The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1889-11-08

Again, it is the use of trouble to make
US feel our complete dependence upon
God. King AlphOnsO said that If he had
been present at the creation he could
have made a better world than this
What pity he was not present! do
not know what God will do when some
men die. Men think they can do any
thing until God shows them they can do
nothing at all. We lay Our plans and
we like to execute them. 1t looks big.
God comes and takes us down. As
Prometheus was assaulted by his enemy,
when the lance struck him it opened
great swelling that had threatened his
death, and he got we'll. So it is the ar
row of trouble that let's out great swell
ings of pride. We never feel our de-
pendenee upon God until we get trouble.
I was riding with my little child along
the road, and she asked if she might
drive. said: Certainly"
handed over the reins to her, and I
had to admire the glee with which she
drove. But after awhile we met a team,
and we had to turn out. The road was
narrow, and it was sheer down on both
sides. She handed the reins to me, and
said; Il think you had better take
charge of the horse" So we are all
children; and on this road of life wo
like to drive. 1t gives one such an APP
pearance of superiority and power. 1t
looks big. But after awhile we meet
some obstacle, and we have to turn out,
and the road is narrow, and it is sheer
down on both sides; and then we are
willing that God should take the reins
and drive. All! my friends, we get up
set so often because we do not hand over
the reins soon enough.
Once, on the Cincinnati express
train, going at forty miles the hour, and
the train jumped the track and we were
near a chasm eighty feet deep, and the
men who, a few minutes before, had
been swearing and disappearing God,
began to pull and jerk at the bell-rope
and got up on the back of the seats and
cried out:
30 God, save us,'
1t is trouble, my friends, that makes
us feel our dependence upon God. We
do not know our own weakness or Gods
strength until the last plank breaks. 1t
is contemplate in us, when there is
nothing else 80 take hold Of that we
catch hold of God only. A man is un-
fortunate in business. He has to raise
great deal of money, and raise it quickly.
| He bOrrOws on word and note all he can
borrow. After awhile he puts a mort
gage on his house. After awhile he puts
a second mortgage on his house. Then
he puts a lien on his furniture. Then
he makes over his life insurance. Then
ne assigns all his property. Then he
goes to his father-in-law and asks for
help!
Well, having failed everywhere, COM
/ pletely failed, he gets down on his
! knees and says: 80 Lord, have tried
every body and every thing, now help
me out of this financial trouble" He
makes God the last resort instead of the
! first resort. There are men who have
! paid ten cents on a dollar who could
have paid hundred cents on a
dollar if they had gone to God in
time. Why, you do not know who the
Lord is. He is not an autocrat seated
far up in a palace, from which He
energies once year, preceded by her
AIDS swinging swords to clear the way.
| No. But Father willing, at our call,
to stand by us in every crisis and pre-
dicament of life.
] tell you what some Of you business
men make me think of. young man
goes off from home to earn his fortune.
He goes with his mothers benedictiOn.
She has large wealth, but he wants to
make his own fortune. He goes far
away, falls sick, gets out of money.
He sends for the hOtel-kecper where he
is staying, asking for lsnience, and the
answer he gets is: ''If you don't pay up
Saturday night you'll be removed to the
hospital" The young man sends to a
comrade in the same building. No help.
He writes to a banker who was friend
of his deceased father. No relief. He
writes to an old schoolmate but gets no
help. Saturday night comes, and he is
moved to the hospital.
Getting there, he is frenzied with
grief; and he borrOws a sheet of paper
and postage stamp, and he sits down,
and he writes home, saying: Dear
mother, | am sick unto death. Come. -
1t is ten minutes of ten o'clock when
she gets the letter. At ten o'clock the
train starts. She is five minutes from
the depot. She gets there in time to
have five minutes to spare. She wonders
why a train that can go thirty miles an
hour can not go sixty miles an hour
She rushes into the hospital. She says
''NIy son, what does all this means
Why didn't you send for me? You sent
to every body but me. You know l could
and would help you. Is this the reward
I get for my kindness to you always?"
She bundles him up, takes him home
and gets him well very soon.
Now, some of you treat God just as
that young man treated his mother
When you get into a financial perplexity
you call on the banker, you call on the
broker, you call on your creditors, yoU
call on your lawyer for legal counsel
} you call upon every body, and when you
can not get any help, then you 90 K
God. You say: ''Oh, Lord, l come K
[ Thee. Help me now out of my perplex.
) ity." And the Lord comes, though it i:
/ the eleventh hour. He says; ''Why
} did you not send for me before? As one
whom his mother comforteth, so viii
) comfort you" 1t is to thron us bacl
{ upon an all-comforting God that W,
e have this ministry of tears.
J Again, it is the use Of trouble to ca
Y pacitate us for the office of sympathy
{ The priests, under the old dispensatio
S were set apart by having water sprinlzlet
, / on their hands, feet and head, and b,
. the sprinkling of tears people are nov
v set apart to the Office of sympathy
i When we are in prosperity we like 4
1 / have a great many young people arounS