The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-12

that putteth his trust in Thee! Blessed Is
In our everyday life trust confidence and
faith are practically synonymous terms.
Trust, or confidence is absolutely necessary
to the welfare and stability OF human soci~
ETY. and human government. 1t is an es-
sental element of our nature, and unless
a man has grown distrustful through vio-
lation of confidence it is as natural to him
to trust as it is to breathe.
Trust is a positive, helpful virtue or grace.
Dstrust. in its very nature is negative and
destructive
For it's exercise or manifestation trust
demands an object or being to be trusted,
And just here comes in the parting Of the
ways. While it IS as natural to trust as to
breathe, it is also as human to differ as to
the object or being to be trusted-and that
according as man views this life in its re-
lation to the life to come. In other words,
mans chief confidence is in things temporal
or in things eternal in man or in God.
Addison has said: The person who has
firm trust in the Supreme Being is powerful
in His power, wise by His wisdom and hap
by by His happiness" What is true of the
individual is true of the nation. And it may
here be noted-what experience has ever
shown-that the greater mems trust in God,
the greater their trust in their fellow-men,
and the more trustworthy will all men be-
come. Thus the national question is essen
TALLY a personal question.
This parting of the ways, this differing
manifestation or expression of trust, Is indi
Gated elsewhere in the Psalms. Some put
their trust in chariots, and some in horses;
but we will remember the name of the Lord
our God In the dread issue Of war, victory
is not always on the side of the strongest
and best equipped. Providence favors the
strong battaliOns," is Il saying that is not
always verified. 1t was not verified when
the great Spanish armada threatened the
downfall of England in the sixteenth cen
fury Advancing upon the English coasts in
the form of g crescent, the 'InVinclble Ar
mada, as 1t was called, covered the sea for
the distance of seven miles from point to
point.
ENGLAND'S DELIVERANCE.
England of that day did not rule the
waves with her splendid navies to the ex-
tent that she does to-day. Latin ascendency
seemed inevitable. A Spanish victory, and
the England and America of to-day would
have had neither place nor name.
But from very rugged cliff-top the beacon
fires signaled the rallying to the unequal
struggle, and the almost improvsed
squadron of not more than thirty ships
sailed forth to meet the fleet of $780, of
greater size and better equipment than
Europe had ever before seem Up the En-
glish channel sailed the trumpeted invinci-
BILE column, followed by its weaker foe. de-
Stroy ing q vessel here and there, and with
a few f1reships spreading sudden cOnster-
nation among the Spanish hosts. Then
came new and unforeseen allies-the winds
and the waves. A great storm struck the
armada, and lined the rocky shores OF the
northe n sea with wrecked and shattered
vessels, the flower of the Spanish navy.
To commemorate England's great deliv-
erance medals were struck bearing on their
and on the reverse was the legend God
hath breathed upon them and they are dis
peTsed"
In the civil war Hoods Texas brigade
We're wont to shout this Texan version OF a
scriptural passage:
The rae is not to them that's got
The longest legs to run
Nor the battle to the people
That shoots the biggest gun"
And then, fguratively speaking, horses
and charfots-the possessions and gilded
trappings Of the world. houses and lands,
stocks and bonds-constitute too often the
sole ground of trust and reliance of men.
one VINO holdS his possessions and abilities
as trust from God for his own good and
for the betterment of his fellows is using
them Alright and is blessed of God. One who
boasts IN his self-acqulred possessions and
powers, and selhshly banks his trust and
confidence on these, is destined to a rude
awakening. Sooner or later these props
will be of no earthly personal good. and
certainly Of no heavenly good unless they
have been righteously used. The highest
crowned monarch in the world, the greatest
multl-nnl lonaire, will require no greater
space in Mother Earth than will the poorest
beggar, and the funeral train will approach
the last resting place with the same sad
reminder. We brought nothing into this
world, and 1t Is certain we can carry nothing
out"
Trite thoughts? Tr2te sentiments? Trite
truths? Yes, and by reason of their very
eeIlleness they perchance affect us less.
something new and startling is more apt to
move us, but our common destiny and com
mon responsibilities should rouse us to the
nnnportance OF placing our trust and con-
Hdehce IN that which shall never fail us.
TRUST IN THE LORD
You, perhaps, profess belief in God and
declare that your trust is in Him. You do
well. Yet in your troubles and diappoint-
ments you are more apt to fly to Mr. A. or
Mrs. B. for consolation than to your
Heavenly Father, more apt to be concerned
about what Mr.. C. or Mrs. d. can do for
you in your perplexities and needs than
what God can and will do for the asking if
not detrimental to your interests, for mo
good thing will He withhold from them that
walk uprighty." Our friends can be of real
help to us only the agents of the AL
mighty: 1t is this miserable unhealthy in
profession and prayer that often makes
life S trials an almost intOlerable burden
Many years ago a ship was burned near
the mouth OF the English channel From
among the passengers a mother, clasping
her babe and cling1ng to floating frag-
ment drifted upon the waves until sighted
far away by passing vessel. a boat was
manned, and soon the watchers on board
ship noticed the sailors resting on their
oars; presently they rowed on, and finally
returned with the mother and child Then
the sailors reported why they had paused in
their rowing. Over the water, as they an
preached, came the sound of singing; listen
ing, they recognized the familiar notes and
then the words:
Jesus, lover of my SOUL
Let me to Thy bosom n.y.
While the waters near me rool.
While the tempest still is nigh"
Drifting out upon the wide wide sea, help
less and unconscious Of approaching deliv-
erance, the trusted words of the trustful
hymn are voiced from the deeps of a trust
full Christians heart What a picture of
many a drifting soul upon the ocean of life
Duty done, abilities and powers and pos
sessions rightly used, and yet seemingly
thwarted, baftled, beaten by the contending
elements of the world Adrift, yes but not
forsaken. Clinging to the one plank of trust
In the living God, the soul shall find deliv-
erance and voice the psalmists words 20
what great troubles and adversities hast
thou showed me; yet didst thou turn and re-
fresh me; yea, and broughtest me from the
deep.