The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1899-10-18

whose mind is stayed on thee.
Inthe village Of Hamelin, tradition
says, there was an invasion Of rats, and
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 COL
lowed Weser, and then he blew blast,
and they dropped in and disappeared for
ever. OF course, this is fable, but l
wish I could on the sweet flute of the
Gospel draw forth all the nibbling and
burroTing annoyances Of your life and
play them down into the depths forev-
er.
How many touches did Mr.. Church
give to his picture Of "Cotopazi' or
his Heart Of the Andes?" suppose
about $4,000 touches. l hear the: can
vas saying: "Why do you keep me
trembling with that pencil so long? Why
don't you put it on in one dash?"
NO" says Mr.. Church; Il know how
to make painting. 1t will take So,
00G of these touches" And [ want you
my friends, to understand that it is
these ten thousand annoyances which,
under God, are making up the picture
of your life, to be hung at last in the
galleries Of heaven, fit for angels to
look at, God knows how to make
pictnre.
90 into a sculptor's studio and see
him shaping statue. He has chisel
in one hand and mallet in the other,
and he gives very gentle stroke
click, click, click! say, why don't
you strike harder?" Oh, he replies.
that would shatter the statue. 1can't
do it that way. | must do it this way"
So he works OF, and after awhile the
features come out, and everybody that
enters the studio is charmed and fasci-
mated. Well, God has your soul under
process Of development, and it is the
little annoyapces and vexations Of life
that are chiseling out your immortal
nature. 1t is click, click, click I
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 so be keeps on by
strokes Of little vexations until at last
you shall be a 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 goavov
in small depletions. 1t is the Ii;
troubles of life that are having more +
feet upon you than great ones. \
swarm of locusts will kill grain6.:d ID
sooner than the incurslon Of three or
four cattle. You say, Since I lost my
child, since lost my property, have
been different man." But you do not
recognize the architecture Of little an
noyances that are hewing, digging, cat
ting, shaping, splitting and interjoin-
ing your moral qualities. Rats may
sink ship. One lucifer match may
send destruction through block Of
storehouses. Catherine de- Medici got
her death from smelling poisonous
rose. Columbus, by stopping and ask
ing 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 between
trifes and immensities between moth
ings and everythings.
Now, be careful to let none of those
annoyances go through your soul unar-
ranged. Compel them to administer to
your spiritual wealth. The scratch of a
sixpenny nail sometimes produces lock-
jaw, and the clip of a most in6nitesi-
NAL annoyance may damage you forever.
Do not let any annoyance or perplexity
come across your soul without its max
ing you better.
Our national government when it
wanted money did not think it belittl-
ing to put tax on pins and tax on
buckles and tax on shoes. The indi-
vidual taxes do not amount to much,
but in the aggregate to millions and
millions of dollars. And I would have
you, 0 Christian man, put high tariff
on every annoyance and ye1ation that
comes through your soul. This might
not amount to much in single cases, but
in the aggregate it would be a great
revenue of spiritual strength and salts
faction. A bee can suck honey even
out of nettle, and if you have the
grace of God in your yeart you can get
sweetness out Of that which would 9TH
erwise irritate and annoy.
A returned missionary told me that
company of ad7enturers 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 an
noyances. The only way to get prepar-
ed for the great troubles of life is to
conquer these small troubles. What
would you say Of soldier who refused
to load his gun or to go into the conflict
because it was only skirmish, saying:
II am not going to expend my ammuni-
tion on skirnish. Wait until there
comes general engagement, and then
you will see how courageous | am and
what battling l will do?" The general
would say to such man, If yvu are
not faithful in a skirmish, you would
be nothing in general engagement.
And l have to tell you, 0 Christian
men, if yeu cannot apply the principles
of Christ's religion on small scale you
will never be able to apply them on a
larger scale. If I had my way with
you, I 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 and flowers as
beautiful as though the rainbow had
fallen. I would have you house, a
splendid mansion, and the beds should
be covered with upholstery dipped in