Connecticut western news., 1893-12-07

the frOSt as an evangelist, ana text or Scripture is not of much use to me un- less can find the gospel in it. The Is- raelites in the wilderness breakfasted on something that looked like frozen dew. The mama fell on the dew, and the dew evaporated and left a pulverized ma terial, white and looking like frost, but it was mama, and of that they ate. So now this morning, mixed with the frozen dew of my text, there is mama on which we may breakfast our souls. You say the frost kills. Yes, it kills some things, but we have already seen that it gives health and life to others. This gospel is the savor of life unto life or of death unto death.
 As the frost is mighty the gospel is mighty. AS the frost descends from heaven, the gospel descends from heav- en. By the breath of God frost is given. By the breath of God the gospel is given. AS the frost purifes, so the grace of God purifes. As the frost bestars the earth, so grace bejewels the soul. AS the frost prepares for food many things that oth- erwise would be inedible, so the frost of trial ripens and prepares food for the soul. In the tight grip of the frost the hard shells of walnut and chestnut and hickory open, and the luxuries of the woods come into our laps or upon our tables; so the frost of trial takes many hard and prickly shell and crushes it un- til that which stung the soul now feeds it.
 There are passages of Scripture that once were enigmas, puzzles, riddles and impossible for you to understand, but the frosts of trouble after awhile exposed the full meaning to your soul. You said, q do not see why David keeps rolling over in his Psalms the story of how he was pursued and persecuted." He de- scribes himself as surrounded by bees. He says, "They compassed me about like bees; yea, they compassed me about like bees" You think what an exag- gerating thing for him to exclaim, "Out of the depths of he'll have l cried unto thee, o Lord~
 And there is SO much of that style of lamentation in his writings you think he overdoes it, but after awhile frost comes upon you in the shape of persecu- tion, and you are stuck with this cen sure, and stuck with that defamation, and stuck with some falsehood, and lies in swarms are buzzing, buzzing about your ears, and at last you understand what David meant when he said, "They compassed me about like bees; yea, they compassed me about like bees" and you go down under nervous prostra- tion and feel that you are as far down as David when he cried, "Out of the depths of hellr'
 What opened all those chapters that hitherto had no appropriateness? Frostsl For long while the Bible seemed lop- sided and disproportionate amount of it given up to the consolatory. Why page after page and chapter after chapter and book after book in the Bible taken up with alleviations, with pacifcations, with condolencesp The book seems like an apSthecary store with one-half of the shelves occupied with balsams. Why such superfuity of balsams? But after awhile the membranous croup carries of your child, or your health gives way un- der the grip, or your property is swept off by bad investment, or perhaps all three troubles come at once-bankruptc sickness and bereavement. Now the con- solatory parts of the Bible do not seem to be disproportionate. You want some thing off almost all the shelves of that sacred dispensary. What has uncovered and exposed to you the usefulness of so much of the Bible that was before hid den? The frosts have been fulfilling their mission.
 
 Put down all the promises of the Bible on table for study, and put on one side the tatls man who has never had any trouble, or very little of it, but pile upon the table beside him all encyclopedias, and all dictionaries. ,.and all archseologies. and all commentaries, and on the other side of the table put man who has had trial upon trial, disaster upon disaster, and let him begin the study of the promises, without lexicon, without com mentary, without any book to explain or help, and this latter man will under stand far more of the height and depth and length and breadth of those prom ises than the learned exegete opposite, almost submerged in sacred literature. The one has the advantage over the other because he has felt the mission of the frosts. O, take the consolation of this theme, ye to whom life is a strug- gle, and disappointment, and gantlet, and pang. That is a beautiful proverb among the Hebrews which says, "When the tale of bricks is doubled, then Moses comes."
 Mild doses of medicine will do for mild sickness, but violent pains need strong doses, and so stand over you and count out some drops that will ale viate your worst troubles if you will only take the medicine, and here it is ''In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world" Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morn ing" Thank God for frostsl What helped make Milton the greatest of poetsi The frost of blindness. What helped make Washington the greatest of gen. erals? The frosts of Valley Forge. What made it appropriate for one passing John Bunyan's grave to exclaim, Sleep on, thou prince of dreamers?" The frosts of imprisonment.
 The greatest college from which we can graduate is the college of frosts. Els. pecial trial fits for especial work. Just now watch, and you will see that tron. ble is preparative and educational. That is the grindstone on which battle axes are sharpened. l have always noticed in my own case that when the Lord had some especial work for me to do it was preceded by especial attack upon me. This is so proverbial in my own house that if for something say or do get poured upon me volley of censure and anathema, my wife always asks: "I won der what new opportunity of usefulness is about to open? Something good and grand is surely comingp
 What is true in my case is true on a larger or smaller scale in the history of | every man and woman who wants to serve the Lord. Without complaint take the hard knocks. You will see