The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1886-08-19

who have to calculate rigid economy, who
are perplexed how they will make the old
garment hold out a little longer, with
whom the great question Is not which is
the best investment or the most lucrative
security, but how shall I make the two
ends meet2 To such people I bring the
coincidence of this Christian truth.
You may have seen a map on which is
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 God the path al.
| ways comes out at the Promised Land.
Mark that! Mark that!
Iremark again: That all those things
| that seem Lut 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; If had not
| gone there this summer; il had lived in
some other house."
You have no right to say that. Every
tear you wept, every step you have taken,
every burden you have carried, is under
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. 1t
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
minis er'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;
aud 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 eternities
together.
A missionary coming from India to the
United States, stopped at st. Helena
while the vessel was taking water. He
had his little child with him. They walk
ed along by an embankment, and rock
at that moment became loosened, and,
falling, insIan lily killed the child. Was it
an accident? Was it q surprise to Godf
Had he allowed his servant, after life of
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
or otherwise, before earth and heaven
God will demonstrate his mercy.
l 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
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 it. God does not wait for some tire.
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
years ago thought of that passage in the
Bible that speaks of God as weighing
mountains in balance. As l looked al
those great mountains thought, can it BIZ
possible that God can put these great
; mountains in scalesS 1t was an idea toe
great for me to grasp; but when saw g
blue-bel1 down by the mules foot, on my
way up Mount w Washington, then I under.
| stood the kindness and goodness of God
1t is not SO much Of God in great things
can understand, but of God in little things
There is man who says: "That doc
Urine can not be true, because things do 81
| so very wrong" reply, it is no incon
sistency on the part of God, but lack O.
i. understanding on our part 1 hear tina
men are making very fine shawls in SOM
, factory / go in on the first floor and SCI
only the raw materials, and / ask: "Ar
these the shawls that have heare
about?"
, "No," says the manufacturer; ego W
| to the next fioor;" and go up, and Their
begin to see the design. But the maj
/ says:
, "Do not stop here; 60 up to the top fl oo
/ of the factory, and you will see the ide,
| fully carried out"
do so, and having come to the top, Sc
D the complete pattern of an exquisit
shawl. So in our life, standing down on
0 low level of Christian experience, we d.
not understand Gods dealings. He tell
8 us to go up higher and higher, until W
( begin to understand the divine meaning
9 with respect to US, and we advance unit
r we are at the very gate Of Heaven, an,
there see Gods idea all wrought out
perfect idea of mercy, of love, of kind
Q ness. And we say:
2 "Just and true are all Thy ways"
1t is all right at the bottom. Remembe
s there is no inconsistency on the part Q
God, but it is only our mental and spirit
: ual incapacity.
Some of you have been disappointed thi
Q summer-vacations are apt to be disap
4 pointments-but whatever have been you
g perplexities and worriments, know that
S Mans heart deviseth his way, but the Lor
directeth his steps.
9 Ask these aged men in this church if
is not so. 1t has been so in my own life
Q One summer I started for the Adiron
dacks, but my plans were SO changed tina
Handed in Liverpool. / studied law an
n got into the ministry. I resolved to G
$ as missionary to China, and 1 staid
t the United States. thought would lik