Connecticut western news., 1894-05-03

dren prepared the man of Uz to write the magnificent poem that has astound ed the ages. There is no way to get the wheat out of the straw but to thrash 1t There is no way to purify the gold but to burn it. Look at the people who have always had it their own way. They art proud, discontented, useless and unhap py. If you want to find cheerful folks, gt among those who have been purified by the fire. After Rossini had rendered William Tell'' the five hundredth time a company of musicians came under his window in Paris and serenaded him. They put upon his brow a golden crown of laurel leaves. But amid all the ap. plause and enthusiasm Rossini turned tt friend and said, T would give all this brilliant scene for few days of youth and love Contrast the melancholy feel. ing of Rossini, who had everything this world could give him, to the joyful ex. perience of Isaac Watts, whose misfor. tunes were innumerable, when he says.
 The hill of Zion yields
 A thousand sacred sweets
 Before we reach the heavenly fields
 Or N ak the golden streets.
 Then let our songs abound Az
 And every tear be dry
 We are marching through Immanueli
 ground
 To faifer worlds on high.
 Marks of the Combat.
 It is prosperity that kills and trouble that saves. While the Israelites were on the march, amid great privations |, l,l, Ioll awhile they prayed for meat, and the sky darkened with a great flock oi quails, and these quails fell in large multitudes all about them, and the Is raelites ate and ate and stuffed them selves until they died. Oh, my friends, it is not hardship or trial or starvation that injures the soul, but abundant sup ply. It Is not the yulture of trouble that eats up the Christians life; it is the quails, it is the quailsl You will yet find out that your midnight wrestle oy the brook Jabbok is with an angel of God, come down to bless and save
 Learn again that while our wrestling with trouble may be triumphant we must expect that it will leave its mark upon us. Jacob prevailed, but the angel touched him. and his thigh bone sprane from its socket and the good man went limping on his way. We must carry through this world the mark of the combat. What plowed those premature wrinkles in your face? What whitened your hair before it was time for frostt What silenced forever so much of the hilarity of your household? An, it is be- cause the angel of trouble hath touched you that you go limping on your way. You need not be surprised that those who have passed through the fire do not feel as gay as once they did.
 Do not be out of patience with those who come not out of their despondency. They may triumph over their loss, and yet their gait shall tell you that they have been trouble touched. Are we stoics that we can, unmoved, see our cradle rifled of tic bright eyes and the sweet lins? Can we stand unnioved and see our gardens of earthly delight up- rooted? Will Jesus, who wept himself, be angry with us if we pour our tears into the graves that open to swallow down what we love best? Was Lazarus more dear to him than our beloved dead to us? No. We have right to weep. Cur tears must come. You shall not drive them back to scald the heart. They fall into Gods bottle Afflicted ones have died because they could not weep. Thank God for the sweet, the myste- rious relief that comes to us in tearsl Under this gentle rain the flowers of corn put forth their bloom God pity that dry, withered, parched, all consum- ing grief that wrings its hands and grinds its teeth and bites its nails unto the quick, but cannot weep! We may have found the comfort of the cross, and yet ever after show that in the dark night and by the brook Jabbok we were trouble touched.
 The Day Breaketh.
 Again, we may take the idea of the text and announce the approach of the day dawn. No one was ever more glad to see the morning than was Jacob after that night of struggle. It is appropriate for philanthropists and Christians to cry out with this angel of the text, "The day breaketh. :" The worlds pros poets are brightening. The church of Christ Is rising up iQ its strength to go forth fair as the moon, clear as the sun and terrible as an army with banners. "
 Clap your hands, all ye people, the day breaketh. The bigotries of the earth are perishing. The time was when we were told that if we wanted to get to heaven we must be immersed or sprin- kled, or we must believe in the perse- verance of the saints, or in falling away from grace, or liturgy, or no liturgy, or they must be Calvinists or Armin- ians ill order to reach heaven. We have all come to confess now that these are nonessentials in religion
 During my vacation one summer 1 was in a Presbyterian audience, and it was sacramental day, and with grateful heart I received the holy communion On the next Sabbath I was ill Metho- dist church and sat at love feast. On the following Sabbath was in an Epis- copalian church and knelt at the altar and received the consecrated bread. I do not know which service I enjoyed the most. TT believe in the communion of saints and in the life everlasting. 'The day breaketh. y
 As I look upon this audience see many who have passed through waves of trouble that came up higher than their girdle. In Gods name proclaim cessation of hostilities. You shall not go always saddened and heartbroken. God will lift your burden. Gcd will