Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-03-10

woes; and while earth and Heavel
and hell stand amazed at the abnega
ton, wrapsaround Him the Shepherd
plaid;
Cold mountains and tho midnight air,
Witnessed the fervor OF His prayer.
Next mention the shepherds crook
This was rod with a curve at tn,
end, which, when a sheep was going
astray, was thrown over its neck; and
in that way it was pulled back When
the sheep were not going astray, the
shepherd woLld often use it as sort OF
crutch, leaning on it; but when the
sheep were out of the way, the crook
was always busy pulling them back.
All we, like sheep, have gone astray,
and had it not been for the shepherd $
crook, we would have fallen long ago
over the precipice.
Here IL IA man who is making too
much money. He is getting very vain.
He says: after awhile ] shall be in
dependent Of all the world. Oh, my
soul, cat, drink and be merry" Bush
ness disaster come, to him. What is
God going to do with him? Has God
any grudgc against him? Oh, no. God
Is throwing over him the shepherd
crook and pulling him back into better
pastures. Here Is man who has al
ways been well. He has never had any
sympathy for invalds, he calls them
coughing, Wheeling nuisanccs. After
awhile sickness comes to him. He does
not understand what God is going to
do with him. He says: as the Lord
angry with me?' On, no. With the shep-
herds crook he has been pulled back
into better pastures. Here's happy
household circle. The parent does not
realize the truth that these children
are onl y loaned 10 him, and he forgets
from what source came his domestic
blessings. Sickness drops upon those
children, and death swoops upon lit
tic one. He says, ''Is God angry with
mc?' No. His shepherds crook pulls
him back into better pastures. l do
not know what would have become Of
rs II 1t had not been for the shepherds
crook. Oh, the mcrcics OF our troubles!
You take up apples and plums from
under the shade OF the trees, and the
very best fruits OF Christian character
we find in the deep shade OF trouble.
When | was on the steamer coming
across the ocean got cindcr in my
eye, and several p'rsons tried to get 1T
out very gently, but 1t could not be
taken out in that way. | was told that
the engineer had II faculty in such
cases. ! went to him. He put his
large, sooty hand on me, took knife
and wrapped the lid OF the eye around
the knife. | expected to be hurt very
much, but without any pain, and in
stantly he removed the cinder. Oh,
there come times in our Chris
tim life, when our spiritual vision
is being spoiled, and all gentle appli-
ances fail. Then there comes some
giant trouble, and, back handed, lays
would have ruined our vision forever.
| will gather all your joys together in
one regiment of ten companies, and
will put them under Col, Joy. Then l
will gather all your SORROWS together
in one regiment of ten companies, and
put them under Col. Breakheart. Then
| will ask: Which of these regiments
has gained for you the greatest spirit
ual victories? Certainly that under
Col. Breakhenrt.
In the time OF war, you may remem-
Der, ut the south and north, the ques-
tion was whether the black troops
would fight; but when they were put
into the struggle on both sides they did
heroically. In the great day OF etcr-
nifty it win be found that it was not the
white regiment of joys that gained
your greatest successes, but the black
troops OF trouble, misfortune and dis
astcr Where you have gained one
spiritual success from your prosperity,
you have gained ten spiritual successes
from your adversely.
There is no animal that struggles
moro violently than II sheep when You
corner it aifh catch hold of it. Down
in the glen | see group ofmen around
N lost sheep. A plowman comes along
and scizes the sheep, and tries to pacify
it; but IL Is more frightened than ever
A miller comes along, puts down his
kIlSl, uhh biiN uhl ~
seems MS II ii would die of fright
After awhile some one breaks through
the ticket. lie says LET me have
the poor thing" He comos up and lays
his arms around the sheep, and it is
Immediately quiet. Who is the last
man that comes? 1t Is the shepherd
All, my friends, be not afraid OF the
Shepherds crook. 1t is never used on
you, save in mercy, to pull YOU back,
Tho hard, cold iccbergs of trouble will
melt in the warm stream OF divine
sympathy
There is one passage think You mis-
interpret: "The bruised reed He will
break" DO you know that the shep-
herd In oldeu times played upon these
r1edsH They were worry easily bruised;
but when they were bruised they were
never mcudcd. The shepherd could SO
easily make another one, he would
snap the old ono aud throw it away,
and vet another The Bible says it is
not SO with our Shepherd. When the
music is pouc out OF Il mans soul, God
does not snap him in twain and throw
him away. lie mrndS and restores