The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1896-11-27

world to cheer tlem ont but there
were none to applaud the struggle In
that humble home. She fought fol
bread, for clothing, for fire, for shell
ter, with aching head, and weak side,
and exhausted strength, through the
long night by the brook Jabbok.
Could it be that none would
give her help? Had God forgotten
to be gracious? Mol contending soul.
The midnight air is full of wings,
coming to the rescue. She hears II
now, in the sough of the night wind,
in the ripple of the brook Jabbok, the
promise made so long ago, ringing
down the sky: "Thy fatherless chill.
dren, will preserve them alive; AND
let thy widows trust in me" Some
one said to a very poor woman: "How
is it that in such distress you keep
cheerful?" She said: II do it by what
l call cross-prayers. When ] had my
rent to pay, and nothing to pay 1t
with, and bread to buy, and nothing
to buy it with, l used to sit down and
cry. But now, do not get discour-
aged. If ! go along the street,
when come to corner Of the street,
/ say: "The Lord help mel" ] then go
go on until come to another crossing
of the street, and again | say: The
Lord help mel" And SO utter pray
er at every crossing; and since have
got into the habit Of saying these
.cross-prayers,' have been able to
keep up my courage"
Learn again from this subject, that
people sometimes are surprised to find
out that what they have been strug-
Cling with in the darkness is really an
''angel of blessing" Jacob found in
the morning that this strange person
age was not an enemy but God-dis-
patched messenger to promise pros
perity for him and for his children.
And so, many man, at the close OF
his trial, has found out that he has
been trying to throw down his own
blessing. If you are Christian man,
will 60 back in your history and find
that the grandest things that have
ever happened to you have been your
trials. Nothing short Of scourging,
and shipwreck could
nave made Paul what he was. When
David was fleeing through the wilder
,ess, pursued by his own son, he was
being prepared to become the sweet
singer Of Israel. The pit and the dun
yeon were the best schools at which
Joseph ever graduated. The hurri-
zane that upset the tent and killed
Jobs children prepared the man Of w
20 be the subject of the magnificent
poem that has astounded the ages.
There is no way to get the wheat ont
If the straw but to thresh it. There is
10 way to purify gold but to burn 1t.
Look at the people who have always
lad it their own way. They are
proud, disconnected, useless and un-
Happy. If you want to find cheerful
olks, 20 among those who have been
purified by the fire. After Rossini had
civilian Tell" tho five hum
lredth time, a company OF musicians
.ame under his window in Paris and
erenaded him. They put upon his
,row golden crown Of laurel leaves!
3ut, amid all the applause and enthu-
iasm Rossini turned to friend and
aid: II would give all this brilliant,
Gene for few days of youth and
ove." Contrast the melancholy feel
ng of Rossini, who had everything
hat this world could give him. with
he joyful experience Of Isaac Watts,
whose sorrows were great, when he
Jays:
The Hill Of Zion yields
A thousand sacred sweets,
Before we reach the heavenly fields
Or walk the golden streets.
Then let our songs abound,
And every tear be dry;
We're marching through Immanuels ground
To fairer worlds on high
tits prosperity that kills, and trouble
hat saves. While the Israelites were
On the march, amid great private pri-
7ations and hardships, they behaved
we'll. After awhile they prayed for
neat; and the sky darkened with a
great flock of quails; and these quails
iell in great multitudes all about
Them; and the Israelites ate and ate,
and stuffed themselves until they died.
Oh, my friends, it is not hardship, or
trial, or starvation that Injuries the
soul, but abundant supply. 1t is not
the vulture of trouble that eats up the
life; it is the quailsl 1t is
the quails. You will yet find out that
your midnight wrestle by the brook
Jabbock is with an angel of God, come
down to bless and to save.
Learn again that while our wrestling
with trouble might be triumphant, we
must expect that it will leave its mark