Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1898-12-05


suddenly to quit business, he lost what
property he had. Then his beautiful
daughter died; then a son became hope
lessly dfmented. Another son, splendid
of mind and commanding of presence,
resolved that he would take care of his
fathers household, but under the sweep
of yellow fever al Fernandina, Fla. he
suddenly expired. So you know good
men and womun who have had enough
troubles, you think, to crush 90 people.
No worldly philosophy could take such a
trouble and set it to music, or play 1T
on violin or flute, but | dare to open
that dark saying on a gospel harp.
You wonder that very consecrated
people have trouble? Did you ever know
any very consecrated man or woman
who had not had great trouble? Neverl
1t was through their troubles sanctifed
that they were made very good. If you
find anywhere in this city a man who
has now, and always has had, perfect
health. and never lost child, and has
always been popular and never had
business struggle or misfortune, who is
distinguished for goodness. pull your
wire for telegraph messenger boy and
send me word, and 1 will drop every
thing and go right away to look at him.
There never has been a man like that
and never will be. Who are those AFRO
CANT, self conceited creatures who move
about without sympathy for others and
who think more of ST. Bernard dog
or an Attorney COW or Southdown
sheep or Berkshire pig than of man?
They never had any trouble, or the
trouble was never sanctifed. Who are
those men who listen with moist eye as
you tell them Of suffering and who
have a pathos in their voice and a
kindness in their manner and an excuse
or an alienation for those gone astray?
They are the men who have graduated
at the Royal Academy of Trouble, and
they have the diploma written in wrin
kles on their own countenances. My,
myl What heartaches they had What
tears they have weptl What injustice
they have suffered The mightiest in
f1uence for publication and salvation is
trouble. No diamond fit for a crown
until it is cut No wheat fit for bread
till it is ground.
Strength From Sorrow.
There are only three things that can
break off chain-a hammer, file or
fre-and trouble is all three of them.
The greatest writer's, orators and, re-
formers get much of their force from
trouble. What gave to Washington r.
wing that exquisite tenderness and pa
thos which will make his books favorites
while the English language continues
to be written and spoken? An early
heartbreak, that he never once mention
ed, and when 80 years after the death
of Matilda Hoffman, who was to have
been his bride, her father picked upa
piece of embroidery and said, ''That is
a piece of poor MatiIda's workman
ship Washington Irving sank
from hilarity into silence and walked
away Out of that lifetime grief the
great author dipped his pens mightiest
Calvin's Institutes
CT Religion, - than which more Won
derful book was never written by hu-
man hand, was begun by the author at
25 years of age because of the persecu-
ton by Francis, king of France. Fara-
day toiled for all time on a salary of
ESQ year and candles. AS every brick.
of the wall OF Babylon was stamped
with the letter N, standing for Nebu
so every part of the temple
of Christian achievement is stamped
with the letter T, standing for trouble.
When in England man is honored
with knighthood, he is struck with the
fat of the sword. But those who have
come to knighthood in the kingdom of
God were first struck, not with the fiat
of the sword, but with the keen edge of
the scimeter. To build his magnifcence
of character Paul could not have spared
one lash, one prison, one stoning, one
anathema, one poisonous viper from the
hand, one shipwreck. What is true of
individuals is true of nations. The hor-
rors of the American Revolution gave
this country this side of the Mississippi
river to independence, and the conflict
between England and France gave the
most of this country west of the Missis-
sippi to the United States. France
owned it, but Napoleon, fearing that
would take it, practically
made present to the United States
for he received only $15, 100000 for
Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas,
Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota. Colorado,
Dakota, Montana, Wyoming and the In
dian Territory. Out Of the fire of the
American Revolution came this country
east of the Mississippi, out of the Euro
pean war came that west of the Missis-
sippi river. The British empire rose to
it's present overtowering grandeur
through gunpowder plot and Guy
Fawkes' conspiracy and Northampton
and Walter Ra1eigh's be-
heading and Bacon's bribery and Crom-
wells dissolution Of parliament and the
battles of Edge Hill and the vicissitudes
Of centuries.
Tempered by Fire.