Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1892-01-30

SiStl tiouiIta VI lilt II 10 cOiltlue
these small troubles. What would
you say of soldier who refused to
load his gun or To go into a conflict
because it was only skirmish. say
ing, Il am not going to expend my
ammunition on a skirmish wait I'M
til there comes general engage
ment, and then You will see how
courageous | am, and what battling
/ will do!" The general would say to
such man, If you are not faithful
i'll skirmish, you would he nothing
in general engagement"
And ! have to tell you. o Chris
tan men. if you cannot apply the
principles of Christs religion ON a
small scale you will never be able To
apply them on large scale If you
cannot successfully contend against
these small sorrows that come down
single handed. what will you do
when the greater disasters of life
come down with laundering artil.
lery rolling over your souli
Again, we must bring the religion
of Christ into our commoneSt bless
ings. When the autumn comes, and
the harvests are in, and the COVER
nors make proclamation. we assem-
BILE in churches, and we are very
thankful. But every day ought to be
a thanksgiving day. We do not rec
ogniZe the common mercies of life
We have to see blind man led by
his dog before we begin to think our
selves of what grand thing it is to
have eycsight We have to see some
one afflicted with st. Vitus dance
before we are ready to thank God for
the control of our physical energies.
We have to see some wounded man
hobbling on his crutch. or with his
empty coat sleeve pinned up. before
we learn to think what grand thing
God did for us when he gave us
healthy use of our limbs.
We are so stupid that nothing but
the misfortunes of others can rouse
us up to our blessings. As the OK
grazes i'll the pasture up to its eyes
III the clover, yet never thinking
who makes the clover, and as the
bird picks up the worm from the fur
row, not knowing that it is God who
makes everything, from the ami
malcula in the sod to the seraph on
the throne, SO we go on eating,
drinking and enjoying, but never
thanking or seldom thanking; or. if
thanking at all. with only half Il
heart
DO BRUTES AND PLANTS PRAISE GoDl
compared our Indifference to the
brute; but perhaps | wronged the
brute / do not know but that,
among its other instincts, it may
have an instinct by which it recog
niZes the divine hand that feeds it.
do not know but that God is,
through it. holding communication
with what we call irrational crea-
ton" The COW that stands under
the willow by the water course
chewing its cud looks very thank
full; and who can tell how much a
bird means by its songl The aroma
of the flowers smells like incense,
and the mist arising from the river
looks like the smoke of a morning
sacrifice Oh. that we were as re-
sponsive!
Yet who thanks God for the water
that gushes up i'll the well. and that
eoams in the cascades. and that laughs
over the rocks. and that patters in the
showers, and that claps its hands in
the seai Who thanks God for the
air, the fountain of life. the bridge of
sunbeams, the path of sound, the great
fan on hot summers day! Who
thanks God for this wonderful phys
ical organism this sweep of the
vision-this chime of harmony struck
into the ear this soft tread of a
myriad delights over the nervous
tissues this rolling of the crimson
tide through artery and vein this
drumming of the heart on our march
to Immortality! We take all these
things as matter of course.
But suppose God withdrew these
common blessings. Your body would
become an inquisition of torture, the
cloud would refuse rain, every green
thing would crumple up and the
earth would crack open under your
feet The mir would cease its healthy
circulation. pestilence would swoop
and every house would become a
place of skulls. Streams would first
swim with veimim and then dry up.
and thirst and hunger and anguish
and despair would lift their scepters.
Oh, compare such a life as that
with the life you live this morning
with Your families about you. Is il
not time that. with every word of our
lips and with every action of our life.
we began TO acknowledge these every
day mercies. Whether We eat OF
drink. or whatsoever We do. do all to
the glory of God Do | address a
man or woman this morning who
has not rendered to God one single
Offering of thanksi
was preaching one Thanksgiving
day and announced my text. oh
give thanks unto the Lord. for he Is
good; for his mercy enduieth for
ever" do not know whether there
was any blessing on the sermon OF
not, but the text went straight to a
young mans heart He said To him
self, as | read the text: =" oh. give
thanks unto the Lord. for he is
good Why. have never rendered
him any thanks. oh, what an in
CRATE have been" Can it he. my
brother, that you have been fed by
the good hand of God all these days
that you have had clothing and
shelter and all bcneticent surround
ings, and yet have never offered your
heart to God.
Oh, let Il sense of the divine good
ness shown you i'll the everyday