The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-09-04

want now TO hear OF GODS tendef mercy, III
other words do not give them aqua 1ottlS
when they need valerian.
Again remark that those persona are poor
comlorters who have never had any trouble
themselves. A larkspur cannot lecture nthe
nature OF a snow4ake-it never saw snow
flake; and those people who have always ilYed
in the summer of prosperity cannot tax 10
those who are frozen in disaster. God keeps
aged people in the world, think, for this very
work Of sympathy They have been through
irritates and all that which soothes Ii there
are men aud women here who have old people
in the house or near at hand so that they can
easily reach them, l congratulate them
Some of US have had trlais IN
life, and although we have had many friends
around about us, we have wished that father
and mother were still alive that we might go
and tell them. Perhaps they could not say
much, but it would have been such comfort
to have them around. These aged ones who
have been all through the trials of life know
how to give coincidence. Cherish them; let
them lean on your arm-these aged people. II,
when you speak to them, they can not near
just what you say the first time, and you have
to say it a second time, when you say it the
second time do not say it sharply. If you do
you will be sorry for it on the day when you
take the last look and brush back the silvery
locks from the wrinkled brow just before they
screw the lid on. Blessed DO God for the old
people, They may not have so much strength
to go around, but they are Gods appointed
ministers of comfort to broken heart.
People who have not had trials themselves
can not give comfort to others. They may
talk very beautifully, and they may give
you great deal of poetic. sentiment; but
while poetry is perfume that smells sweet, it
makes very poor salve. If you have grave
in your pathway, and somebody comes and
covers it all over with flowers, it is gave yet.
Those who have not had grief themselves
know not the mystery of a broken heart. They
know not the meaning of childlessness, and
the having no one to put to bed at night, or
the standing in q room where every book and
picture and door is full of memories--the door
mat where she sat, the cup out Of which she
dTank-the place where she stood at the door
and clapped her .hands-the odd figures that
she scribbled-the blocks She built
into q house. All no, you must
have trouble yourself before you
can comfort trouble in others. But come
all ye hwho have been bereft and We who
have been comforted in your sorrows, and
stand around these afflicted souls and say to
them, II had that very sorrow myself. God
comforted me, and he will comfort you;" and
that will 90 right to the spot. In other words,
to comfort others we must have faith in God,
practical experience, and good sound common
sense.
But there are three or four considerations
that will bring this morning to those that are
sorrowful and distressed, and that we can al
ways 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, I
wonder what God has against men' They
seem to think God has some grudge against
them because trouble and misfortune have
come. Oh no. Do you not remember that
passage of scripture, Whom the Lord lovoth
he chasteneth?" A child comes in with a
very bad splinter in its hand and
you try to extract it. 1t is a very painful ope-
ration. The child draws back from you, but
you persist. You are going to take that splin-
ter out, so you take the child with a gentle but
firm grasp; for although there may be pain in
it, the splinter must come out. And it is love
that dictates it and makes you persist. My
friends, really think that nearly all our sor-
rows in this world are only the hand Of our
Father extracting some thorn. If all these
sorrows were sent by enemies, would say arm
yourselves against them and, as in tropical
chimes, when tiger comes down from the
mountains and carries off q child from the
village, the noighbors band together and 60
into the forest and hunt the monster, so l
would have you, if / thought these misfortunes
were sent by an enemy, go out and
battle against them. But no: they como
from a father so kind, so loving, SO gentle
that the prophet, speaking of His tenderness
and mercy, drops the idea of father and says,
Gas one whom his mother comforteth, SO will
| comfort you"
Again remark, there is comfort in the
thought that God by all this process is going
to make YOU useful. Do YOU know that those
have all been under the harrow? Show me a
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, no.
once went through an OK factory, and saw
them take the bars of iron and thrust them
into the terrible furnaces Then besWeated
workmen with long tongs stirred the blaze
Then they brought ont bar of iron and put it
into q crushing machine, and then they put it
bpt IL hat in two
put it on an anvil, and there were great ham
mcrs swung by machinery-each one half
ton i'll weight-that went thumpl thump
thump. If that iron could have spoken, it
Why must be pounded any more than any
any other iron ?' The workman would
have isaid, 1--WE want to make axes out
of you, keen, sharp aXes-axes with which to
hew down the forest and build the ship, and
erect houses, and carry on thousand enter
prises of civilization. That's the reason we
pound you" Now God pats a soul into
the furnace Of trial. and then it is brought
out and run through the cru. hing machine,
and then ii comes down on the anvil, and upon
it blow after blow, blow after blow, and the
soul cries out, 80, Lord, what does all this
mean" God says, Il want to make some
thing very useful ont OF you. You shall be
something to hew with and something to build
with. 1t Is practical process through
which l am putting you" Yes, my Christian
friends, we want more tools in the church of
God. Not moro wedges to split with: we have
enough Of these. Not more borcs with which
to drill: we have too many boxes. What
we really want is keene sharp, well-tenpered
ayes, and if there be any other way Of making
them than III the hot furnace, and on the hard
anvil, and under the heavy hammer, / do not
know what it is. Remember that If God
brings any kind Of chastsement upon you, it
is only to make you useful, Do not sit down
discouraged, and say 81 have no more reason
for living. I wish were dead" Oh, there
never was so much reason for your living as
now By this ordeal you have been conse-
Grated priest of the Most High God G. out
and do your whole work for the Master.
Again, there is comfort in the thought that
all our troubles are revelation. Have you
ever thought Of it in that connection? Tho
man who has never been through chastise-
ment is ignorant about a thousand things in
his soul he ought to know. For instance, here
is man who prides himself on his cheerful
ness Of character. lie has no patience with
anybody who is depressed in spirits Oh, it is
easy for him to be cheerful, with his fine
house, his filed wardrobe ard well strung in
struments Of music, and tapestried plrlor, and
plenty of money in the bank waiting for some
permanent investment. II is easy for
him he cheerful Rut crrDOsa