The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-10-25


out OF US the clinker and the Stag. have
formed this theory in regard to small
annoyanceS and veXarions. It takes just
so much trouble to flt US for usefulness
and for heaven. The only question Is
whether We shall take 1t In the bulk or
pulverized and gra9ulated. Rere is one
man who takes it In the bulk. His back is
broken or his eyesisht put out, or some
other awful calamity befalls him, while the
vast majority OF people take the thing
piecemeul. Which way would you rather
have it? or course, in piecemeal Better
have five aching teeth than ono broken
Jaw, better ten fly blisters than an ampu-
tation, better twenty squalls than one
cyclone. There may be difference OF
opinion rs to allopathy and hon,G-
pathy, but in this manner or trouble
l lie homeopathic doses, small pellets
| OF annoyance rather than some Knock
down dose OF calamity. Instead OF
the thunderbolt give US tine hornet. II
YOU have a bank, you would q great deal
rather til at fifty men would come in With
checks less than 800 than to have two de-
positors come in the same day, each want
| ing his $40, 900. In this latter case you
cough and look down to the floor and you
| look up to the ceiling before you look into
the safe. Now, my friends, would you not
rather have these small drafts OF annoy
staggering demand upon your encuranceP
| But remember that little as we'll rs great
annoyances equally require you to trust In
Christ for succor and for deliverance from
impatience and irrtabllty. Thou Wilt
keep him in perfect peace whose mind is
staid on Thee"
Igo into q sculptor's studio and see him
shaping statue. He has chisel In one
hand and q mallet in the other, and he
ofrpka-nlink
clickl say, "Wby don't you strike hard
err" "Oh," he replies, "that would shat
ter the statue. can't do It that way.
must do 1t this way" So he works on, and
after awhile the features come out, and
everybody that enters the studio Is
charmed and fascinated. Well, God has
your soul under process OF development,
and 1t is the little annoyances and ve1a-
tions of life that are chiseling out your
1 wonder 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 80 He keeps on By strokes OF
little ve1ations until at last you shall be q
glad spectacle for angels and for men.
| You know that a large fortune may be
spent in small change, and vast amount
OF moral character may 20 away in small
depletions. 1t Is the little troubles OF life
|
great ones. A swarm CT locusts will Kill a
grain-fleld sooner than the incursion OF
three or four cattle. You say, "Since lost
my child. since lost my property, have
been different man," But you do not rec
oynize the architecture OF little annoy
ances that are hewing, digging, cutting,
shaping, splitting and interjolDing your
moral qualities. Rats may sink ship. One
lucifer match may send destruction through
block Of storehouses. Catherine de- Me-
| dici got her death from smelling poison.
Gus rose. Columbus, by stopping aud ask.
ing for q piece OF bread and drink OF
water at franciscan convent, was led tc
| the discovery OF q new world. And there
is IN intimate connection between trihes
and immensities, between nothings and
everythtngs.
Now, be careful to let mono OF those IN.
noyances 20 through your soul unar
raigned. Compel them to administer to
your spiritual wealth. The scratch OF O
si3penny nail sometimes produces lock.
jaw, and the clip OF most ininitesimal
annoyance may damage you forever. Do
not let any annoyance or perplexlty come
across your soul without its making you
| better.
| A returned missionary told me that q
company OF adventurers 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 trouble Of life Is to
| conquer these small troubles. Wuat
| would you say OF soldier who refused
| to load his gun or to go into the conflict
because 1t was only sklrmish, saying:
Il am not going to expend my ammnn1-
tion on O skirmish. Wait until there
comes q general engagement and then
you will see how courageous am and what
battling will do9" The general would say
to such man, "Ifyou are not faithful in a
| skirmish, you would bo nothing In gen.
eral engagement" And have to tell you,
| o Christian men, II you cannot apply the
principles OF Christ's religion on O small
on large scale. II had my way with
you, would have you possess all pos
sible worldly prosperity. would have
you each one garden, river flowing
through 1t, geraniums and shrubs on
the sides and the grass und flowers as
beautiful as though the rainbow had
fallen. I would have you a house, q
splendid mansion, and the beds should be
covered with upholstery dipped In the set
ting sun. would have every hall in your
house set with statues and statuettes, and
globe pour In all their luxurles oa 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 equlpages OF the world. Then 1
would have you live $50 years, and you
should not have pain or an ache until the
last breath.
"Not each one OF us?" you say. Yes.
each one OF you. mot to your enemies?"
Yes. The only difference I would make
with them would be that I would put q
little e1 ira gilt on thoir walls and little
extra embroidery on their slippers. But,
you say, "Why does not God give US oil
these things?" Alb! bethink myself. He
Is wiser. It would make fools and sluggards
OF US II We had our way. No man puts his
best picture in the portico or vestlbule OF
his house. God meant this world to be
only the vestbule OF heaven, that great
gallery of the universe toward which we
are Inspiring. We must not have it too
good in this world or We would want no
heaven.
Polycarp was condemned to be buried to
death. The stake was planted. He was
fastened to 1t. The fagots wore placed
around him, the fires kindled. but history
tells US that the flames bent outward like
the canvas of ship In Il stout breeze, so
that the flames, instead OF destroying
Polycarp. were only IL wall between him
and his enemies. They had actually to de-
stroy him with the poniard. The flames
would not touch him. Well, my hearer,
I want you 10 understand that by Gods
grace the flames OF trial, instead Of con-
suming your soul, are only going to be
wall OF defense and n canopy 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 burned" Now you do not un
derstand, but you shall know hereafter. In
heaven you will bless God even for the
hornet.