The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-10-28

apocalyptic leaf and he has TO take out his
handkerchief TO wipe his spectacles That
book of Revelation Is prospectus now of
the country into which he is to soon immi-
CRATE; the country in which he has lots
already laid out, and avenues opened, and
trees planted, and mansions built.
The thought eff that blessed place comes
over me nightly, and declare that if this
house were a great ship, and you all were
passengers on board 1t, and one hand could
launch that ship into the glories of heaven,
| should be tempted to take the RESPONSE
bility and launch you all into glory
with one stroke, holding on to the side
OF the boat until 1 could get In myself.
And yet there are people here to whom
this world Is brighter than heaven Well.
dear souls, | do not blame you. 1t is
natural. But after a while you will be
ready to go. 1t was not until Job had been
worn out with bereavements and carbuucles
and pest of wife that he wanted to see
God. 1t was not until the prodigal got
tired of living among the hogs that he
wanted to go to his Fathers house. Il is
the ministry Of trouble to make this world
worth less and heaven worth more.
Again, it is the use of trouble to make us
feel our complete dependence upon God.
King Alphonso said that IL he had been
present at the creation he could have made
better world than this. What pity he
was not PRESENT. l DO not know what God
will do when some men die. Men think
they can do anything until God shows them
they can do nothing at all. We
lay our great plans and we like to
execute them. 1t looks big. God
comes aud 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 arrow of trouble
that let's out great swellings of pride. We
never feel our dependence upon God until
we get trouble. | was riding with my little
child along the road, and she asked if che
might drive. l said, Certainly
handed over the reins to her, and had
to admire the glee with which she drove.
But after while we met team and we
had to turn out. The road was narrow,
and it was sheer down on both sides. She
handed the relns over to me, and said: II
think you had better take charge of the
horse" So we are all children: aud on this
road OF life we like to drive. 1t gives one such
an appearance Of superiority and power.
lu looks big. But after a while we meet
some obstacle, and we have Co turn out, and
the road is narrow, anc it is sheer down on
both sides; and then we are willing that
God should take the reins and drive. Ali
my friends, we get upset so often because
WO w hOb Aduu ON0I Jilo T6luh soon enough.
Can you not tell when you hear a man
pray whether he has ever had any trouble9
l can. The cadence, the phraseology indi-
cate 1t. Why do women pray better than
men! Because they have had more trouble.
Before man has had any trouble his
prayers are poetic. and he begins away up
among the sun, moon and stars, and gives
the Lord great deal of astronomical in
formation that must be highly gratifying.
de then comes on down gradually over
beautiful table-lands to forever and ever.
amen" But after man has had trouble,
prayer is with him taking hold of the arm
of God and crying out for help. l have
heard earnest prayers on two or three coca
sions that remember.
Once, on the Cincinnati express train.
going at forty miles the hour, and the train
jumped the track, and we were near
chasm eighty feet deep; and the men who,
few minutes before, had been swearing
and blaspheming God, began to pull and
backs OF the seats and cried out, 80 God,
save usn There was another time.
about eight hundred miles out at sea.
ON foundering steamer, after the last
Ilfeboat had been split finer than kIndling
wood. They prayed then. Why is it you
SO often hear people, in reciting the last ex-
perlence of some friend, say: HE made
the most beautiful prayer | ever heard"
What makes it beautiful! 1t is the earnest
ness of it. o, tell you a man is in
earnest when his stripped and naked soul
wades out in the soundless, shoreless. bot
tomless ocean of eternity.
lt IS trouble, my friends, that makes us
teel our dependence upon God. We do not
know our own weakness or Gods strength
until the last plank breaks. 1t Is contempt
IDLE in us when there is nothing else to take
hold OF, that we catch hold of God only. A
man is unfortunate 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 while he puts a
mortgage on his house. After while he
puts second mortgage on his house. Then
ne puts lien on his furniture. Then he
makes over his life insurance. Then he
assigns all his property. Then he goes to
his father-in. law, and asks for helpl
Well, having failed where-com-
pletely failed-he gets down on his knees
and says: 20 Lord, | have tried everybody
and everything; now help me out of this
financial trouble.n He makes God the last
resort instead of the first resort. There are
men who have paid ten cents on 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 ls not an autocrat seated far up in q
palace, from which he enaerges once a year.
preceded by heralds swinging swords to
clear the way. No. But father willing.
at our call, to stand by us in every crisis
and predlcament of life.
tell you what some of you business men
make me think of. A young man goes off
from home to earn his fortune. He goes WITH
his mothers consent and 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
keeper where he is staying, asking for
lenlence, and the answer he gets is: "If
you don't pay up Satu rday night you'll be
to the hospital" The young man
sends TO comrade in the same building.
No help. He writes to 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 a
postage stamp, and he sits down and be
writes home, saying; "Dear mother, / am
sick unto death. Come" 1t is ten minutes
of 10 O'Clock when she gets the letter. At
lO O'Clock the train starts She 10 five
minutes from the depot. She geUs there In
time to have five minutes to spare. She
wonders why train that can 60 thirty
miles an hour cannot go sixty miles an
hour. She rushes into the hospital. She
,ays: "My son, what does all this mean
Why didn't you send for mel You sent 10
but me. You knew 4 could and
would help you. Is this the reward / get
Tor my kindness 10 you alwaygF She