The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-11-25
Seletteo Storm.
The "Ifs -.

"Do you have more of them than
most peope?"
well, / can't exactly look into the
inside of other folks lives, but, judging
from outward appearances, ] think l
have.
"Why?"
The takers were two women. The
one was on the border line. You
couldn't say she was old; her hair had
scarcely silver thread in it, and time
had set its foot only lightly at the cor
ners of her eyes. She was pale and
fragile-looking, but decidedly she was
not young. The other had passed on
to the serenity of seventy years. 1t
was she who had said Why?"
"That is a difficult question to an
swer, because it involves telling things
one dosen't care to talk about; still /
don't mind saying that in few months
/ shall be at the end of my resources"
"Why look forward few months?
Remember the adage: Doe ye the next
thynge.'"
"Oh, I'm tired of that saying
there's a fallacy in it. Suppose the
next thing one has to do is to look fair
ly into the future, and suppose what
one sees there is failing strength, ag
coming on, poverty, absolute destilu
ton, what then of the next thing
prosperous pr ople talk so glibly about?'
"Then l should say, Guide me, o
thou great jehovah" was the quiet
reply.
The dc faint face softened little.
81 do try to say it, and to feel that he
will; but 1t has always been hard
Of, hot IL L
trust God implicitly for my eternal life,
l find it difficult to trust him for the
temporal life. l think the reason i,
that / know 1 can't save myself, but in
affairs Of this life so much sc ems to de-
pend on my own course. If could be
sure l always did the best thing il
would be different, but my own mis-
takes may be to blame for some of my
misfortunes. l remember an old lady
who used to say she wasn't bit afraid
the Lord wouldn't do his part, she was
only afraid she wouldn't do hers"
"The latter half of her remark meets
my case. Yet l really have tried to do
my lpart-the number of doors I've
pushed open, only to have them slammed
in my face / tell you it isn't the
easiest thing for woman whose youth
is past, who never was very rugged.
and who has been trained 10 no special
occupation, to find work which will give
her even moderate support. Aud
sha'n't be old enough to enter an Old
Ladies' Home for some years yet," she
added, with rueful attempt at pleas
antry.
"My DEAR" said the gentle voice,
do you know that yours is not a
strange case? The same Affections
are accomplished in your brethren that
are in the world. Cont think misery
ought to love company, for that is very
selfish; but it is comfort that the Lord
is seeing and helping through a vast
number who suffer in like fashion to
ourselves. l, too, have passed through
an experience of life, not less trying
than yours, yet the Lord has brought
me out into { a large ROOM Sometime
l will give you the story, but just now
may tell you what gave me greatest
comfort while passing through the
waters p"
YES" was the response, with an
eagerness quite pitiful to see.
6 | was naturally of care-taking
disposition. AS circumstances became
straitened, that degenerated into worry.
had as many ifs as trouble you now.
] think what first reused me was not
the knowledge that worry was sinful,
but that it was sapping my strength,
both physical and mental. Mcpherson
can do good work when discouraged"
" L wish successful people understood
that, and would sometimes say an en-
couraging word provided they wouldn't
do it in patronizing way" interrupted
the listener. But pardon me-"
was becoming untitled for the
very exertions needed to make. Then
Common Sense said: What good does
worry do? 1t cannot accomplish one
thing After that came the conviction
OF sin in taking anxious thought. Now,
my child Clears filled the eyes of the
other-she was motherless), perhaps
you won't think what am going to say
is practical advice, but / am an old
woman and / have proved il. You
must believe the Bible"
Believe the Biblel"
"Oh, know you think you do; but
in a practical way. Believe that when
God says he will direct your path if you
commit your way to him, he really will
do it. Faith will not paralyze effort
the right kind of faith will not. You
can work all the better, can you not,
thinking of the wonderful Counselor?
Then you must believe in his provi-
dence. A friend told me this incident,
which has helped me ever since as an
illustration. She visited the Tower of
London some years ago, at time when
guides were dispensed with. The tourist
took only a guide-book, and went
through the building by himself. But
in every needed place there was some
mute direction where to go next. Per-
haps you started to go down STA 'rcase,
suddenly chain stretched across and
barred the way but you turned and
saw a side stairway which was open.
In one room every door was locked but
one-you must go out at that. In
another nodded hand with out.
stretched finger pointed the way.
Everywhere was this silent guidance.
AS my friend said, it was 80 like-life;