The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1890-08-29

of earth alone? Can We enumerate any
or can sc speak of one blessing received
which cannot be traced back to God as its
author? We believe not, however much
we may pride ourselves upon our strength,
our own energy, or our own judgment.
We have no strength except given through
His goodness, and no energy, no judg-
ment beside that melted by Him.
Away in the distance, in this early morn
ing hour, as we hear the laborious freight
train as it goes putting along with its
heavy burden, we think of how the move
ments of that "beast of burden are con-
trolled by the engineer as he stands at the
throttle valve, guiding all by a slight but
intelligent movement of his hand. Then
we are led to compare this locomotive and
its freight with human life, of how we go
trudging and putting along, believing our
burden to be too heavy to bear. making
not only ourselves but all who come in
contact with us to feel oppressed, when, if
we would but respond to the headings of
our Divine Engineer, as does this mani
mate iron horse which borrows all its life
from him no is directing it, causing all to
roll smoothly along in its course-so all
our putting, our complaining, would cease
if We would but respond as obediently, for
we know it is more the thought of respon-
sibility, than the responsibility itself, that
makes our trials, our burdens, heavy to
bear.
Did we ever notice how free of trials
any Christian Of our acquaintance seems
to be, when if we had to bear what they
do we think we would sink beneath the
weight thereof? We solve the mystery, if
mystery it be, by say ing with Shakespeare:
80 God, Thy arm was here;
And not TO us, but to Thy arm alone,
Ascribe we all"
OF what do trials generally consists it
of the physical burdens we have to bear?
1t may be with a few, but with the bulk
of Human nature we believe them to find
root more on account of the thouehiless-
ness, the Indifference of friends. # they
prove unfaithful We think our lot a hard
one indeed, but We only learn when their
flow of tenderness, of sy mpathy is impeded
how loving, how tender our Saviour is in
His healing powers. Truly, that which
seemed cur greatest trial, proves our great
est blessing, ipasmuch as We are brought
to see the weakness, the imperfections of
human love, or rather to see the steadfast
ness of Divine love, and thereby to have
the ties which bind us to earth weakened,
and in their stead our Father is drawing
US closer to Himself and what blessing
| Jul w Sitattit i'tI lntIC IL ~ 2ltiltI
blessing. 1t consists in bringing others to
partake of this divine blessing and it is
only through the educating influences of
trials that we may be enabled to do this.
Were our life one long day of u%nclouded
sunshine, we would forget in our light
heartedness to look aioft ana thank the
giver of all good and precious gifts. 1t is
only human nature to 90 along beedleSsly
unless the clouds of darkened trials loom
up in our pathway obstructing our view
ahead, it is then we turn about and seek
the source from whence our life has been
lighted, it is then we are brought to know
the healing, the unspeakably loving pres
enee of our Saviour, and in the fullness of
such blessings brought through trials, we
might say, as did Cardinal Newman on
his death bed, 81 hearthe music of Heaven;
all is sunshine"
Another trial OF the christian is to see
his fellow men plunged into a vortex Of
excitement, an excitement of a very ordi-
nary nature, that will have no power to
draw its participants heavenward, but will
rather have a tendency to draw those who
enter into its mazes downward.
In a very touching sermon we were per-
mitted to listen to yesterday, the question
was asked how any great progressin CHRIS
tianity could be made when such affairs
as this Agricultural Fair VS.. horse race,
was allowed in our midst. The speaker
told of how lie believed the Fair, from an
agricultural standpoint, was needed and
was a benefit to this farming community,
of how he would like to give it his support
and encouragement, but this debasing
horse race, which benefits the farmer not
at all will not Permit him to take any part.
We are thankful indeed that we have
men in our community, possessing suifi.
cient christian courage to raise their
voices against this bio of civilization, (not
to mention christianity for does it not
seem as we view the race track WHEREOF
are a number of chargers with unnaturally
bulged eyes and distendcd n~ostrils, being
dashed mercilessly by their drivers to great
err speed that theil owners may win the
highest purse offered for the winner of the
contest, that We are resolving back into
barbarism?
Is it any wonder this thought was a bur-
den to the christian heart. That the
speaker to whom We have alluded should
bear testimony against it? We will en-
deavor not TO give a wrong impression of
his views, however, for be did not say il
was wrong for all to attend but he advised
us as George Fox advised William Penn
when the latter asked whether he should
continue 10 wear MS sword or not, to
which the former replied: 'Wcar it just
as long as thee can" knowing conscience
was at work and that il would not allow
him to retain its company long. So he
would advise protesting Christians to 90
to this affair just as long as conscience
would allow, but entreated them the mo-
ment they had any misgiyings as to
whether it was wrong for them to attend,
to listen faithfully to conscience dictates.
What else are it's Influences? Even now
as We sit here writing by our west window
there are maldlin voices in song carried to
us by the breeze, the owners of said
voices homewaid bound and evidently un-
der the influence of--the agricultural
fair. o, heaven, such influence. 1t is this
manner OF influence in connection With the
race course that causes this annual gather
ing to be a blot to our Quaker community
and it is this that causes it to be a trial to
the Christian heart, but when the Chris
tian has done all he can land not till them
to counterfeit its influence, then is his soul
at peace.
Since that first carriage load OF male
voices passed there has come another
" here the female voices were intermingled
with those of their brothers as they sang
in different parts the air OF an old familiar
hymn. May we say that they, too, were
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