The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1893-08-09

going out in darkness. You said, 81
cannot bear 1t, cannot bear it." You
felt as II you could not put the lashes
over the bright eyes, never to see them
again sparkle, o, If you could have
taken that little one in your arms, and
with 1t leaped into the grave, how
gladly you would have done 1t! o, If
you could let your property go, your
houses go, your land and your store
house go, how gladly you would have
allowed them to depart II you could
only have kept that one treasure!
But one day there arose from the
heavens chill blast that swept over
the bedroom, and instantly all the
light went out, and there was dark
ness--thick, murky, impenetrable,
shuddering darkness. But God did not
leave you there. Mercy spoke. AS you
were about toput that cup to your lips
God said, "Let it pass" and forthwith,
as by the hand of angels, another cup
was put into your hands; it was the
cup Of Gods consolation. And as you
have sometimes lifted the head Of a
wounded soldier, and poured wine into
his lips, SO God puts His left arm under
your head and with His right hand He
/ pours into your lips the wine of His
comfort and His consolation, and you
looked at the empty cradle and looked
at your broken heart, and you looked
at the Lords chastisement, and said:
"Even so, Father, for SO it seemeth
good In Thy sight"
| Ah,, 1t is your first trouble. How did
you get over it? God comforted you.
You have been a better man ever since.
You have been better woman ever
since. In the jar of the closing gate Of
the sepulcher you heard the changing
of the opening gate of Heaven, and you
felt an irresistible drawing heaven
ward. You have been purer and holier
of heart ever since that night when
the little one put its arms around your
neck and said, Good night, papa; good
night, mamma. Meet me in Heaven" !"
But must come down to your latest
sorrow. What wasit? Perhaps it was
sickness. The child's tread on the stair
or the tick of the watch on the stand
disturbed you. Through the long,
weary days you counted the figures in
the carpet or the flowers in the wall
paper. 0, the WEAKNESS and exhaus-
tionl 0, the burning pangs! Would
God it were morning, would God II
were night, were your frequent cry.
But you are better, perhaps, even well,
Have you thanked God that to-day you
can come out in the fresh air; that you
are In this place to hear Gods name
and sing Gods praise, and to implorC
| Gods help, and to ask Gods forgive
: ness? Bless the Lord, who healeth al
} our diseases and redeemeth our live'
= from destruction.
: Perhaps your last sorrow was finan
cial embarrassment. congratulate
5 some of you on your lucrative profes
! sion or occupation, on ornate apparel
, on a commodious residence-everythinl
! you put your hand to seems to turn b
r gold. But there are others Of you VIII
/, are like the ship on which Paul saile'
!, where two seas met, and you are broker
n by the violence Of the waves BY al
unadvised Endorsement, or by con
a junction OF unforeseen events, or by fir
g or storm, or senseless panic, you hay
Y been, flung headlong, and where 20
o once dispensed great charities, nov
4 you have hard work to make the tw
n ends meet
, Have you forgotten to thank God 70
your days Of prosperity, and tina
= through your trials some of you hav
n made investments which will continu
t after the last bank of this world ha
4 exploded and the silver and gold ar
e molten in fires of burning world
r Have you, amid all your losses and dii
: couragements, forgot that there wa
r bread on your table this morning, an
d that there shall be shelter for you
u head from the storm, and there is al
S for your lungs, and blood for you
l. heart, and light for your eye. and
i glad and glorious and triumphant r.
y ligion for your soul?
= Perhaps your last trouble was a b.
l. reavement. That heart which in chile
# hood was your refuge, the parents
n heart, and which has been source {
IS the quickest sympathy ever since, hi
l. suddenly become silent forever. An
e now sometimes, whenever in sudde
D annoyance and without deliberate
r you say, 81 will go and tell mother,
S, the thought flashes on you, 81 have I
? mother" Or the father, with volt
!? less tender, but at heart as earnest m
p loving-watchful over all your way
,f exultant over your success withol
n saying much, although the old peop
1 do talk Il over by themselves-is take
g. away forever.
" Or there was your companion in iii
of sharer OF your joys and sorrows, take
le leaving the heart an old ruin, whe
lr the III winds blow over wide wilde
o. ness of desolation, the sands Of Il
4, desert driving across the place whiC
hi once bloomed like the garden Of Go
of And Abraham mourns for Sarah at h
cave of Machpelah. Going along yo
I'd path in life, suddenly right before "
in was an open grave.
es People looked down and they saw
Of was only few feet deep and few fe
ID wide, but TO you 1t was chasm dow
w which went all your hopes and all yo
81 expectations.
es But cheer up in the name Of I
Se Lord Jesus Christ; the comforter.