Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1892-02-05

for men. You know that a large fortune
may be spent in small change and a vast
amount of moral character NAV 90 away in
small depletion. It is the little troubles Of
life that are having more effect upon you
than great ones. a swarm of locusts will
kill grain field sooner than the incursion of
three or four cattle.
You say, Since lost my child, since |
lost my property, have been different
man." But you do not recognize the archi-
lecture OF little annoyances that are hewing'
digging, cutting. shaping, splitting and in
terioining your moral qualities. Rats NAV
sink a ship. One lucifer match NAV
send destruction through block of store
houses. Catherine de Medicis got her death
from smelling poisonous rose. Columbus,
by stopping and asking for piece of bread
and drink OF water at a Franciscan con-
vent, was led to the discovery of the New
World. And there is an intimate connection
between tri1es and immensities, between
nothings and everythings.
Now, be careful to let none of those an
noyances go through your soul unarraigned.
Compel them to administer to your
spiritual wealth. The scratch of a sixpennv
nail sometimes produces lock-i jaw, and the
clip of most infnitesimal annoyance NAV
damage you forever. Do not let any annoy
ance or perplexity coma across your soul
without its making you better
Our national government does not think
1t bellttllng to put tax on pins and q tax
on buckles and tax on shoes The indi-
vldual taxes do not amount to much. but in
the aggregate to millions and millions of
dollars. And would have you, 0 Christian
man. put high tariff on every annoyance
and yexation that comes through your soul
This might not amount to much in single
cases, but in the aggregate it would be a
great revenue Of spiritual strength and salts
faction.
A bee can suck honey even out of a nettle.
have fIo - Nol
heart you can get sweetness out of that
which would otherwise irritate and annoy.
A returned missionary told me that a COM
pany OF adventures rowing up the Ganges
were stung to death by flies that infest that
region at certain seasons. 1 have seen
the earth strewed with the carcassses
of men slain by insect annoyances.
The only way to get prepared for
the great trouble of life is to conquer these
small troubles. What would We say of
soldier who refused to load his gun or to go
into the conflict because it was only skirm-
lsh, saying: ~ am not going to expend my
ammunition a skirmish. Wait until there
comes general engagement and then you
win see how courageous am and what bat
ting | will dO?'
The general would say to such man, eff
you are not faithfulin a skirmish, you would
be nothing in general engagement" And
l have to tell you, . Christian men, if you
cannot apply the principles of Christ's re-
4lSIOn Oh a SnalI SCaI0, you Will never De
able to apply them on a large scale. II 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 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 thank
full. But every day ought to be a thanks
giving day. We do not recognize the COM
a 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 some one afflicted with st. Vitus's
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 arouse 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 animalcula 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 onlv
half heart.
L compare our Indifference to the brute:
but perhaps wronged the brute. I 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 COM
munlcatlon with what we call Irrational
creation" The COW that stands under the
willow by the water course chewing its cud
looks very thankful and who can tell how
much a bird means by its song.
The aroma of flowers smells like incense.
and the mist arising from the RIVER looks
like the smoke of a morning sacrifice. Oh,
that we were 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 clasps 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
q hot summers day? Who thanks God for
this wonderful physical organism-this
sweep of the vision. this chime Of harmony
struck 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 Cog should withdraw these
common blessings! Your body would be-
would refuse rain, every green thing would
crumple up, and the earth would crack open
under your feet. The air would cease its
healthfuI circulation. pestllence would
swoop, and every house would become a
place of skulls. Streams would first swim
with vermin and then dry up, and thirst
and hunger and anguish and despair
would lift their Scepters. Oh, compare such
life as that with the life you live this
morning with your families about you! Is
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