Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-10-13

SAYS, there was an invasion or rats, ana
these small creatures almost devOured
the town and threatened the lives Of
the population, and the story Is that a
piper came out one day and played a
very sweet tune. and all the vermin
followed him. followed him to the
banks of the Weser, and then he blew
blast, and they dropped in and dis
appeared forever. OF course this is a
fable; but ! wish could on the sweet
flute of the gospel draw forth all the
nibbling and burrowing annoyances Of
your life and play them down into the
depths forever.
Aids to Spiritual Wealth.
How many touches did Mr.. Church
give 10 his picture of "CotopaXi" or his
Heart of the Andes" | suppose about
10000 touches. hear the canvas say
ing: "NNhy do you keep me trembling
with that pencil so long? Why don't
you put it on in one dashY' NO" says
Mr.. Church; Il know how to make a
painting. 1t will take $4,000 Of these
touches" And want you. my friends.
to understand that ii is these ten thou
sand annoyances which under God are
making up the picture Of your life, to
be hung at last in the galleries OF heav-
en-, fit for angels to look at. God knows
how TO make a picture.
90 into a sculptor's studio and see
4 IL 10. Ia- oh nl
in one hand and a mallet In the other.
and he gives a very gentle stroke
click, click, click, | say. "Why don't
you strike harder?" oh" he replies
that would shatter the statue. can't
do it that way must do it this way"
SO he works on. and after awhile the
features come cut, and everybody that
enters the studio is charmed and fas
process OF development. and ii is the
little annoyances and vexatiOns Of life
that are chiseling ont your immortal
nature. II is click. click. click ! won
der why some great providence does
not come and with one stroke prepare
you for heaven. All, no! God says that
is not the way, and so he keeps on by
strokes Of little vexations until at last
you shall he glad spectacle for angels
and for men.
You know that large fortune may
be spent in small change. and a vast
amount Of moral character may go
away in small depletions 1t Is the lit
tie troubles OF life that are having
more effect upon you than great ones.
A swarm Of locusts will Kill a grain
field sooner than the incursion Of three
or four cattle. You say. "Since | lost
my child. since lost my property, J
have been a different man." But you
do not recognize the architecture Of lit
tie annOyances that are hewing. dig
ging. cutting. shaping, splitting and In
terioining your moral qualities. Rats
may sink a ship. One lucifer match
may send destruction through a block
Of storehOuscs. Catherine de- Medici
Gus rose Columbus, by stopping and
asking for piece of bread and drink
Of water at Franciscan convent, was
led to the discovery Of a new world.
And there is an intimate connection be-
tween trifes and immenstes, between
nothings and everythings.
Now, be careful to let none OF those
annoyances 90 through your soul unar-
raigned Compel them to administer to
your spiritual wealth. The scratch OF
sixpenny nail sometimes produces
Iockjaw, and the clip Of a most In
fnitesimal annoyance may damage you
forever. DO not let any annoyance or
perpleXity come across your soul with
out its making you better.
Conquer Small Troubles.
Our national government when 1t
wanted money did not think 1t BELT.
Ting to put tax on pins and a tax on
buckles and tax on shoes. The indi-
yidual taxes do, not amount to much,
but In the aggregate to millions and
millions Of dollars. And would have
you, o Christian man. put high tariff
on every annoyance and yexation that
comes through your soul. This might
not amount to much IN single cases,
but in the aggregate it would be
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 sweetness out of that which would
otherwise irritate and annoy.
A returned missionary told me that
company Of Adventures rowing up the
Ganges were stung to death by flies
that infest that region at certain sea
sons. The earth has been strewed with
the carcasses of men slain by insect
annoyances. The only way to get pre-
pared for the great troubles of life is to
conquer these small troubles What
would you say Of a soldier who refused
to load his gun or to go into the conflict
because II was only skirmish, saying:
II am not going to expend my ammunl-
ton on skirmish. Wait until there
comes general engagement, and then
you will see how courageous ! am and
what battling | will do?" The general
would say to such man, "lf you are
not faithful In skirmish. you would
be nothing In a general engagement"
And have TO tell you. o Christian
men. If you cannot apply the principles
Of Christ's religion on small scale
Won will never he able TO aDplV them
on large scale. If ! had my way with
you, would have you possess all pos
sible worldly prosperity. would have
you each one garden, river flowing
through II. geranlums and shrubs on
the sides and the grass and flowers as
beautiful as though the rainbow had
fallen. | would have you house,