Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-06-25
ONLY LITTLE THINGS :.
REv. OR. TALMAee ENFoRcEs A MOST
UPLIFTING TRUTH.
as Well Ms In the Clouds-Our Mental and
Spiritual Incapacity-Divine Inspiration.

as Well Ms In the Ciouds-Our Mental and
Spiritual Incapacity-Divine Inspiration.
o WASHINGTON, June 21.-A most uplift-
ing truth is presented in DIR. Talmage's
discourse Of today. His text was Matthew
x, 30: Are not two sparrows sold for a
farthingp And one Of them shall not fall
on the ground without your Father.
You see the Bible will not be limited in
the choice of symbols. There is hardly q
beast or bird or insect which has not been
called to illustrate some divine truth-the
ox's patience, the ants industry tho
SPIDERS skill, the kinds surefootcdness,
the eagles speed, the doves gcntlcness and
even the sparrow's meanness and insig-
niflcancc In oriental countries none but
the poorest people buy the sparrow and eat
it-so very little meat Is there on the bones
and so very poor is 1t what there is of it,
The comfortable population would not
think Of touching It any more than yo,,
would think Of eating bat or lamprey.
Now, says Jesus, II God takes such good
care of n poor bird that Is not worth n cent,
will he not care Cor you, an immortal?
In Minute AfYairs.
We associate God with revolutions. We
Catu STU - ulNlho puTDOsb III biIt ulSCONtTN
of America, in the invention of the art of
printing, in the exposure of the gunpowder
plot, in the continuance of the needle gun,
In the ruin of an Austrian or Napolconic
despotism, but how hard it is to see God In
the minute personal affairs of our livos |,
We think of God as making n record of the
starry host, but cannot realize the Bible
truth that he knows how many hairs are
on hand "a nd fhtn,y hnt
God provided food for hundreds of thou
sands Of Israclites in tho desert, but we
can OF appreciate tho truth that when n
sparrow is hungry God stoops down and
opens its mouth and puts tho seed in. We
are struck with the idea that God fills tho
universe with his presence, but cannot I'M
dcr-tand how he cncamps in the crystal pal
ace Of dcwdrop OF finds room to stand
between the alabastor pillars Of the pond
lily. We can see God in the clouds. Can
we see God in these flowers at our fcct2
We are apt to place God on some great
stage, or to try to do 1t, expecting him
there to net out his stupendous projects
but we forget that the life Of a Cromwell
an Alexander or Washington or an arch
angel is not more under divine inspection
than your life or mine Pompey thought
there must be mist over tho eyes of God
because he so much favored Caesar But
there Is no such mist. He secs everything
We say Gods path is In the great waters
True enough, but no more certainly than
he Is in the water in tho glass on the table
We say God guides the stars in their
courses Magnificent truth But no moro
certain truth than that he decides which
road or street you shall take in coming to
church. Understand that God does not sit
upon an Indifferent or unsympathetic
throne, but that no sits down beside you
today and stands beside me today, and no
affair Of our lives is so Insignificant but
that 1t Is Of Importance to God.
In the first place, God chooses our occu-
patton for us. 1 am amazed to sec how
many people there are dissatisfied with
the work they have to do. / think three
fourths wish they were in some other oc-
cupation, and they spend n great deal of
time In rcgretting that they got in the
wrong trade or profession. / want to tell
you that God put into operation all the in
Huences which led you to that particular
choice. Many Of you are not in the bust
ness that you expected to be In. You star
ed for the ministry and learned mercha
disc. You started for the law, and you are
n physician. You preferred agriculture,
and you became u mechanic. You thought
one way God thought another. But you
ought not to sit down and mourn over the
past. You are to remember that God ar
ranged all these circumstances by which
you were made what you are.
Man Proposes.
Hugh Miller says, II will be stone-
mason" God sayl, you will be geol-
ogist." David goes ont to attend his IA
thcr's sheep. God calls him to govern a
nation. Saul goes out to hunt his father 5
asses, and before he gets back finds tho
crown Of regal dominion. How much hap
pier would we be If we were content with
the places God gave usl God saw your
temperament and all the circumstances by
which you were surrounded, and believe
ninc-tenths of you are in the work you are
best fitted for. hear q great racket in my
watch, and find that the hands and the
wheels and the springs are getting out of
their places. I send it down to the jewel
er's and say, Overhaul that watch and
teach the wheels, and the spring, and the
hands to mind their own business" You
know n man having a largo estate He
gathers his working hands in the morning
and says to one "You go trim that vinc;"
W oicoA'NAt NV 81 uhi NN'u tIiOSO iiOW-
ers;" to another "You plow that tough
glcbe;" and each ono goes to his particular
work. The owner Of the estate points the
man to what he knows he can do best, and
SO it is with tho Lord
remark further that God has arranged
the place Of our dwelling. What particular
city or town, street or house you shall live
In seems to be a nero matter of accident
YOn tn HINT for N hnnCa md
happen to pass up certain street and hap.
pen to sec sign, and you select that house
Was 1t all happening soP Oh, no God
guided you in every step. He foresaw tho
future. He knew all your circumstances,
and he selected just that one house as bet.
ter for you than any of the 10, 900 habita.
tions In the city. Our house, however
humble the roof, and however lowly tho
portals, Is as near Gods heart as an AL.
hambra or u Kremlin Prove 1t, you say.
Proverbs Iii, 33, He blesseth the habita-
ton Of the just"
remark further that God arranges all
our friendships. You were driven to tho
wall. You found man just at that crisis
who sympathized with you and helped YOU
You say, How lucky wasp' There was
no luck about It. God sent that friend
just as certainly as he sent tho angel to
strengthen Christ Your domestic friends,
your business friends, your Christian
friends, God sent them to bless you, and
II any Of them has proved traitorous it Is
only to bring out the value of those who
remain. If some die it is only that they
may stand at the outposts of heaven 70
greet you at your coming,
You always will have friends, warm