The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-07-08
REV. DIR. TALMAGE
SUNDAYS DISCOURSE BY THE
NOTED DIVINE.
Subject: "God In Everything."

TEXT: "Ars not two sparrows sold for
farthing2 And one OF them shall not fall on
the ground without your Father. ."-Matthew
<, 29.
You see the Bible will not be limited In the
choice Of symbols. There Is hardly 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 gentleress, and even the
sparrow's meanness and insignihcance./ ID
oriental countries none but the poorest peo-
pie 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 1t. The comfortable
population would not think Of Touching It
any more than you would think Iof eating a
bat or lamprey. Now. says Jesus, If God
takes such good care of poor bird that Is
not worth a cent, will he not care for you,
an immortal?
We associate God with Revolutions. We
can see divine purpose IN the discovery OF
America, In the invention Of the art of print.
ing, In the exposure Of the gunpowder plo.,
In the contrivance the needle gun, IN the
ruin Of an Austrian or Napoleon!c despo-
ttsm; but how hard 1t is to see God In the
minute personal affairs OF our lives! We
think OF God asmaking record of the starry
host, but cannot realize the Bible truth that
he knows how many hairs are on our head.
1t seems grand thing that God provided
food for hundreds of thousands Of 1sraelites
IN the desert; but we cannot appreciate the
truth that, when sparrow Is 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,
N he. hn nr,O1 In
the crystal palace Of dew drop, or finds
room to stand between the alabaster pillars
of the pond lily. We can see God in the
clouds. Can we see God In these flowers at
our feet?
We are apt to place God on some greet
stage-or to try TO do it-expecting Him
there to act out His stupendous projects. but
we forget that The life of q Cromwell, an
Alexander or aWashington or an archangel
Is not more under divine inspection than
your life or mine. Pompey thought there
must be mist over the eyes Of God because
He go much favored Cesar. 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 courses.
Magnificent truth! But no more 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
he sits down beside you to-day, and stands
beside me to-day, and no affair OF our Lives
is so Insignificant but that it Is OF import.
ance to God.
In the first place, God chooses our occu-
patton for US. lam amazed to see how many
people there are dissatisfied with the work
they have to do. think three-fcurths wish
they were In some other occupation, and they
spend great deal Of time in regretting that
they got In the wrong trade or profession.
want to tell you that God put into operation
all the influences which led you to that par
ticular choice Many of you are not in the
business that you expected to be in. You
started for the ministry and learned mer-
chandise; you started for the law and you
are physician; you preferred agriculture
and you became 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
arranged all these circumstances by which
you were made what you are.
Hugh Miller says, II will be stone
mason God says, "You will be geo!o-
gist." David goes out to attend his fathers
sheep: God calls him to govern a 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
If we were content with the places God gave
US! God saw your temperament and all the
circumstances by which YOU were surround
ed. and believe nine-tenths Of you are IN
the work you are best fitted for. I hear a
great racket In my watch, and find that
the hands, and the wheels, and the spring
are getting out of their places. send it
down to the jewelers. and say, "Overhaul
that watch and teach the wheels, and the
spring, and the hands to mind their own
business" You know man having large
estate. He gathers his working hands in the
morning, and says to one, "You 60 and trim
that vine;" to another, "You 20 and weed
those flowers" to another, "You plow that
tough g.ebe;" and each one goes to his par
t1cular work. The owner Of the estate
points the man to what he knows he can do
best. and so 1t is with the 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 mere matter Of accident.
You so out to hunt for a house, and you
happen to pass up certain street, and hap
pen to see sign, and you select that house.
Was it all happening so? oh, no! God
guided you in every step. He foresaw the
future. He knew all your circumstances,
anu he seIecttu JUST tlat one mouse as Oet-
ter :or you than any of the 10000 habita-
tions in the city. Cur house. however hum.
Bile the roof ami however lowiy the portals,
Is as near Gods heart as an Alhanbra or q
KremIin. Prove 1t, you say. Proverbs ILL.,:
SO, He blesseth the habitation OF the Just.
remark further that God arranges all oul
friendships. You were driven to the wall
You found a man just at that crisis who sym
pathlzed with you and helped you. Ior
say, How lucky I was!" There was NJ
luck about it. God sent that friend Just a
certainly as He sent the angel to strengthen
Christ. Your domestic friends, your bust
ness friends. your Christian friends, Goo IN
them to bless you, and if any Of chem nav
| proved traitorous, it is only to bring out tn
| value Of those who remain. II some die,
| is only that they may stand at the outpost
of heaven to greet you at your coming.