The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-06-17

gan by engraving pewter pots; God raised
him TO stand in the enchanted realm OF
painter. Tho shoemaker's bench held
Bloomfield for little while, but God
called him TO sit in the chair OF a philoso-
pher and Christian scholar. The soap
boiler of London could not keep his son in
that business for God had decided that
Hawley was to be one of the greatest as
tronomers Of England. On the other
hand, we may be born in Il sphere little
higher than that for which God intends
us. We may DO born in a castle, and play
in costly conservatory, and feed high
bred pointers. and angle for gold fish IN
artificial ponds, and be familiar with
princes; yet God may have fitted us for u
carpenters shop, or dentists forceps, or q
weaver's shuttle, or blacksmith's forge.
The great thing is to find just the sphere
for which God intended u.s. and then TO
occupy that sphere and occupy it forever
Here is a man God fashioned to make a
plow There is a man God fashioned 10
make n constitution. The man who makes
the pillow is Just as honorable rs the man who
makes the constitution, provided he makes
the plow as well rs the other man makes
the constitution. There is n woman who
was made to fashion a robe, and yonder is
one intended 10 be queen and wear IT..
Ii seems to me that in the one case rs in
the other God appoints the sphere, and
the needle is just as respectable in his
sight rs the scepler. ] do not know but
that the world would long ago have been
saved il some Of the men out OF the min.
is;ry were in IL, and some OF those who are
in il were out OF it. l really think that
one.half OF the world may be- divided into
two quarters-those who have not found
their sphere, and those who, having found
IL, are not willing 10 stay there. How
many are struggling for position little
higher than that for which God intended
them. The bondswomau wants TO be mis-
tress. Hagar keeps crowding Sarah. The
small wheel OF watch, which beau
tiiully went treading its golden pathway,
wants to be the balance wheel, and the
sparrow, with chagrin, drops into the
brook, because IL cannot, like tho eagle,
cut circle under the sun. In the Lords
army wo all want 10 be brigadier-genc
The slOop says "Alore mast; moro ton
mage; more canvas. o, that were iopsail
schooner, or full rugged brig, or u Cunard
steamer" And so the world Is filed with
cries Of discomfort, because we are moi
willing to stay In the place where God put
us and intended MS 10 be. My friends, be
not to- proud to do anything God tells you
TO do. For the lack OF right disposition in
this respect the world is strewn with wan.
dering iIagars and Ishmaos. God has
given each one OF Us a work TO do. You
carry scuttle OF coal up that dark alley.
You distribute that Christian tract. You
give $4,000 TO tho missionary cause. You,
Tor fifteen years, sit with chronic rhouma-
tism, displaying the beauty Of Christian
submission. Whatever God calls you 10,
whether il win Kissing or huzza; whether
10 walk under triumphal arch or lift the
sot out of tho ditch; whether 1t be TO
preach on Pentccost, or tell some wan
derer OF tho street OF the mercy OF the
Christ OF Mary Magdaleno; whether II be
10 weave garland Tor a laughing child on
a spring morning. and call her a MAY
queen, or to comb out the tangled locks Of
a waii Of the street AMI cut up one of your
old dresses TO iii her out for the sanctuary
do IL, and do II right away. Whether Il
be n crown or yoke, do not fidgct. Ever
lasting honors upon those who do their
whole work, aud arc contentod in the
sphere in which God has put them; while
there is only wander, aud exile, and desc.
lation, and wilderness. for disconnected
Hagar and khmacl
Again: / find in this Oriental scene les.
son OF sympathy with woman when she
goes forth trudging IN the desert. What
n great change twas for this liagar. There
was the tent and all the surroundings Of
Abraham's house, beautiful aud luxuri-
Gus, no doubt Now sho is going out
into the hot sands Of the desert oh, what
n change II wasl And IN our day We often
see the wheel OF fortune turn. Here IL
some one who lived in the very bright home
of her father. She had everything posi-
BILE 10 administer 10 her happiness Plenty
at the table. Music In the dmwing.room.
Welcome ut the door. She is led forth
into life by some one who cannot approci-
ate her. A dissipated soul comes and
takes her out In the desert lniquilics blot
out all the lights Of that homo circle.
Harsh words wear out her spirits. The
high hope that Hhone out over the mar
riagc altar while the ring was being set
and tho VOWS given and the bcnediction
pronounced, have all faded with tho or.
ango blossoms, aud there she Is today,
broken hearted, thinking Of past Joy and
present dcsolaiion and coming anguish.
iIagar In the wilderness
Here Is beautiful home. You cannot
think OF anything that can be added 10 H.
For years there has not been the suggcs
ton Of n single trouble. Bright aud happy
children fill the house with laughter and
song. Books 20 read. Pictures 70 look at
Lounges 10 rest on. Cup Of domestic ioy
iuA and running over. Dark night drops
Pillow hot. Pulses flutier. Eyes close
And the foot whose well known steps OF
the doouill brought the whole houschol,
out At eyeniido, crying Fathers com
ing" will never sound on the dooruil
again. A long, deep grief plowcd through
all that lightncss OF domestic life. Para
disc lost widowhoodl Hagar In Ia
wilderness!
How often Il Il we see the weak arm q
woman conscripied for this battle with IN
rough world. Who Is she, going down ia
street In the early light Of the morning
pale with exhausling work, not half slef
out with the slumbes u last night, TRACE
dies Of suffering written all over her face
her lusierlcss eyes looking far ahead q
though for the coming OF some othc
TROUBLED Her parents called her Mary, q
Bertha, OF Agnes on the day when the
held her up " tho iont and the Christia
minister sprinklod on the infants face th
washings Of holy baptism. Her name
changed now. Iheaf Il In the shuttle I
the worn out shoes. see Il In the figur
OF the faded calico. find II Ia the line.
mcnts Of the woe bcgone counlenanc,
No, Mary, nor Bertha, nor Agnes, but III
gar In the wilderness May God hay
mercy upon woman in her tolls, her stru,
giles. her hardships, her dosolaton, an
may the great heart OF divine sympalh
inclOse her forever.
4 al L.. Al. l. A-f.-a-N