, and teach the
wheels and the spring and the hands to
mind their own business"
You know man having large estate
He gathers his working hands in the morn
ing and says to one; ''You go and turn that
yine;" to another: .'You go and weed those
flowers" to another: "You plough that
ticular 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
which we are best fitted. So that the les
son for to o-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 go out to hunt for a house, and you
happen to pass up certain street, and hap
pen to see sign, and you select that house.
Was it 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 bet
ter for you than any one of the ten thou
sand habitations in the city. Our house,
| ly the portals, is as near Gods heart as an
Alhambra or a Kremlin. Prove it, you
say: Proverbs Ill, 80: sHe besseth the
habitation of the just"
| remark further That God arranges all
our friendships. You were driven to the
wall. You found man just at the crisis
who sympathised with you and helped you.
You say: "How lucky l was p There
was no luck about it. God sent that friend
just as certain as he sent the angel to
strengthen Christ. Your domestic friends,
your business 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 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 sympathisers;
when death comes, there will be gentle
fingers to close the eyes and fold the hands,
and gentle lips to tell of the resurrection
o, we are compassed by bodyguard of
friends! Every man, ifhe has behaved
himself well, is surrounded 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 a
few who would die for him. God pity the
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