Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1895-08-23

hdnt OuuSLutul, VI IlduuCA W uIo-
cord his Israel in Egypt" and you
cannot expect God to spoil the architec-
ture and music of his own world. How,
then, are we to be made willing to
leave? Here is where trouble comes in.
After a man has had a good deal Of
trouble he says "Well, I am ready to
90. If there is a house somewhere
whose roof doesn't leak, would like
to live there. If there is an atmosphere
somewhere that does not distress the
lungs, would like to breathe it.
If there is society somewhere where
there is no title tattle, I would like to
live there. If there is a home circle
somewhere where l can find my lost
friends, would like to 60 there" He
used to read the first part Of the Bible
chiefly, now he reads the last part Of
the Bible chiefly. Why has he changed
Genesis for Revelation? All, he used to
be anxious chiefly to know how this
world was made, and all about its geo.
logical construction. Now he is chiefly
anxious to know how the next world
was made, and how it looks, and who
live there, and how they dress. He
reads Revelation ten times now where
he reads Genesis once. The old story,
"In the beginning God created the
heavens and the earth" does not thrill
him half as much as the other story, II
saw a new heaven and a new earth. "
The old man s hand trembles as he turns
over this apocalyptic leaf, and he has to
take out his handkerchief to wipe his
spectacles. That book Of Revelation is a
prospectus now Of the country into
which he is soon to immigrate; the
country in which he has lots already
laid out, and avenues opened, and man
sions built.
The Ministry Of Trouble.
Yet there are people here to whom this
world is brighter than heaven. Well,
dear souls, 1 do not blame you. 1t is
natural But after awhile you will be
ready to 60. 1t was not until Job had
been worn out with bereavements that
he wanted to see God. 1t was not until
the prodigal got tired Of living among
the hogs that he wanted to go to his
fathers house. 1t is the ministry Of
trouble to make this world worth less
and heaven worth more.
Again, it is the use Of trouble to
make us feel our dependence upon God.
Men think that they can do anything
until God shows them they can do moth
ing at all We lay our great plans, and
we like to execute them. 1t looks big.
God comes and takes US down. As Pro-
metheus was assaulted by his enemy,
when the lance struck him it opened a
great swelling that had threatened his
death, and he got we'll So it is the ar
row Of trouble that let's out great swell
ings Of pride. We never feel our depend
ence upon God until we get trouble. l
was riding with my little child along
the road, and she asked if she might
drive. said, Certainly" handed
over the reins to her, and had to ad-
mire the glee with which she drove.
But after awhile we met team and we
had to turn out The road was narrow,
and it was sheer down on both sides.
She handed the reins over to me and
said, Il think you had better take
charge of the horse. So we are all
children, and on this road Of life we like
to drive. 1t gives one such an appear
ance Of superiority and power. 1t looks
big. But after awhile we meet some
obstacle and we have to turn out, and
the road is narrow, and it is sheer down
on both sides; and then we are willing
that God should take the reins and
drive All, my friends, we get upset so
often because we do not hand over the
reins soon enough.
After a man has had trouble, prayer
is with him a taking hold Of the arm OF
God and crying out for help. have
heard earnest prayers on two or three
occasions that | remember. Once, on
the Cincinnati express train, going at
40 miles the hour, the train jumped the
track. and we were near a chasm so feet
deep. and the men who, few minutes
before, had been swearing and bias
pheming God, began to pull and jerk at
the bell rope and got up on the backs Of
the seats, and cried out, 80 God, save
us
There was another time, about 500
miles out at sea, on a laundering steam
er. after the last lifeboat had been split
finer than kindling wood. They prayed
then. Why is it you so often hear peo-
pie, in reciting the last experience Of
some friend, say, "He made the most
beautiful prayer ever heard?" What
makes it beautiful? 1t is the earnestness
of it. Oil 1 tell you, a man is in ear
nest when his stripped and naked soul
wades out in the soundleSs, shoreless,
bottomless ocean of eternity.
A Helpful Father.
It is trouble, my friends, that makes
us feel our dependence upon God We
do not know our own weakness or Gods
strength until the last plank breaks. 1t
is contemplate in us when there is snoth-
ing else to take hold of that we catch
hold of God only. Why, you do not
know who the Lord is He is not an au-
tocrat seated far up in palace, from
which he emerges once a year, preceded
by heralds swinging swords to clear the
way. No. But a Father willing, at our
call, to stand by us in every crisis and
predicament Of life. l tell you what
some Of you business men make me
think of. A young man goes off from
home to earn his fortune. He goes with
his mothers consent and benediction.
She has large wealth, but he wants to
make his own fortune. He goes far
away, falls sick, gets out Of money. He
sends for the hotel keeper where ne is
staying, asking for lenience, and the
answer he gets is, "If you don't pay up
Saturday night, you'll be removed to
the hospital "
The young man sends to comrade In
the same building No help. He writes
to a banker who was a friend of his de-
ceased father. No relief He writes to
an old schoolmate, but gets no help.
Saturday night comes, and he is moved
to the hospital.
Getting there, he is frenzied with
grief, and he borrows sheet Of paper
n