Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1889-07-18
Not IleyOnd Homo.

II is not surprising that, in the face OF
an overwhelming calamity, with pro.
perty all swept away and families swal-
lowed up in living grave, some OF the
survivors of the Johnstown disaster
should lose faith in Providence. Start
ling facts have been reported by the en-
terprising newspaper men who visited
the scene of the Conemaugh flood; but
none more striking than the fact that,
in SO veral notable instances, men and wo-
men lust saved from the tide OF death
had thrown away their Bibles and open
ly rejected the ministrations Of tho
clergy, declaring that In view OF what
they had suffered thew could not con
ceive the existence OF merciful God.
This is not new story, says Frank
IesIie's illustrated Newspaper. Fire,
flood, pestilence, robbers, and assasslns
in biblical days despoiled man OF luxu-
rious wealth and pre-eminent happiness.
In day-ay, in an hour-he was strick-
en- and deserted, penniless, and deprived
OF his family, and himself smitten with
q painful malady. II was in this hour
that the patient job, OF sacred story was
advised by his counselors to course God
and die" The reply Of the man who
sat in sackcloth and Enthusiastically all
that remained OF his possessions is
found in those noble words Of his tri-
umphant faith, Though He slay me,
yet will trust in Him"
The creature who believes in the
goodness OF God only when the earth Is
full Of pleasant smiles for him has no
adequate conception OF the devine ma
ture. His faith is not deeply rooted. IL
penetrates no farther than the springs OF
his own sellishness No doubt 1t would
have been merciful in Providence TO
have averted the Conemaugl, disaster.
No doubt Providence could Danish pain,
sickness and death, poverty and distress,
and make a world wherein every man
and woman would have health, food, and
raiment; but does any one stop to think
that happiness is simply a comparative
term, that IL there were no tears there
would be no laughter, II there were no
such word as sorrow there would be no
such word as Joy?
What constitutes happiness for one
is looked upon as misery by another.
The cold, hungry, wretched prisoner in
dungeon suddenly finds himself free.
Some mercifui agency smites oil his
chains, opens the barred door, and leads
him out into the glorious. all-pervading
aunlight. Hungry though he be, chafed
with his chains, the suffering child of
deprivation and want, still to him the
free air, the splendor OF the sunshine,
and the restful peace Of the blue sky
bring q sense of infinite and inexpressible
happiness. Perhaps in the first house
that stands within his gaze sits a man,
amply fed, strong in body and in mind,
who is quarreling with his Maker because
the sun shines when his field Of titled
soil ne eds the rain. The hungry beggar
on the street receives a crust of bread
and is happy, though the same crust
lad Just been cast away OF the table of
the pampered child Of luxury. Happi-
ness depends largely on ourselves. III we
are never sad, then we know not how
to smile.
And so, as the waves recede, the flood
subsidies, and the bereaved in the awful
valley of ruin contemplate their desc
lated homes, unselflsh thoughts OF
cthsrs who have been doubly stricken