Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1899-10-09

f1nitesimaI 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 it belit-
Ting to put tax on pins and a tax on
buckles and a tax on shoes. The indi-
vidual taxes do not amount to much,
but in the aggregate to millions and
millions Of dollars. And would have
you, Christian man, put 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 it would be
great revenue of spiritual strength and
satisfaction. A bee can suck honey
even out of q 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
Gauges were stung to death by flies
that infeSt that region at certain sea-
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 it was only a skirmish, saying:
81 am not going to expend my ammuni-
ton on a skirmish. Wait until there
comes a general engagement, and then
you will see how courageous am and
what battling will do" The general
would say to such man, eff you are
not faithful in a skirmish, you would
be nothing in general engagement"
And 1 have to tell you, o Christian
men, Ii you cannot apply the principles
of Christ's religion on a small scale
you will never be able to apply them
on large scale. If had my way with
you, L would have you possess all pos
sible worldly prosperity. would have
you each one a garden, river flowing
through it, geraniums and shrubs on
the sides and the grass and flowers as
beautiful as though the rainbow had
fallen. I would have you a house, a
splendid mansion, and the beds should
the setting sun. would have every hall
in your house set with statues and
statuettes, and then 1 would have the
four quarters of the globe pour in all
their IuXuries 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 equipages of the world.
Then I would have you live $50 years,
and you should not have a pain or an
ache until the last breath.
Gods blessings.
mot each one of us?" you say. Yes,
each one Of you. mot to your enc
miles," Yes. The only difference I
would make with them would be that
1 would put little extra gilt on their
walls and a little extra embroidery on
their slipperS But, you say, why
does not God give us all these thingsT'
All! bethink myself. He is wiser. 1t
would make fools and sluggards of us
if 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
which we are aspiring. We must not
have it too good in this world or we
would want no heaven.
FOlycarp was condemned to be burn
ed to death. The stake was planted.
He was fastened to it. The fagOts
were placed around him, the fires kin
died, but history tells us that the
flames bent outward like the canvas of
a ship in a stout breeze, so that the
flames, instead Of destroying Polycarp,
were only wall between him and his
enemies. They had actually to destroy
him with the ponfard. The flames
would not touch him. Well, my hear
er, l want you to understand that by
Gods grace the flames Of trial, instead
of consuming your soul, are only going
to be a wall of defense, and a canopy
Of blessing. God is going to fulfill to
you the blessings and the promises, as
he did to Polycarp. when thou walk
est through the fire, thou shalt not be
burned" Now you do not understand,
but you shall know hereafter. In heav-
en- you will bless God even for the
hornet
Too RftuaIistic For Catholics.