The Globe-republican., 1894-05-11


us the victory, through Our Lord Jesus
Christ" There is a widows heart.
that first was desolated by bereave-
ment, and since by the anxieties and
trials that came in the support OF a
family. 1t is sad thing to see man
contending for livelihood under dis
advantages; but to see delicate wom-
an, with helpless little ones at her
back, fighting the giants of poverty
and sorrow, is more affecting. 1t was
humble HON and passers-by knew
not that within those four walls were
displays of courage more admira BILE
than that of Hannibal crossing the
Alps. or the pass of ThermOpalae, or
Balaklava, where Into the jaws of
death rode the six hundred" These
heroes had the whole world to cheer
them on. but there were none to APP
plaud the struggle in the humble home.
She fought for bread, for clothing, for
shelter, with aching head and weak
side and exhausted strength, through
the long night by the brook Jabbok.
Could it be that none would give her
help? Had God forgotten to be
gracious? No! contending soul.
The midnight air is full of
wings, coming to the rescue.
She hears it now. in the sough of
the night wind. in the ripple of the
brook JabbOk-the promise made SO
long ago ringing down the sky: Thy
fatherless children. 1 will preserve
them alive; and let thy widows trust
in me-" Some one said to very poor
woman, ''How is it that in such dis
tress you keep cheerful?' She said: 81
do it by what 1 call cross prayers.
When had my rent to pay and moth
ing to pay it with, and bread to buy
and noting to buy it with. l used to sit
down and cry. But now 1 do not get
discouraged. If 1 go along the street,
when l come to corner of the street
say: The Lord help me;' 1 then go on
until come to another crossing of the
street, and again say: The Lord help
me. And SO l utter a prayer at every
crossing, and since have got into the
habit of saying these cross prayers l
have been able to keep up my courage.
Learn again from this subject that
people sometimes are surprised to find
out that what they have been strug-
Cling with in the darkness is really an
"angel of blessing" Jacob found in
the morning that this strange person
age was not an enemy, but a God-dis-
patched messenger to promise prosper
ity for him and for his children. And
SO many a man. at the close of his trial,
has found out that he has been trying
to throw dom his own blessing. If you
are a Christian man, will go back in
your history and find that the grandest
things that have ever happened to you
have been your trials. Nothing short
of scourging, imprisonment and ship
wreck could have made Paul what
he was. When David was fleeing
through the wilderness pursued by his
own son. he was being prepared to be-
come the sweet singer of Israel. The
pit and the dungeon were the oest
schools at which Joseph ever grad
uated. The hurricane that upset the
tent and killed Jobs children prepared
the man of Uz to write the magniti-
cent poem that has astounded the ages.
There is no way to get the wheat out
of the straw but to thresh it. 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
are proud, discontinued, useless and
unhappy. If you want to find
cheerful folks. go among those
who have been purified by the
William Tell" the five hundredth
time, a company of musicians came
under his window in Paris and sere-
naded him. They put upon his brow 4
golden crown of laurel leaves! But.
amid all the applause and enthusiasm,
Rossini turned to a friend and said: Il
would give all this brilliant scene for a
few days of youth and love" Contrast
the melancholy feeling of Rossini, who
had everything that this world could
give him. to the joyful experience Of
Isaac Watts, whose misfortunes were
innumerable, when he says:
The Hill of Zion yields
A thousand sacred sweets,
Before We reach the heavenly fields
Or walk the golden streets
Then let our songs abound,
And every tear be dry.
We are mare hing through ImmlnuelS ground
To fairer worlds on high
1t is prosperity that kills. and trouble
that saves. While the Israelites were
on the march. amid great privations
and hardships. they behaved we'll.
After awhile they prayed for meat. and
the sky darkened with great flock of
quails. and these quails fell in great
multitudes all about them; and the
Israelites ate and ate. and stuffed
themselves until they died. Oh. my
friends, it is not hardship. or trial, or
starvation that Injuries the soul, but
abundant supply. 1t is not the vulture
of trouble that eats up the Christian
life; it is the quails! 1t is the quails!
You will yet find out that your mid
night wrestle by the brook Jabbok is
with an angel of God. come down to
bless and save.
Learn again that, while our wrest-
ling with trouble may be triumphant,