The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1893-09-07

."'o "ocount ~ we cannot carry behind
the counter and behind the plow. The sab
hath day is OF no value II 1t last only "a
hours.
'Oh.' says some one. "it I Ind a great
sphere. would do that. II could have
nved IN the time OF Martin Luther. Il I could
nave been Psuts travelling companion, n
nad some Great and resounding work to do.
then should put into application all that
you say" I must admit that the romance
and knight errantry have gone out OF life.
Inere - but very little OF Il LEFT in the world.
Thc temples OF Rousn have been changed
into smithles. The classic mansion M Ash
land has been cut up into walking sticks.
me muses. have retreated before the emil
grarts ak and the trapper's gun. and Yer
monter might go over tho Alleghany and the
Rocky mountains and see neither an Dread
nor Sylph.
The groves whore the gods used TO dwell
nave been cut up for firewood and the man
who Is looking for great spheres and great
scenes for action will not find them. And
yet there are Alps to scale and there are
Tablespoons to swim. and they are In COM
mon life. 1t Is absurd for you to say that YOU
would serve God II You had great sphere.
IL you do not serve Him on small scale. YOU
would not on large scale. II you cannot
stand the bite OF n midge. how could you on
dure the breath OF basilisk?
Orr national government does not think II
N
buckles and tax on shoes. The individual
taxes do not amount TO much, but In the
aggregate to millions and millions OF dollars
And l would have you. oh Christian man nut
a high tariff on every annoyance and yexa-
tion that omesthroush your soul This might
not amount to much In single cases, but In
the aggregate II would be "a great revenue OF
spiritual strength and satisfaction.
bee can suck honey even out OF nettle.
and II you have the grace OF God in your
heart you can get sweetness out OF that
which would otherwise irrltate and annoy
A returned missionary told mo that u COM
pany Of ndventurers, rowing up the Ganges.
were stung to death by flies that iniest that
region Mt certain seasons l have seen the
earth strewn with the carcasses OF mon slain
by insect annoyances. The only way 10 got
prepared for the great troubles OF life Is to
conquer these small troubles.
Suppose q soldier should say. "This is only
a skirmish, and there are only u few enemies
I won't load my gun wait until get into
some great general engagement" That
man is n coward and would be coward in
any sphere. II man does not serve his
country In n skirmish, he will not in a
Waterloo. And II you are not faithful going
out against the single-handed misfortunes OF
this life you would not be faithful when
great disasters with their laundering
artillery came rolling down over tho soul.
This brings me TO another point We
ought TO bring the religion Of Jesus Christ
into our trials. II we have bereavement, II
we lose our fortune. II some great trouble
blast like the tempest then we go to God for
comfort, but yesterday in the little annoy
ances of your store or ofllcc. or shop or fac
tory. or banking house. did you 20 to God
for comfort2 You did not.
My friends, you need TO take the religion
Of the Lord Jesus Christ into the most ordi-
nary trials OF your life. You have your mis-
fortunes, you have your anxioties. you have
your voxltions. "Oh. you say, "they don't
shape my character. Since lost my child,
since have lost my property, have been II
very different man from what | was" My
brother, IL IL the little annoyunces OF your
life that arc sourlng your disposition, clip
ping your moral character and making you
less and less OF n man.
You go into an artists studio. You soc
him making piece OF sculpture. You say
"Why don't you strike harder2" With his
mallet and his chissl H.. goes click. click
click and you can hardly see from stroke 10
stroke thut there is any impression made upon
the stone, and yet the work is going on. You
s9y, 'Why don't you strike hardor2" "Oh p
he replies, Hthat would shatter the statue.
must make 1t In this way, stroke by stroke. y
And he continues on by wselk>and Inonth
until after awhile every maa thar enters the
Well. find God dealing with some man.
He is shaping him for time and shaping him
FOR eternity. say, 30 Lord. why not with
one tremendous blow of calamity shape that
man for the next world?" God says. ''That's
not the way deal with this man 1t is stroke
after stroke annoyance after annoyance, ir-
ritation after irritation. and after awhile he
will be done and u glad spectacle for angels
and men."
Not by one great stroke. but by ten thou.
Sand littla ~ nT mia
fitted for heaven. You know that large for
tunes can soon be scattered by being paid out
in small sums of money. and the largest estate
OF Christian character IL sometimes entirely
lost by these small depletions.
We must bring the religion OF Jesus
Christ to help us In these little annoy
ances DO not say that anything is too
insignificant TO affect your character
Rats may sink ship. Ono lucifer
match may destroy temple. queen
got her death by smelling of poisoned
rose. The scratch of sixpenny nail
may give you the iockjaw. Columbus. by
asking for a piece OF bread and drink OF
water at Franciscan convent, came 10 the
discovery Ola new world. And there is "a
great connection between triiles and i'm
mensities, between nothings ana every
things.
Do you not suppose that Col cares for
your Insignificant sorrows? Way. my friends.
there is nothing insignificant, in your life.
How dare you take the responsibility of say
ing that there is? Do you not know that
tho whole universe Is not ashamed to take
care OF one violet? | say what are you
doing down there In the grass, poor little
violet? Nobody knows You are here. Ara
you not afraid nights You will die with
thirst Nobody cares for you. You will
suffer you will perish. mo, says u star.
''rll watch over it tonight" mo" says
the cloud. 'l'll give 1t drink" NO." says
the sun, I'm warm II In my bosom" Anl
then the wint rises and comes bending
down the grain and sounding its
psalm through the forest, and | say.
"Whither away. o wind. on such swift
wing2" and 1t answers. II am going to cool
the cheek OF that violet" And then | SEQ
pulleys Mt work In the sky, and the clouds
are drawing water, and say, what are you
doing there, o clouds2" They say, I'VE IRE
drawing water for that violet" And then
look down into the grass, and say, "Can IL
be that God takes care OF u poor thing like
you?" and the answer comes up, "Yes, yes.