News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1892-01-28

WIFI WllaC we call lfTdUlO1ldl Cf6a-
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
bird means by its song? 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 in the well, and that
foams in the cascades, and that laughs
over the rocks, and that patters in the
showers, and that claps its hands i'll
the sea? Who thanks God for the
air, the fountain of life, the bridge of
sunbeams, the path of sound, the great
fan on a 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
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 a matter of course.
But suppose God withdrew these
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 air would cease its healthy
circulation, pestilence would swoOp
and every house would become a
place of skulls Streams would first
swim with vermim 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 it
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 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?
l was preaching one Thanksgiving
day and announced my text, 'Oh,
give thanks unto the Lord, for he is
good; for his mercy endureth for
ever" l do not know whether there
was any blessing on the sermon or
not, but the text went straight to a
young mans heart. He said to him
self, as l read the text - oh, give
thanks unto the Lord, for he is
good Why, l have never rendered
him any thanks. Oh, what an in
CRATE l have beenr Can it be, 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 beneficent surround
ings, and yet have never offered your
heart to God?
Oh, let a sense of the divine good
ness shown you in the everyday
blessings melt your heart; and if you
have never before uttered one earn
est note of Thanksgiving, let this be
the day which shall hear your song.
What l say to one, say to I'll of this
audience. Take this practical religion
l have recommended into your every
day life. Make every day a Sabbath
and every meal a sacrament, and
every room you enter a holy of
holes We all have work to do; let
us be willing to do it. We all have
sorrows to bear; let US cheerfully
bear them. We all have battles to
fight; let us courageously fight them.
If you want to die right you must
live right.
Negligence and Incidence will win
the hiss of everlasting scorn, while
faithfulness will gather it's garlands
and wave its scepter and sit upon its
throne long after this earth has put
on ashes and eternal ages have begun
their march. You go home today
and attend to your little sphere of
duties. l will go home and attend to
my little sphere of duties. Every
one in his own place. So our every
step in life shall be a triumphaI |
march, and the humblest footstool on
which we are called to sit will be a
conquerOr's throne.