The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-10-09

slttiag. shaping, uplifting and intsvloin-
ing your moral qualities. Rats may sink
A-ship. One lucifer match may send de-
struction through block Of storehouses.
Catherine de- Medici got her death from
smelling poisonous rose. Columbus, By
stopping and asking for piece of bread
and q drink Of water at a Franciscan
| convent, was led to the discovery Of q
new world, And there 10 an intimate
connection between trifes and immensi-
ties, between nothings and evsrythings.
Now, be careful to let none of those
annoyances go through your soul unar-
raigned. Compel them to administer to
your spiritual wealth. The scratch Of q
sixpenny nail sometimes produces lock-
jaw. and the clip of a most in6nitesimal
annoyance may damage you forever. Do
not let any annoyance or perplexity come
across your soul without its making You
better.
Conquer small Things.
Our national government. when 1t want
ed money did not think it belittling tn
put tax on pins and tax on buckles
and a tax on shoes. The individual taxes
do not amount to much, but In the aggre-
gate to millions and millions of dollars.
And would have you, O Christian man,
put a high tariff on every annoyance and
vexation that comes through your soul.
This might not amount to much In single
cases, but in the aggregate 1t would be q
great revenue of spiritual strength and
satisfaction. A bee can suck honey even
out Of a nettle, and If you have the grace
OF God in your heart you can get sweet
ness out Of that which would otherwise
irritate and annoy.
A returned missionary told me that a
company of adventures rowing up the
Gauges were stung to death by flies that
infest that region at certain seasons. The
earth has been strewed with the carcass
est OF men slain by insect annoyances.
The only way to get prepared for the
great troubles of life is to conquer these
small troubles. What would you say of
soldier who refused to load his gun or to
90 into the conflict because 1t was only a
skirmish, saying: II am not going to ex-
pend my ammunition on skirmish. Wait
until there comes a general engagement,
and then you will Ne how courageous
am and whae battling l will do2' The
general would say to such man, 1T you
are not faithful In skirmish, you would
be nothing in q general engagement"
And have to tell you. o Christian men,
II you cannot apply the principles Of
Christ's religion on small scale you will
never be able to apply them on larger
scale. If had my way with you, I would
have you possess all possible worldly
prosperity. l would have you each one
garden, river flowing through 1t, gera-
NUNS and shrubs on the sides and the
grass and flowers as beautiful as though
the rainbow had fallen. l would haye youi
house, splendid mansion, and the beds
should be covered with upholstery dipped
In the setting sun. / would have every
hall in your house set with statues and
statuettes, and then l would have the
four quarters Of the globe pour in all
their luXuries on your table, and you
should have forks Of silver and knives Of
gold, inlaid with diamonds and amethysts.
Then you should each one of you have
the finest horses and your pick of the
quipages of the world. Then l would
have you live $50 years, and you should
net have pain or an ache until the last
breath.
mot each one of us?" you say. Yes,
each one of you. "Not to your cnemies?"
Yes. The only difference would make
with them would be that I would put a
little extra gilt on their walls and little
extra embroidery on their slippers. But,
you say, "Why does not God give US all
these things?" All! I bethink myself.
He Is wiser. It would make fools and
Of us II we had our way. No
man puts his best picture in the portico
or vestibule Of his house. God meant
this world to be only the vestibule of
heaven, that great gallery of the universe
toward which we are aspiring. We must
not have 1t too good in this world, or we
would want no heaven.
Polycarp was condemned to be burned
to death. The stake was planted. He
was fastened to 1t. The fagots were
placed around him, the fires kindled, but
history tells US that the flames bent out
ward like the canvas Of ship in stout
breeze, SO that the flames, instead of de-
stroying Polycarp were only wall be-
tween him and his enemies. They had
actually to destroy him with the poniard.
The flames would not touch him. Well,
my nearer, want you to understand
that by Gods grace the flames of trial,
Instead of consuming your Soul, are only
going to be wall of defense and cano-
by Of blessing. God Is going to fulfill to
you the blessings and the promises, as he
did to Polycarp. when thou walkest
through the fire, thou shalt not be burn
ed.' Now you do not understand, but
you shall know hereafter. In heaven
you will bless God even for the hornet.