Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-06-26

calls too little. Mnat man Calls enOuBD
God says is too much. The difference
between a poor man and rich man Is
only the difference in banks. The rich
man puts his money in the Washington
bank, or the Central bank, or the Metro
politan bank, or some other bank Of
that character, while the poor man
comes up and makes his investments III
the bank of him who runs all the quar-
ries. all the mines, all the gold, all the
earth, all heaven. Do you think man
can fail when he is backed up like that:
You may have seen a map ON which
is described, with red ink, the travels
of the children Of Israel through the
desert TO the promised land. You see
how they took this and that direction,
crossed that river and went through the
sea. Do you know God has made a map
of YOUR life with paths leading up to
this river and across that sea? But, bless
ed be God, the path always comes out at
the promised land. Mark that! Mark
thatl
remark again that all those things
that seem to be but accidents in our life
are under the divine supervision. We
sometimes seem to be going helmless
and anchorless. You say, IF | had
some other trade; if | had not gone
there this summer; if l had lived IL
some other house" You have 10 right
to say that. Every tear you wept every
step ycu have taken, every burden you
have carried is under divine inspira-
ton, and that event which startled youi
whole household with horror Gcd met
with perfect placidity. because he knew
it was for your good. 1t was part Of a
great plan projected long ago. In etcr-
nifty, when you come to reckon up your
mercies, you will point to that affiiction
as one Of your greatest blessings.
God has a strange way with us. Jo-
seph found his way to the prime minis
ter's chair by being pushed into PIT.
and to many a Christian down Is up.
The wheat must be failed; the quarry
must be blasted; the diamond must be
ground; the Christian must be afflicted ;
and that single event, which you sup
posed stood entirely alone, was a con-
Meeting link between two great chains,
one chain reaching through all eternity
past and the other chain reaching
through all eternity future-so small
an event fastening two etcrnities to-
gether.
A missionary coming from India to
the United States stopped at st. Helena
while the vessel was taking water. He
had his little child with him. They
walked along by an embankment, and a
rock at that moment became loosened
and, falling instantly. killed the child.
Was it an accident? Was it surprise
to God? Had he allowed his servant
after a life Of conservation, to come to
such a trial? Not such is my God.
There are no accidents in the divine
mind, though they may seem so TO us.
God is good and by every single Incl
dent of our life, whether it be adverse
or otherwise, before earth and heaven
God will demonstrate his mercy.
hear man say: THAT idea belittles
God. You bring him down TO such lit
tie things. Oh. have more thorough
appreciation Of God in little things than
have in great thingsl The mother does
not wait until the child has crushed its
foot or broken its arm before she admin
listers sympathy. The child comes in
with the least bruise, and the mother
kisses it. God does not wait for some
tremendous crisis in our life. but comes
down to us in our most insignificant
trials and throws over US the arms OF
his mercy.
Going up the White mountains some
years ago | thought Of that passage in
the Bible that speaks of God as weigh
ing mountains i'll a balance As looked
at those great mountains thought,
Can it be possible that God can put
these great mountains in scales? 1t was
an idea too great for me to grasp; but
when l saw bluebell down by the
mules foot, on my way up Mount
Washington, then l understood the
kindness and goodness of God. 1t is not
so much of God i'll great things l can
understand, but Of God in little things.
Development.
There is a man who says, THAT doc
trine cannot be true, because things do
70 so very wrong" Ireply it is no in
consistency On the part Of God, but
lack of understanding on our part.
hear that men are making very fine
shawls in some factory. go in on the
first floor and see only the raw ma
terials. and ] ask, Are these the shawls
have heard about?" "No," says the
manufacturer. "Go up to the next
hoor," and go up, and there begin
10 see the design. But the man says:
do not stop here. Go up to the top
floor Of the factory and you will see the
idea fully carried out. D." l do so, and
having come to the top, see the COM
plete pattern of an exquisite shawl so
in our life, standing down on low
level Of Christian experience we do not
understand Gods dealings He tells us
to go up higher and higher until we be-
gin to understand the divine meaning
with respect to us, and we advance UNI
til we stand ct the very gate of heaven,
and there see Gods idea all wrought
out-a perfect idea Of mercy, Of love, OF
kindness And we say, "Just and true
are all my ways" 1t is all right at the
top. Remember there is no inconsist-
ency ON the part Of God, but it is only
our mental and spiritual incapacity.
Some Of you may be disappointed this
characterization are apt to be disap-
pointments-but whatever your per-
plexities and worriments, know that
MANS heart deyiseth his way, but the
Lord directeth his steps" Ask these
aged men in this church if it is not so.
1t has been so in my own life. One
summer / started for the Adirondacks,
but my plans were so changed that l
landed in Liverpool l studied law and
l got into the ministry. resolved to go
as missionary to China, and | staid in
the United States thought would
like 10 be in the east, and / went to the
west. All the circumstances OF life, all