The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1894-06-28
SUNDAY SERMON.
LITTLE PEOPLE WHO LIVE LIT
TIE LIVES.
We Wonder Why we Are.
Npw York Hernia.


the fields at this time Of year you are
more than likely to run upon bed Of
wild violets at the foot Of a maple tree
in some obscure corner NoOther eyes
than YOURS have ever seen them. and |
no other ewes, perhaps, will ever see
them again, for in few days their lit
tie lives will be ended and they will
have withered.
They have their mission, neverthe-
less, and who shall say it is unimpor-
tant? They are fashioned in beauty
their slender stems bend with grace to
the passing breeze the conical leaves
are Of an exquisite shade Of green, and
the purple petals are painted with a
skill which no artist can borrow. He
who was at the pains to create taem
He had plan for this wild violet, on
which He bestowed no perfume, as we'll
as for the honeysuckle, which fills the
air with fragrance. And II 1t blossoms
with fidelity and dies with resignation,
as much credit may be accorded to 1t
as will be given to the imperious oak, or
the stately elm, which attracts the at
tentiOn of every traveller.
If you we're learned in the language
of flowers YOU might kneel on the sod
and hear the complaint OF some discon-
tented violet Il am Of no cOnse-
quence," it might say in despair, land
wonder why ! was made. No one
knows or cares that am here. ! live,
/ die that is ali the story | have to re-
late. No one is better for my coming
and no one will miss me when | 90"
And yet it is possible that the bed OF
ylOets. bios,0rling ard whitening under
the maple. and upon which sou have
Glanced in your aimless stroll, has set
you upon serious thoughts It is an cpl
tome of the universe. as far beyOnd the
reach of your power to MAKE as blazing
Arctus in the evening sky. It is a clew
to a thousand mysteries, and al! uncOn-
sciously to itself it may lead YOU up the
spiral staircase CT logic until YOU lie
reverent and PROSTATE II the awful
presence Of Deity.
The vioct is q type OF humanity
We, too, wonder why We are here. We
are so small! - Insignificant; we can
do so little we are 80 slenIeGiv gifted :;
we live such narrow lives and have
meagre influence that we are over
whelmed with disappointment. What
does il mean ana what does it all
amount 10? A thousand times we ask
the question, and get 10 answer. II
we had conspicuous ability, could sin g
some song that would be remembered
or paint some picture that would be
hung in the galleries of the suture. or
do some deed that would leave our
name as heritage, our let would be
plainly desirable Or if. with lower
ambition, we could affect the lives of
those within the circle Of our acqualnt-
ance, make them think and see more
clearly, temper their souls for nobler
tasks, contribute to their comfort and
happiness In some essential way, we
should feel that there was a purpose in
our birth and an object in our lives.
But to be simply commonplace-an
odorless violet under maple in an OBJ
scure cOrner-lt gives us a sinking at
the heart and we grow weary and des-
pondent.
How many OF us have passed through
this experience and reached the con-
clusiOn that we are of no value, How
many OF us have thoughtfully summed
up our lives and painfully declared to
ourselves that we count for nothing,
But such signs are based on a mis-
take. We misinterpret God, and are
therefore led astray We have a plan
OF our own and wonder WHY the AL
mighty does not make His plan and
persuading wills to conform to that.
In the universe as constituted by
Him the humble positions are vastly in
the majority. We are neither expected
nor asked to do much, but to Go a little
and do it well. 1t is not demanded of