The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1886-08-19
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
Third Discourse of the Series on
"Voices of Gardens and Fields"
The Bibles Fertility in Symbols-God's
Observance of Little Things-An HUI
man Doings Arranged and watched
Over by a Loving Father.

Over by Loving Father.
Rev. T. Dewitt Talmage 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:
Are not five sparrows sold for two farth-
ings, and not one of them is forgotten before
God?-Luke Kill, 6.
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
SPIDERS skill, the kinds sure footedness,
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 population
would not think of touching it any more
than you would think of eating a bat or a
lamprey. 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
immortalf
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 the continuance Of the needle-
gun, in the ruin of an Austrian or Napo-
leonic despotism; but how hard it 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
are on our head. 1t seems a grand thing
that God provided food for hundreds of
thousands of Israelites in the desert; but
we can not appreciate the truth that, when
sparrow is hungry, God stoops down and
opens its mouth and puts the seed in. We
are struck with the idea that God fills the
universe with his presence; but can not
understand how he encamps in the crystal
palace Of a dewdrop, or finds room to
stand without being crowded between the
slahaster pillars of pond lily. 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 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 cer-
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 de-
cides 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, and stands be-
side me to-day, and no affair Of our lives
Is SO Insignificant but that it is of impor-
lance 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. I think three
fourihs wish they were in some other oc-
cupation, and they spend great deal oil
time regretting that they got in the wrong
trade or profession. want to tell you
that God put into operation all the iDfiu-
ences which led you to that particular
choice. Many of you are not in the bust
ness that you expected to be in You
started for the ministry and learned mer.
chandise; you started for the law and you
are physician; you preferred agricult-
ure and you became mechanic. You
thought one way, God thought another
Butyou ought not to sit down and mourn
over the past. You are to remember thai
Coda beneficent God, kind God, Low.
ing God-arranged all the circumstan ce!
by which you were made what you are.
Hugh Miller says: 81 will be a stone
mason" God says: "You will be geolo
gist." David goes out to tend his father,
sheep; God calls him to govern a nation
Saul goes out to hunt his fathers asses
and before he gets back finds the crown o.
mighty dominion. How much happier
would we be if we were content wish thu
places God gave us! God saw your tenn
permanent and all, the circumstances BIZ
which you were surrounded, and believ,
n,ne-tenths of you are in the work yo,
are best fitted for"
hear great racket in my watch, and
find that the hands and the wheels ant
the springs are getting out of their places
Isend 1t down to the jewelers. and say
"Overhaul that watch and teach tn
wheels and the springs and the hands t.
mind their own business"
You know a man having large estate
He gathers. his working hands in tn
morning, and says to one, "You 90 an,
trim that VIVA ~ IN = !. n n, ar ave., ~ = :.