The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1895-12-20
C. D. BOSS & SON, new LONDON, CONF
orlginators and Sole Manufacturers.

>>-~-s->>S>->
sight put ont, or some other awful e.
lamity befalls him. While the vast ma
jority of people take the thing piece
meal. Which way would you rather
have it? OF course in piecemeal. Better
have five aching teeth than one broken
jaw; better ten fly blisters than an am
putation; better 40 squalls than one cy.
clone. There may be difference of
opinion as to allopathy and homeopathy,
but In this matter Of trouble l like
homeopa' Z doses--small pillets OF an
noyance 1N,her than some knock down
dose of calamity. Instead of the thun-
derbolt gives us tho hornet. If you
have bank, you would great deal
rather that 90 men would come in with
checks less than 500 than to have two
depositors come IN the same day each
wanting his $4,000. In this latter ease
and you look up at the ceiling before
you look into the safe. Now, my
friends, would you not rather have these
small drafts of annoyance on your bank
of faith than some all staggering de-
mand upon your endurance? But re-
member that little as we'll as great an.
noyances equally require you to trust in
Christ for succor and for deliverance
from impatience and irritability. "Thou
wilt keep him in perfect peace whose
mind is staid ON thee" In the village
of Hamelin, tradition says, there was
an invasion of rats, and these small
creatures almost devoured the town and
threatened the lives of the population,
and the story is that a piper camaout
one day and played very sweet tune,
and all the vermin followed him-fol.
lowed him to the banks Of the Weser.
Then he blew a blast, and then they
dropped in and disappeared forever. Of
course this is fable, but l wish could,
on the sweet flute of the gospel, draw
forth all the nibbling and burrowing
annoyances of your life and play them
down into the depths forever.
How many touches did Mr.. Church
give to his picture of "Cotopaxi" Or his
"Heart of theAndes?" I suppose about
$4,000 touches. I hear the canvas say
ing: "Why do you keep me trembling
with that pencil SO long? Why don't
you put it on in one dash?" "No," says
Mr. Church, 81 know how to make a
painting. 1t will take $4,000 of these
touches. And want you, my friends,
to understand that it is these 10, 900 an
noyances which under God are making
up the picture of your life to be hung
at last in the galleries of heaven, fit for
angels to look at God knows how to
make picture.
Little Strokes.
go into a sculptor's studio and see
him shaping statue. He has chisel
in one hand and mallet in the other,
and he gives very gentle stroke-clicl.,
click, click. I say, "Why don't you
strike harder?" ooh, he replies, "that
would shatter the statuel l can't do it
that way. I must do it this way" So
he works on, and after awhile the fea-
lures come out, ahd everybody that en-
ters the studio is charmed and fasci-
mated. Well, God has your soul under
process of development, and it is the lit
that are chiseling out your immortal
nature. 1t is click, click, click! Won
der why some great providence does not
come and with one stroke prepare you
for heaven. All, no! God says that is
not the way. And SO he keeps OH by
strokes of little vexations 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 depletions. 1t is the little trou-
bles of life that are having more effect
upon you than great ones A swarm OF
locusts will kill grainfield sooner than
the incursion Of three or four cattle You
say, "Since lost my child, since lost
my property, l have been a different
man." But You do not recognize the
architecture Of little annoyauces that
are hewing, digging, cutting, shaping,
splitting and interjoining your moral
qualities. Rats may sink a ship One
lucifer match may send destruction
through block Of storehouses. Gather
inc de- Medicis got her death from SMELL
ing poisonous rose Columbus, by
stopping and asking for piece of bread
and drink Of water at Franciscan
convent, was led to the discovery of a
new world And there is an intimate
connection between trifies and immen-
stiles, between nothings and every
things
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-
jaw, and the clip of most infnitesimal
annoyance may damage you forever. Do
not let any annoyance or perplexity
ing you better.
Our government does not think it be-
lifting to put a tax on small articles.
The individual taxes sdo not amount to
much, but in the aggregate to millions
and millions of dollars And l would
have you, o Christian, man, put high
tariff on every annoyance and vexation
that comes through your soul This
might not amount to much in single
cases, but in the aggregate it would be
great revenue Of spiritual strength and
satisfaction. A bee can suck honey even
out Of anettlc, and if you have the grace
Of God i'll your Heart you can get sweet
ness out of that which would otherwise
irritate and annoy.
A returned missionary told me that a
company of Adventures rowing up the