Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-01-25
GEO. M. SNO OK & CO

that which would otherwise irritate and
annoy. A returned missionary told me
that a company OF adventures rowing
up the Ganges were stung TO death oy
flies that infest that region at certain
seasons. I have seen the earth strewed
with the carcasses OF men slain
by insect annoyances. The only way 10
get prepared for the great troubles OF
lie is to conquer these troubles. What
would YOU say of soldier who refused
to load his gun, or go into the conflict
because it was only skirmlsh, saying
81 am not going to expend my ammunl-
tion on q skirmish; wait until there
comes a general engagement, and then
Won will see how courageous am, and
what battling will do" The general
would say to such man: eff you are
not faithful in a skirmish, you would be
nothing in general engagement" And
I have to tell YOU, o Christian men,if you
cannot apply the principles OF Christs
religion on a small scale, you will never
be able to apply them on a large scale.
II Won cannot successfully contend
against these small sorrows that come
down Sngle-handed, what Will you 90
when the greater disasters OF life come
down with laundering artillery, rolling
over your soul?
WE MUST BRING RELIGION
OF Christ into our commonest blessings.
When the autumn comes, and the mar
vests are in, and the governors make
proclamation, we assemble in churches
and we are very thankful. But every
day ought to be thanksgiving day.
We do not recognize the common mer-
cies of life. We have to see blind
man led by his dog before we begin to
bethink ourselves of what grand thing
it is to have eyesight. We have to see
see some one afflicted with st. Vituss
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 a grand
thing God did for US when He
gave US healthy use Of our limbs. We
are so stupid that nothing but the mis-
fortunes of others can rouse us up TO
our blessings. As the OK grazes in the
pasture up to his eyes in clover, yet
never thinking who makes the clover,
and as the bird picks up the worm from
the burrow not knowing that 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 heart.
l compared our indifference to the
brute; but perhaps l wronged the
brute. l do not know bat that, among
its other instincts, it may have an in
stinct through which it recognizes the
hand that feeds it. do not know but
that God is, through it, holding COM
munication with what we call "1rra-
tional creation" The cow that stands
under the willow by the water-course,
chewing its cud, looks very thankful; and
who can tell how much bird means by
It's song? The aroma Of the flowers
smalls like incense, and the mist arising
from the river looks like the smoke OF
morning sacrifice. Oh, that we were
as responsive
YET WHO THANKS GOD
for the water that gushes up in the
well, and that foams in the cascade, and
that laughs over the rocks, and that
patters in the showers, and that claps
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 day =?
Who thanks God for this wonderful
physical organism-this sweep Of the
yision-this chime Of harmony stuck
into the ear-this soft tread OF myriad
delights over the nervous tissue-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 should withdraw
these common blessings! Your body
would become an inQuisition OF tortue,
the cloud would refuse rain, every green
thing would crumple up, and the earth
would crack open under your feet. The
air would cease its healthful circulation,
peStilence would swoop, and every house
would become place of skulls. Streams
would first swim with vermin, and then
dry up; and thirst, and hunger, and an
guish, and despair would lift their scep-
tres. Oh, compare such life as that
with the life you live this morning with
your families about you! Is 1t not time
that, with every word of our lips and
with every action of our life, we began
to acknowledge these everyday mer-
cies? whether ye eat or drink, or
whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory Of
God" Do l address a man or a woman
this morning who has not rendered to
God one single offering Of thanks?
I WAS PREACHING
one Thanksgiving Day and announced
my text: sob, give thanks unto the
Lord; for he is good; for his mercy en-
dureth forever" I do not know
whether there was any blessing on the
sermon or not; but the text went.
straight to young mans heart. He.
said to himself as l read the text: "'Oh
give thanks unto the Lord; for he is
good Why, have never rendered
him any thanks. Oh, what an migrate
have beenm Can it be, my brother,
that you have been fed by the good
hand Of God all these days-that you
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