The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-04-30

mother-in-iaw. Naomi-Arl this fastidious
ness may seem to do very well while they
are under the shelter Of their fathers
house: but when the sharp winter OF mis-.
fortune comes. What of these butterflies
Persons under indulgent p~arentage may
get upon themselves habits of Incidence,
but when they come out into practical
life their soul will recoil with disgust and
hagr1n They will feel In their hearts
what the poet SO severely satirized when
he said:
Folks are so awkward. things so i'm
polite,
They're elegantly painted from morning
until night.
Through that gate OF incidence how
many men and women have marched.
useless on earth. to n destroyed eternity.
Spinola said to Sir Horace We're. of
nothing to do" was the answer. "Ah!'
said Spinola- that's enough to kill any
general Of us" oh. can 1t be possible In
this world. where there Is so much suffer
ing to be alleviated. so much darkness TO
be enlightened and SO many burdens to
be carried that there is any person who
cannot find anything to do?
Mime. de Stael did a world Of work In
her time. and one day. while she was seat
I'd amid instruments Of music. all Of
which she had mastered. and amid manu-
script books which she had written. some
one said to her. How do you find time TO
attend TO all these things" oh. she
replied, THESE are not the tnilKS L am
proud of. My chief boast is I'm the fact
that ! have IL trades. by any one of which
l could make a livelihood If necessary"
And IL in secular spheres there Is so much
to be done. In spiritual work how vast
the field! How many dying all around
about Us without one word az comfort.
We want more Abigails. more Hannahs.
more Rebeccas. more Marys. more De-
borahs consecrated-body. mind, soul-to
the Lord who bought them.
VALUE OF CLEANING.
Once more 1 learn from my subject the
value of cleaning.
Ruth going into that harvest field
there is a straw. but what Is a straw?
1 can't get any barley for myself or my
mother-in-law out of these separate
She gathered two straws. and she put
them together. and more straws. until
she got enough to make Il sheaf. Putting
that down.. she went and gathered more
another, and another, and another, and
then she brought them altogether. and
she thrashed them out. and she had an
ephah Of barley, nigh a bushel. Oh, that
we might all be cleaners.
Elihu Burritt learned many things while
toiling in a blacksmith's shop. Abercrom-
a philosopher in Scotland, and he got his
philosophy. or the chief part of 1t. while
as a physician he was waiting for the
door of the sickroom to open. Yet how
AAohy NiASiS ~ IA hAAo Nty "ic S"- hhNs
are so busy they have no time for mental
or spiritual improvements. The great
duies of life cross the field like strong
reapers and carry off all the hours. and
there is only here and there a fragment
left that is not worth cleaning. All, my
friends, you could go into the busiest day
and busiest week of our life and find
golden opportunities which. gathered.
might at last make a whole sheaf for the
Lords garner. 1t is the stray opportuni-
ties and the stray privileges which. taken
III and hound together and hp1tpn out
will at last fill you with much joy.
There are a few moments left worth the
cleaning. Now, Ruth, to the field! May
each one have a measure full and running
over! Oh, you cleaners, to the field. And
if there be in your household an aged
one or a sick relative that is not strong
enough to come forth and toll in this field,
then let Ruth take home to feeble Naomi
this sheaf of cleaning: He that goeth
forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed
shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,
bringing his SheaveS with him.. May the
Lord God of Ruth and Naomi be our por-
ton forever!