The morning news., 1892-01-25

ycur moral qualities. Rats may sink q
ship. One luclfer mach may send destruc
tion through a block Of storehouses. Cathe
rine de Medici got her death from smelling
q poisonous rose. Columbus. by stopping
aud asking for a piece II bread and a drink
of water at a FRANCISCAN convent, was led
to the discovery OF the new world. And
there is an intimate connection between
trifies and immensities. between nothings
aud everylhings.
Now, be careful to let none OF those an.
noYances 90 through your soul unarraigned.
Compel them to administer to your spiritual
wealth. The scratch OF a six-Denny nail
sometimes produces lOckjaw, and the clip
Of a most infinitesimal annoyance may
damage you for ever. Do not let any an
nOyance or perplexlty come across your soul
without its making you better.
Our national government does not think IL
belittling to put tax on pins. and tax on
buckles, and a tax on shoes. The individual
taxes do not amount 70 much, but In the ag-
gregate 10 millions and millions OF dollars.
And would have you, o Christian man, put
high tariff on every annoyance and vexa-
tion that comes through your soul This
might not amount 70 much, in single
cases, but in the aggregate it would he a
great revenue Of spiritual strength and
satisfaction. a bee can suck h1hey even
out Of a nettle; and il you have the grace Of
God in your heart, you can get sweetness
out Of that which would otherwise irr1tate
and annoy. A returned missionary told
me that company Of adveuturers rowing
up the Ganges we're stung to death by flies
that infest that region in certain seasons. |
have seen the earth strewn with the car
casses Of men slain by insect annoy
ances. The only way TO get pre-
pared for the great troubles Of life
is TO conquer these small troubles.
What would you say Of a soldier who re-
fused to load his gun. or to 60 into the con-
fIct because it was only a skirmish, saying
II am not going to expend my ammunition
on a skirmish wait until there comes a
general engagement, and you will see how
courageous am, and what battling | will
do" The general would say to such a man:
IF you are not faithful in a skirmish, you
would be nothing in general engagement" ="
And have to tell you, o Christian men. if
you cannot apply the PRINCIPLES OF Christ's
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 singles
handed, what will you do when the greater
disaster OF life comes down with laundering
artillery, rolling over your soul
Again, we must bring the religion Of
Christ into our commonest blessings When
the autumn comes, and the harvests are in,
and the governors make proclamation, we
assemble In churches and we are very
thankful. But every day ought TO be a
thanksgiving day Wedo not recognize the
common mercies Of life. We have to see a
blind man led by his dog before we begin to
bethInk ourselves OF what a grand thing it
is to have eye-sight. 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 hobbhng
on his crutoh, or with his empty coat sleeve
pinned up, before we learn to think what
a 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 in the pasture up TO its eyes in
clover, yet never thinking who makes the
clover, and as the bird picks up the worm
from the furrow not knowing that it is
God who makes everything, from the ami
malcule in the sod TO the seraph on the
enjoying, but never thanking, or seldom
thanking; or, If thanking at all. with only
half heart.
l compared our Indifference to the brute,
hut perhaps | wronged the brute. do not
know but that among its other instincts it
may have an instinct by which it recognizes
the divine hand that feeds it. / do not
know but that God is through it holding
communication with what we call ''irra-
tional creation" The cow that stands
under the willow by the water-oourse chew
ing its cud looks very thankful, and who
can tell how much a bird means by its songi
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 responsive!
Yet who thanks God for the
water that gushes up in the we'll, and that
foams In the cascade. and that laughs over
the rocks, and that patters in the showers,
and that olaps its hands in the sea- Who
thanks God for the air, the fountain of life
the bridge Of sunbeams, the path of sound,
the great fan on hot summers dayf Who
thanks God for this wonderful physical
orgauism-this sweep OF the vision-this
chime of harmony struck into the ear-this
soft thread of a myriad delights over the
nervous tissue-this rolling of the crimson
tide through artery and vein-this drum
ming of the heart on our march to i'm
mortality? We take all these things as q
matter OF course.
But suppose God should withdraw these
common blessings Your body would be-
come AN Iuquisition of torture, the cloud
would refuse rain, every green thing would
crumple up, and the earth would crack oper
under you feet. The air would cease its
healthful circulation, pestilence would
swoop, and every house would become G
place of skulls. Streams would first swim
with vermin, and then dry up; and thirst
and hunger, aud anguish aud despair would
lift their sceptres. Oh. compare such life
US that with the life you live this morning
with your families about you. 1t is not
time that, with every word of our lips anC
with every action of our life, we began tC
acknowledge these everyday mercies
whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoeveI
ye do, do all Co the glory of God" Do
address a man or woman this morning wht
has not rendered to God one single offering
of thanksq
l was preaching one Thanksgiving day
and announced my text: 20, give thank.
unto the Lord; FOR he is good for his mercy
endureth forever" do not know whether
there was any blessing ON the sermon or not
but the text went straight to a young man.
heart. he said to himself, as l read tn,
text: 80, give thanks unto the Lord; foI
he is good Why, have never rendered
him any thanks. o, what an migrate
have beenw Can it be, my brother, thai
you have been fed by the good hand of Goo
all these days-that you have had clothing
and shelter and all benehcent sur
roundings. and yet have never offered
the divine goodness shown you in the every
| day blessings melt your heart, and IL yot
have never before uttered one earnest not,
of thanksgiving lei this be the day which
shall hear your song. What l say to ont
l say to all this audience. Take this prac
tical religion | have recommended int
your everyday life. Make every day |
Sabbath, and every meal sacram ant, anG
every room you enter a holy of holes. w,