Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1899-05-12

ndu q SHOOln lie. some or you are
now in the shadow. Others had their
troubles years ago. You are a mere
wreck of what you once were / must
gather up the sorrows of your past
life; but how shall do it? You say
that is impossible, as you have had
so many troubles and Universities. Then
| will take two. the first trouble and
the last trouble. AS when you are
walking in the street, and there has
been music in the distance, you un-
consciously find yourselves keeping
step to the music. so when you started
life your very life was a musical time
beat. The air was full of joy and hi
larity; with the bright, clear oar you
made the boat skip; you went on, and
life grew brighter, until, after while.
suddenly a voice from heaven said.
Halt" and quick as the sunshine you
halted; you grew pale. you confront
ed your first sorrow. You had no idea
that the flush on your child's cheek
was an unhealthy flush. You said it
can't be anything serious. Death in
slippered feet walked round about the
cradle. You did not hear the tread;
but after while the truth flashed
on you. You walked the floor Oh, il
you could, with your strong. stout
hand, have wrenched that child from
the destroyer. You went to your room,
and you said. God, save my child!
God, save my child" The world
seemed going out in darkness. You
said: 81 can't bear it! | can't bear it,"
You felt as if you could not put the
long lashes over the bright eyes, never
to see them again sparkle. Oh, if You
could have taken that little one in
your arms, and with it leaped the
grave, how gladly you would have
done it, Oh, if you could let your
property go, your houses go, your land
and your storehouse go, how gladly
you would have allowed them to de-
part if you could Only have kept that
one treasure!
But one day there arose from the
heavens a chill blast that swept over
the bedroom. and instantly all the
light went out, and there was dark
ness-thick. murky ,impenetrable.s hud-
dering darkness. But God didn't
leave you there. Mercy spoke. AS
you took up the cup, the adder tongue,
horroring, flashing, rushed over the
brim, and you were about to put that
cup to your lips. God said. Let it
pass" and forthwith, as by the hand
of angels, another cup was put into
your hands. 1t was the cup of Gods
consolation. And as you have some
times lifted the head of wounded SOL
dier, and poured wine into his lips, so
God puts his left arm under your head,
and with his right hand he pours into
your lips the wine of his comfort and
his consolation. and you looked at the
empty cradle and looked at your brok-
en- heart, and you looked at the Lords
chastisement, and you said, Even so,
Father, for so it seemeth good in thy
sight"
All, it is your first trouble. How
did you get over it? God comforted
you. You have been a better man
ever since. In the jar Of the closing
gate of the sepulchre you heard the
changing Of the opening gate of heaven
and you felt an irresistible drawing
heavenward. You have been purer and
stouter of mind ever since that night
when the little one for the last time
put its arms around your neck and
said. Goodnight. papa; goodnight,
mamma Meet me in heaven"
People look down and they see it
was only a few feet deep and a few
feet wide, but to you it was a cavern
down which went all your hopes and
all your expectations.
But cheer up in the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ. the Comforter He
is not going to forsake you. Did the
Lord take that child out of your arms?
Why, he is going to shelter it better
than you could He is going to array
it in a white robe, and palm branch,
and rays of light, and have it all ready
to greet you at your coming home.
Blessed the broken heart that Jesus
heals. Blessed the importunate cry
that Jesus compassiOnates. Blessed
the weeping eye from which the soft
hand of Jesus wipes away TIE tear.
Some months ago / vas sailing down
the st. John river, which is the Rhine
and the Hudson commingled in one
scene of beauty and grandeur, and
while | was on the deck of the steam
er a gentleman pointed out to me the
places of interest, and he said: "All
this is interval land. and it is the rich
est land in all the provinces of New
Brunswick and Nova Scotia"
What" said |. do you mean by in
terval land?" Well" said he this
land is submerged for part of the
year; spring freshets come down, and
all these plains are overlooked with
the water and the waters leave a rich
deposit. and when the waters are gone
the harvest springs up. and there is
the grandest harvest that ever was
reaped." And instantly thought: at
is not the heights of the church and it
is not the heights of this world that
is the scene of the greatest prosperity,
but the soul over which the floods of
sorrow have gone. the soul over which
the freshets of tribulation have torn