The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1895-12-18

!
Sthat whould shatter the statue. ]
can't do it that way, must do 1t this
way.' So he works on, and after
awhile the features come out, and
everybody that enter the studio is
charmed and fascinated. Well, God has
your soul under process OF develop
ment, and it is the little annoyances
and vexations of life that are chiseling
out your immortal nature. 1t is click,
clickl / wonder why some great provi-
dence does not come, and with one
stroke prepare you for Heaven All,
no; God says that is not the way. And
SO he keeps on by strokes OF little vex-
ations, until at last you shall be glad
spectacle for angels and for men.
You know that large fortune may
be spent in small change, and vast |
amount of moral character may go
away in small dcpletions. 1t is the
little troubles of life that are having
more effect upon you than great ones
A swarm of locusts will kill grain
field sooner than the incursion of three
or four cattle You say: Since lost
my child, since ! lost my property,
have been different man." But you
| do not recognize the architecture OF
little annoyances that are hewlng,
digging, cutting, shaping, splitting,
and interjoining your moral qualities.
Rats may sink ship. One lucifer
match may send destruction through
block of store-houses. Catherine De
Medicis got her death from smelling
poisonous rose Columbus, by stopping
and asking for piece of bread and
drink of water ut y Franciscan con
vent, was led to the discovery Of new
world. And there is an intimate con-
nection between trifes and immensi-
ties, between nothings and everythings
Now, be careful to let none of those
annoyances go through your soul unar-
raigned. Compel them to administer to
your spiritual wealth. The scratch OF
a sixpenny nail sometimes produces
lock-iaw, and the clip of most in
fininitesimal annoyance, may damage
you forever. Do not let any annoy
ance or perplexity come across youl
soul without its making You better.
Our government does not think il
belittling to put tax on small artl
: cles. The individual taxes do no
i amount to much, but in the aggregate
n to millions and millions of dollars
h And / would have you, 0 Christian
= man, put high tariff on every annoy
d ance and veXation that comes through
+ your soul. This might not amount t.
;, much in single cases, but in the aggre
:. gate it would be great revenue o
" spiritual strength and satisfaction.
is bee can suck honey even out OF a net
Ie tie; and if you have the grace OF God L
your heart you can get sweetness ou
.e of that which would otherwise irritat
g, and annoy.
re A returned missionary tod me that
st company of adventurers rowing up II
a Ganges were stung to death by 1i'
I'D that infest that region at certain Sc
OF sons. j have seen the earth strew(
nc with the carcasses of men slain by j
ne sect annoyances, The only way to 6
e? prepared for the great troubl es of Ii
~ is to conquer these small trouble
N What would you say of a soldier wi
ar refused to load4his gun because it w
we only a skirrnish saying: 81 am not G
lie ing to expend my ammunition on
'ul slsirmish; wait until there comes a ge
'ur eral engagement, and then you W
see how courageous | am, and VIII
, l battling will do?" The general wou
~. say to such man: IF you are n
SO faithful in u skirmish, you would
s." nothing in a general engagement
ire And l have to tell you, o Christi
lat men, if you cannot apply the princip
If of Christ's religion on small sea
vas YOU will never be able to apply the
nat on large scale.
INK If l had my way with you wo'
let have you possess all possible worl'
nos prosperity. would have you each
'ur a garden-a river flowing through
1T. reraniums and shrubs on the sid
'me and the grass and flowers rs beauti
the as though the rainbow had fallen'
llcl would have you house, splen
yer mansion, and the bed should be c
hen cred with upholstery dipped in
and setting sun. | would have every
t in your house set with statues
his statuettes, and then l would have
hile four quarters of the globe pour in
hat their luxuries Oh your table, and
oral should have forks of silver and llni
peg of gold, inlaid with diamonds and a
and thysts. Then you should each one
, all YOU have the finest horses, and
be pick of the equipages OF the wo
e is Then / would have you live a hand
cry and fifty years, and you should
hing have pain or ache until the
WIN breath.
9 IL mot each one of us?" you say.
SICK each one of you. Not your enemi
Yes; the only difference would IN
CIR with them would be that | would P
an little extra gilt on the walls, an
i as little extra embroidery on their
'ater pers. But, you say, why does
TINS God give us all these things?" A
'ge' bethink myself He is wiser. 1t W.
noy. make fools and sluggards OF us
! out bad our wav. No man puts his
stian picture in the portico or vestibul
and his house. God meant this world
nd to only the vestibule of Heaven,
rs great gallery of the universe toy
ever which we are aspiring. We must
Stag. have it too good in this world, o
rd to would want no Heaven.
) lt Polycarp was condemned to
Is for burned To death. The stake