Democratic messenger., 1892-12-03

& Oil iiit DdlE vi iift~t
/ in the air; frost on the hands of the
/ huskers. You remember we used to
hide between the corn stacks so as To-
keep off the wind, but still YOU remem-
Der how shivering was the body. and
how painful was the cheek, and how
benumbed were the hands. But after
awhile the sun was high up, and all the
frosts went out of the air. and hilaritieS
awakened the echoes, and JOY from one
corn shock went up, AHA, aha" and
was answered by JOY from another corn
shock. AHA, ahar'
/ So we all realize that the death Of our
friend is the nipping of many expecta-
tions, the freezing, the chilling. the
I frosting of many of our hopes. Ii is far
/ from being "A south wilma. 1t comes ont
of the frigid north and when they 20
away from us we stand benumbed in
body. and benumbcd in mind. and he
numbed in soul. We stand among our
dead neighhors, our dead families. and
we say. "Will we ever get over it,"
Yes, we will get over il amid the shout
ings of heavenly reunion. and we WI
look back to all these distresses of he
reavement only as the temporary dis
tresses of husking time. Weeping may
endure for "A night. but joy cometh i'll
the morning." Light, and but for
moment" said the apostle as he clapped
his hands light. and but for a mo-
ment." The chill of the froStS followed
by the gladness that cometh III like :,
shock of corn cometh in i'll his seeSnn"
OFF WITH THIS HCSK OF FLESH!
! OF course the husking time made
rough work with the ear of corn The
/ husking peg had to be thrust in. and the
hard thumb # the husker had 10 come
down on the swathing of the ear. and
then there was pull. and there was a
ruthless tearing, and then complete
swapping off before the corn was free.
and if the husk could have spoken il
would have said: Why do You laccrate
me: Why do you wrench me:" All.
my friends. that is the way God has ar
ranged that the ear and husk shall part.
and that is the way he has arranged that
the body and the soul shall separate.
You can afford TO have your physical
distresscs when YOU know that they are
only forwarding the souls liberation.
Every rheumatic pair is only plunge
of the husking peg. Every neuralgia
/ twinge is only Il twist by the huskcr.
There is gold in you that must come ont.
Some way the shackle must be broken
Some way the ship must be launched
for heavenly voyage. You must let
the Heavenly Ilusbandman husk off
the mortality from the Immortality
There ought to be great consolation in
this for all who have chronic ailments.
since the Lord is gradually and more
mildly taking away from you that which
hinders Your souls liberation. doing
gradually for you what for many of us
in robust health perhaps he will do in
one fell blow ut the last. At the close
of every illness, at the close of every
paroxysm, you ought to say, Thank
God, that is all past now; thank God. /
will never have To suffer that again:
thank God. am so much nearer the
hour of liberation.
You will never suffer the same pain
twice. You may have new pain IN an
old place. but never the same pain twice.
The pain does its work. and then it dies.
just so many plunges of the crowbar 10
free the quarry stone for the building.
Just so many strokes of the chisel to
complete the statue. Just SO many
pangs to separate the soul from the body
You who have chronic ailments and dis
orders are only paying in installments
that which some of us will have To pay
-, ,,.l,n,, 4 l..
of nature. Thank God. therefore, We
who have chronic disorders. that YOU
have so much less sufferigg nj the last.
Thank God that You will have so much
less to feel i'll the way of pain at the
hands of the Heavenly Husbandman
when 1.-THE shock of corn cometh in III
his season."
Perhaps now this may be an answer
to question which asked one Sabbath
morning. but did not answer, Why is it
that So many really good people have so
dreadfully TO suffer: You often find
good man with enough pains and aches
and distresses. you would think, to dis
cipline a whole colony. while you will
find Il man who is perfectly useless go-
ing about with easy digestion and steady
nerves and shining health, and his exit
from the world is comparatively painless.
How do you explain that: Well, ! no
ticed in the husking time that the husk-
ing peg was thrust into the corn, and
then there must be stout pull before
the swathing was taken off the ear and
the full, round. healthy, luxuriant corn
vas developed, while, on the other hand,
here was corn that hardly seemed worth
husking.
We threw that into place all by
itself, and we called it ''nub5ins." Some
Of it was mildewed, ana Soile of ii was
mice nibble,l, and some of il was great
promise am no fulillmeat. All cobs
and no corn. Nubbinsi After the good
corn had been driven up to the barn we
came around with the corn basket and
we picked up these nubbins They were
worth saving, but not worth much. s.
all around us there are people who
amount to comparatively nothing. Thcy
develop into no kind of usefulness. They
are nibbled on one side by the world.
and nibbled on the other side by the
devil. and mildewed all over. Great
promise and no fultillment. All COILS
and no corn. Nubbins! They are worth
saving. suppose many Of them VIII
get TO heaven, but they are not worthy
to he mentioned in the same day viii
those who went through great iribnia
tion into the kingdom of our God.
Who would not rather have the pains
of this life, the misfortunes of this life
who would not rather be torn and
wounded and lacerated and wrenched
and hnsked, and at last 20 in amid the
very best grain of the granary-than to
be pronounced not worth huslsing a. all:
Nubbns! In other words, want 10 say
to you people who have distress of body
and distress in business and distress of
all sorts, the Lord has not any grudge
against you. 1t is not derogatory; it is
complimentary. Whom the Lord loveth
he chasteneth." and it is proof positive
H.. .i,ar., = vaiua i,l,a Vor