The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-02-04

Ian conflict; but the battle field is on
"! " onday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
ST. Martins" and "I.enox," and
"Old Hundred do not amount to
any thing unless they sing all the
week. "A sermon is useless unless we
can take it with US behind the plough
and the counter. The Sabbath day
IS worthless if i last only twenty four
hours. -"
Again, we need to bring the religion
OF Christ into our conlmonest trials.
For severe losses, for bereavement.
for trouble that shocks like an earth
quake and that blasts like O. storm.
WE PRESCRIBE RELIGIOUS CONSOLATION;
but, business men, for the small an
noyances OF last week, how much of
the graces OF God did you apply?
OH you say, "these trials are
too small for such application" NV
brother, they are shaping your charac-
ter, they are souring your temper they
are wearing out your patience, and
they are making less and less of O. man.
l 20 into sculptor's studio, and see
him shaping statue. He has
chlsel in one hand and g.
mallet in the other, and he gives a
very gentle stroke-chck, click, click!
say, "Why don't you strick hard
err" "Oh!' be replies, chat would
shatter the statue. can't do it that
way; ! must do it this way" So he
works on, and after a while the feat
ures come out, and everybody that
enters the studio is charmed and fas-
clnated. Well, God has your soul un-
der process Of Development, and it is
the little q annoyances and vexations
OF life that ore chiseling out your i'm
mortal. nature. It is click, click,
click! wonder why some great provi-
dence does not come, and with one
stroke prepare you for heaven. All,
no.. God says that is not the way.
And SO he keeps on by strokes OF lit
tie annoyances, little SORROWS, little
vexations, until at last you shall be a
glad spectacle for angels and for men.
You know that a large fortune may
be spent in small change, and a vast
amount of moral character NAV
go away in small depletion.
1t is the little troubles Of
life that are having more effect upon
yod than great ones.
Now, be careful and let none ofthose
annoyances go through your soul I'M
arraigned. Compel them to admins
ter to
YOUR SPIRITUAL WEALTH.
The scratch OF sixpenny nail some
times produces locked jaw, and the
clip Of q most infnitesimal ANNOYANCE
may damage you forever. Do not let
annoyance or perplexity come across
your soul without it's making bet
ter.
Our national government does not
think it belittling to put tax on pins,
and a tax on buckles, and on shoes.
The individual taxes do not amount to
much, but in the aggregate to millions
and millions OF dollars. And I would
have you, Christian man, put a high
tariff on every annoyance and vexa-
ton 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 satisfaction. A bee can
suck honey even out of a nettle; and
if you have the grace of God in your
heart, you can get sweetness out of
that which would otherwise irritate
and annoy.
Again, We must bring the rligion 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 ver:;- thankful.
but every day ought to be g. thanks
giving day. We do not recognize the
common mercies of life. We have to
see a blind man led by his dog before
we begin to think ourselves of what a
grand thing it is to have eye-sight 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 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
1ouse us up to our blessings. AS the OK
grazes in the pasture up to it's eyes in
SAOROA HOU AORCA WIZ 11ctkcS
the clover, and as the bird picks up
the worm from the furrow not know
ing that it is God who makes every
thing, from the animalcula in the sod
to the seraph on the throne, SO we 20
on eating, drinking, and enjoying. but
never thanking, or seldom thanking;
or, if thanking at all, with only half
q heart.- =, -
COMPARED OUR INDIFFERENCE
to the brute; but perhaps I wronged
the brute. do not know but that,
among it's other Instincts, it may
have an instinct by which it recognizes
the Divine hand that feeds it. l do
not know but that God is, th1 ough it,
holding communication with what we
call ssirrational creation" The COW
that stands under the willow by the
water course, chewing it's cud, looks
very thankful; and who can tell how
much a bird means by it's song? The
aroma OF the flowers smells like in
cense, and the mist arising from the
river looks like the smoke OF morn
ing sacrifice. Oh, that we were as re