The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1896-06-25
DIP. TAlMA@'S SUNDAY SERMON
A GOSPEL MESSAGE.
Subject, "God in Everything"

NvI see the Bible will not be limited in tho
choice Of symbols There Is haraly q beast
or bird or insect which has not been called
TO illustrate some divine truth-the ox's
patience, the ants industry. the spiders
SKILL the kinds surefootedness. the eagles
speed. the doves gentleness, aud even the
sparrow's meanness and insigniflcance. In
oriental countries none bur the poorest peo-
pie buy the sparrow and eat it--so very little
meat Is there on the bones, and so very poor
Is II what there is OF Il. The comfortable
population would not think Of touching Il
any more than you would think Of eating n
bat or n lamprey. Now says Jesus, n God
takes such good care Of u poor bird that is
not worth cent. will He not care for you,
an immortal2
We associate God with revolutions. We
can see divine purpose In the discovery OF
America, In the invention OF tho art OF print.
Ing. In the exposure OF the gunpowder plot.
In the contrivance OF the needle gun, in the
ruin OF an Austrian or Napoleonc despo-
usm; but how hard II is to see God in tho
minute personal affairs OF our livesl We
think OF God as making record OF the starry
host. but cannot realize the Bible truth thnt
he knows how many hairs are on our head
" seems grand thing that God provided
food FOR hundreds OF thousands OF lsraelites
In the desert; but we cannot appreciate the
truth that, when n sparrow IL hungry, God
stoops down and opens ITS mouth and puts
the seed in. We are struck with the idea
that God fills the universe with his presence,
but cannot understand how he encamps in
the crystal palace OF dew drop, or finds
room TO stand between the alnbaster pillars
OF the pond lily. We can see Goi In the
clouds. Can We see God In these flowers at
our feet?
We are apt to place God on some great
stagc-or TO try TO do it-expecting Him
there to act out His stupcndous proje,ts. but
we forget that the life Of n Cromwell, an
Alexander or Washington or an archangel
Is not more under divine inspection than
your lilo or mine. Pompey thought there
must be mist over the eyes OF God because
He SO much favored Caesar. But there Is no
such mist He sees everything. We say
, Gods path is in the great waters. True
, enough; but no more certainly than He is in
the water in the glass on the table. We say
God guides the stars in their course
Magnificent truth But no moro certain
| truth than that He decides which road or
street you shall take in coming TO church.
Understand that Col does not sit upon an
indifferent or unsympathetic throne, but that
! lie sits down beside you to-day, and stands
beside me to-day. and no affair Of ou lives
Is so insignificant but that 1t is OF import
| ance TO God
| In the first place. God chooses oAr occu.
| patton for us. / am amazed TO sea how many
| people there aro dissatisfied with the work
| they have to do. think three-fourtHs wish
| they were in some heroccupation, aid they
spend u great deal of time In regrettijg that
thry got IN tho wrong trade or profcs tion.
! want TO tell you that God put into opdration
/ all the influences which led you to thtt par.
/ ticular choice. Many OF you are not lin the
! business that you expected 10 be In. You
started for the ministry and learned mer-
chandise; you started for the law arld you
are physician; you preferred agriculture
and you became u mechanic. You thought
one Wuy. God tnOuvht unOth hpr Rtlt Won
ought not TO sit down and mourn over the
| past. You are TO remember that. God
arranged all these circumstances by which
You Hnys were Somc,lAls%tey e sAlst yog .q are; IRE, -
mason" {. 30, you will be n II 1
/ gist. David goes out 10 attend his fathers 5
sheep: God calls him to govern n nation.
saul goes out to hunt his fathers asses. and
before he gets back finds the crown OF regal
dominion. How much happier would we be
II we were content with the places God gave
us God saw your temperament and all the
circumstances 10y which YOU were surround
ed. and believe nine-tcnths OF YOU are in
the work you are best lifted for. hear n
great racket In my watch. and / find that
the hands, and the wheels. and the spring
are getting out OF their places. send II
/ down to the jewelers. and say, "Overhanl
that watch and teach the wheels, aud the
spring and the hands 90 mind their own
bN7'AN7ss l'u KNOW u ulNu having n lnrge
/ estate. He gathers his working hands in the
morning, and says to one. you 20 and trim
that vine; TO another. "You go and weed
those ilowers;' TO another. "YOu plow that
tough g'ebc," and each one goes to his par
hcullr work. The owner OF the estate
points the man 70 what he knows he can do
best, and so IL is with the Lord.
remark further that God has rransol
tho place Of our dwelling. What particular
city or town. street or house you shall live
IN seems to be n rere matter OF accident.
You go out to hunt for house and YOU
happen to pass up II certain street, and hap.
pen TO see Sign, and you select that house.
was 1t all happening so? Oh, mo- God
guided you in every step. He foresaw the
future. He knew all your circumstances,
and He selected just that one house as bet
ter for you than any OF the l0C0O hnbita-
tions in the city. Our house, however hum
bic the roof and however lowly the portals,
Is as near Gods heart rs an Alhambsa or 4
kremlin. Prove IT, you say. Proverbs ill.,,
~, 'Hc blesseth the habitaton of the Just"
remark further that God arranges all our
friendships. You were driven 60 the wall.
You found man Just at that crisis who sym-
pathizei with you and helped you. You
say, How lucky | was!" There was no
luck about II. God sent that friend Just ny
certainly rs lie sent the angel TO strengthen
Christ. Your domestic friends, your busi-
ness friends. your Christian friends. God sent
them TO bless you, and IL any OF them have
proved traitorous, 1t is only 10 bring out the
value OF those who remain. II sons die, IL
Is only that they may stand at the outposts
OF heayento greet you at your coming.
You always Will have friends, warm heart
ed friends, magnunimous friends, and when
sickness comes TO your dwelling there will
be watchers. When trouble comes 10 your
heart. there will be sympathi2ers. When
death comes there will TO gentle fingers TO
close the eyes ana fold the hands and gentle
dps TO tell ofa resurrection. Oh, We are COM
passed by bodyguard OF friends! Every
man, II he has behaved himself well, Is sur
rounded by three circles of friends--those OF
the outer circle wishing him we'll; hose in
the next circle willing TO help hin; while
close up to his heart are u few who would die
for him. God pity the wretch who has not
any friends!
remark again, that God puts down
the limit 10 our temporal prosperity.
The world OF finance seems to have no
God In II. You cannot tell where iran will
L.. a