Democratic messenger., 1888-09-08
Poor Kind OF People.



those who arc sorrowful and distressed
and that NC can always bring to them,
knowing that they will effect cure. And
the first consideration Is that God sends our
troubles In love- often hear people In
their troubles say: "Why, l wonder what
God has against me! They seem TO think
God has some grudgc against them be.
cause trouble and misfortune have come
Oh! no. Do you not remember that pas.
sage Of Scripture, "Whom the Lord loyeth
He chastencth :" A child comes in with
very bad splinter in its hand, and you
try 10 extract II. II Is a very painful opcr.
alton. The child draws back from you
but you s,ill persist. You are going ia
take that splinter out, so you take the
child with a gentle but firm grasp; for
although there may he pain In II, the
splinter must come out. And Il is love
that dictates II, and makes you persist. Ny
friends really think that nearly all our
sorrows in this world are only the hand
of our Father extracting some thorn. II
all these sorrows were sent by enemies
would say arm yourself agains, them, as in
tropical climcs, when u tiger comes down
the mountains and carries of child from
the village, the ncighb0rs band together
and go into the forest and hunt the mon.
stcr, so | would have you. ifI thought
these misfortuncs were sent by an enemy,
go GU, and battle against them. But no
they come from Father SO kind, so low
ing, so gentle, that the prophet, spcakin s
of his tenderness and mercy. drops the
idea Of a father, and says; AS one whom
his mother comfortcth, so will comfort
you."
Again, remark there Is comfort in the
thought that God by all this process is go.
ing to make you useful. DO you know
that those who accomplish the most
for God and Heaven have all been under
the harrow Show me man that has
done anything for Christ in this day, In
public or private place, who has had
no trouble and whose path has been
smooth. All. mo.
/ once went through an axe factory, and
l saw them take the bars of iron and
thurst them into the terrible furnaces
Then besweatcd workmcn with long
tongs stirred the blaze. Then they brought
out bar ofiron and put IL into a crushing
machine, and then they put il between
jaws that bit il in twain. Then they put
IL on an anvil. and there were great ham.
mcrs swung by machincry-each one a
half ton in wcight-that went thump
thump! thump! IL that iron could have
spoken IL would have said: "Why all
this beating: Why must ! be pounded
any more than any other iron," The
workmcn would have said: I'VE want to
make axes ont Of you keen. sharp axes
axes with which to hew down the forest,
and build the ship, and erect houses. and
carry on u thousand enterprises OF civili
zaiion. That's the reason we pound you," "
Now, God puts soul into the furnace of
trial, and then it is brought out and run
through tie crushing machine, and then
il comes down on the anvil, aud upon II
blow after blow. and the soul cries
out: "Oh! Lord, what does all this
mcan?" Cod says. Iwant 10 make some
thing very useful out Of you. You shall
bc something 10 hew with and something
TO build with. 1t is practical process
through which / am putting you. Yes,
my Christian friends. We want more tools
IN the church ofG0d, Not more wedges
to split with--wc have enough OF these.
Not more borcs with which to drill-wc
have too many bores. What we really need
is kccnly sharp, wcll.tempered axes. and
il there be any other way of making them
than In the hot furnaces, and ON the hard
anvil, and under heavy hammer. do nol
know wha, il is Remember that II God
brings any kind of chastisemcni upon you
il is only to make you useful. DO not
sit down discouraged and say Il have no
more reason iorliving wish were dead "
oh there never was so much reason for
your living as now BY this ordeal you
have been consccra,cd priest of the Most
High God Go out and do yOnr whole
work for the Master.
Again there is comfort in the thought that
al Our troubles are a revelation. Have
you ever thought of |, in that connection :
The man who has never been through
Is ignorant about thousand
things in his soul he ought to know. For
instance, here is man who pridcs himself
on his chccriulncss of character. lie has
no patience with anybody who Is dcprcss-
ed in spirits oh ! Il is easy tor him to be
with his fine house, his filled
wardrobe and wcll.strung instruments of
music. and ,apcs,ried parlor, and plenty
money in the bank waiting for some per-
manent investment. II is easy for him to
be cheerful But suppose his fortune goes
to pi Gees. and his house goes down under
the shcrin's hammer, and the banks will
not have anything To do with his paper.
Suppose those people who were once
entertained at his table get so
: hort-sighied that they cannot recognize
him upon the street. How then l. |, 50
G nsy 10 be cheerful i, Is easy Ia bc cheer.
ful in the home, ailer the days work Is
done, and the gas is turned on. and the
house is full of romping little ones.
But suppose the piano is shut because the
fingers that played on 1t will no more
touch the keys, and the childish voice that
asked so many questions will ask no more
Then Is II so easy, When n man wakes
up and finds that his resources are all
gone he begins 10 rebel, aud he says: "GOd
Is hard, God Is outrageous. lie had no
business to do this TO me-" My friends
those Of US who have been through trouble
know what n sinful and rcbcllious heart