The Opelousas courier., 1892-12-24

well. But he needs TO Go something
beside reading the Scriptures. He needs
to look for the finger OF God that is
pointing toward better treasures; that is
pointing toward eternal ~ralease, that is
urging him to higher realms. No human
finger ever pointed TO the east or west or
north or south so certainly as the Eager of
God is pointing that troubled man to higher
and better spiritual resources than he has
ever enjoyed. There are men of vast wealth
who sra as rich for hsavea as they ara for
this world, but they are exceptions.
If a mar grows in gracs it is generally
before he gets 500, 001 Or after he loses it.
If a man has plenty OF railroad securities
AMI has applied to his banker for mora. il
the lots ne bou ght nave gons W fifty per
cent. in value; if he hal hard WORK to get
the door of mis- irsproof safe shut bsc1u;s
of a new roll of securities he put in there
just before locking UP at night; II he be
Specializing into falling market or a rising
market aud things take for him a right
turn. he does not grow in grace very much
that week. Do YOU know what made the
great revival of 1851, when more people
were converted to God probably tnan IN
any year since Christ was born? 1t was the
defalcations and bankruptcy that swept
American prosperity so fat that it could fall
no fatter.
l am speaking of whole souied msn. Such
men as are SO broken by calamity that they
are husnbled and fly to God for relief. Men
who have no spirit and never expect any
thing are NOT much aft 2ete1 bv financial
changes. Tney are as apt to go into the
kingdom under one set of circumstances as
another. They are deadbeats wherever they
are. The only way to get rid of them is to
lend them a dollar and you will never see
them again. | have tried that plan and it
works well. But | am speaking of the effect
of misfortune on high spirited men. Moth
ing but trial will turn such men from earth
to heaven. 1t is only through clouds and
darkness and whirlwind of disaster such q
man can see the finger of God.
A most interesting as well as a most use
full study is to watch the pointing or tne
finger of God. In the seventeenth century
South Carolina was yielding rosin and tur-
pentine and tar as her chief productions.
| But Thomas Smith noticed that the ground
near his house in Charleston was very much
like the places in Madagascar where ne mad
raised rice. and some Of the Madagascar rice
was so1n there and grew SO rapidly that
South Carolina was led to make rice her
| chief production. Can you not see the finger
| of God in that incident?
Rev. John Fletcher, OF England, many
| will know. was one of the most userul MN
| listers of the Gospel who ever preached. be
fore conversion he joined the army end nad
bought his ticket on the ship for Sousa
America. The morning he was to SAL sons
one SMILED on him a kettle Of water, and he
was SO scalded he could not go. He was
very much disappointed. but the ship he was
going to sail on went out and was never
heard of again. Who can doubt that GOD
was arranging the life of John Fletcher?
Was it merely accidental that Richard
Rodda, a Cornish miner, who was on ms
knees praying, remainei %unhurt, tnous9
heavy stones fell before him and behind
him and on either side Of him and another
fell on the top of these SO as to make a rool
over him?
A missionary in Jamaica lost his way ana
in the night was wandering about, When a
areAv flashed and revealed a precipice over
which in a moment more he would havsbeea
dashed. F. W. Robertson, the great
preacher of Brighton, England, had his life
neiehboF. whose daughter was i'll, was dis
tnrbed by ths barking of that dog n night.
This brought the neighbor into com munich.
tion with Robertson. That acquaintance
shin kent him from joining tina dragons and
GOING to India and spending his life ia mil
farv Service, and reserved him for a pulpit
the influence of which for Gospetizatlon VIII
resound for all time and all eternity.
Why did not Columbus sink when In early
manhood he was ahoat six miles from tat
beach with nothing to sustain him Till ne
conld swim to land but a boats oarg L won
der il his preservation had anytning 70 u
with America. Had the storm that dlvertes
the Mayhower from the mouth OF the HUI
SON for which it was sailing, and sent !
ashore at Cape Cod, no divine supsrVisai
Does anarchy rule this world, or va!
e. FaIjr ESCAPED martyrdon by crawling
+bronoh a hole in the wall across walch tn
eniders Immediately after a wove a wen
His prosecutors saw the hole In the wan, ou
fine %sniler's wsb put theu OH the TRACK. .
how was lost by his drunken father an cout
NOT for years ind his way no M. Nsari.
CROWN he went into q Fulton street prayee
meeting and asked for prayers that ne inlsn
find his parents. His mother was IN .hsfool
and rnsa and recognized her long lcst son
n go,, sew that these things "oaiy hap 9ene
eosf Tell that to those VINO do not pslleV
-; ~. God and have no faith in the Bible. ID
not tell it TO me.
ance. "All the events OF my NE seem
have been diyinely connected. 10 yon ~
nose it is SO in all lives?" He answered, I :
but most people do not notacs ~ =
divine leading:F | stanl nete "
morning to say from my own expsfieh,
that fine safest tiing in all the world 20 9
is to trust the Lord. | never a III
fortune. or a ers-cltion. or a ira, OF
disan-aint1aat however exeruciahh3
the fine that Col did not make turn o
for nv good. Ny n wish is to follow u
divine leading. | want to watca tns nhs
of God. :
Aha snepro If God. What does the choie
scare in America mean? Some say IL mea
tl,at the plague will sweep our land ne1
summer. I do not believe a word of
There will be no cholera here next umne
Four or five summers ago there were tho
who said it would surely be here the follo
ing summer because it was on the va
But it did not come The sanital
precautions established here Wal ma
next summer unusually healthfu'. Cholel
never starts from whare IL stopp
the season before, but always starts In {
filth of Asia, and il it starts next su inner.
will start there again-it will not start fro
New YORK quarantine. But it is evident
me that the finger OF Col is in this chole
scare. and that He is pointing this Nata
to something higher ani better. IL b
been demonstrate as never before thaG
are in the hands of Cos. de allowed :
plague to come to our very gates and tn
halted it.
The quarantine was right and necsssar
but. oh. how easily the plague could ha
) leaped the barriers lifted against It'll Imam
to the president OF tbs United States, a
; thanks to the health officers, and than
to the Thirteenth regiment. and thanks
all who stool between this evil and Q
national health, bat more than all, a
/: higher than ali, thanks to Godi Out
that solemnity W. ought to pass up
: something better than anything that b
. ever yet characterized US as a matte
: We ought to quit onr national s1i
! our Sabbath breathing, and our run
: ness, and our impurities. and our CORFU
u tions of all sorts as a people. The tenden
J is in self graduation at our prosperity
), forget the mercy OF God that has kept
!, from being blotted cur for our crimes. a
kI..x aAsJI .a,t+;r1;oe one +or1r,oral rYsnCN.