The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1899-10-18


tttso9yasnase ts9y,s eqaally toquirg yoa Ii, trust Ia
Ohfist For suco0F and fol- deliyorafl6o
frYih impatioht9 land III ifritability.
"Thou wilt keep hin in pbffoct poaoe
whose mind is stayed on theb.'
In the village Of Hamelin, tradition
says, there was Gu invasion Of rats, and
these small creatures almost devoured
tho town and threatened the lives cf the
population; and the story is that q
plpor camo out ono day and played q
yory sweet tune, and all tho vormin eol-
lowed Wescf, and thon he blow a blast.
and they dropped in and disappeared for
oyoT. Vi course, this is fable, but I
wish | could on the swoot flute Of tho
Gospel draw forth all the nibbling and
burrowiDg annoyanoos Of your life and
play thom down into tho depths foroy-
er.
How many touches did Mr.. Church
give to his picture Of "Cotopaxi" or
his Heart Of tho Andcs2" l suppose
about 50, 900 touches. | hoar. tho, can
vas saying: "Why do you keep mo
trembling with that pencil SO long2 Why
don't you put It on in ono dash?"
No" says Mr.. Church; II know how
to make a painting. 1t will take 5O,-
600 of these touches" And l want you
my friends, to understood that it is
these ton thousand ,,nnoyances which,
under God, s;o making up the picture
Of yoyp lie, to be hung Mt last in tho
s~ilcrics Of heaven, fit for angels to
look at, God knows how to mako a
pictnre.
go into soulptor's studio and 500
him shaping a statue. Ho has chisol
in ono hand and mallct in tho other,
and no gives very gontle stroke
click, click, click! / say, "Why don't
you strike hardcr2" Oh, ho roplios.
that would shattcr the statue. can't
40 it that way. | must do it this way"
SO he works on, and aftcr awhile tho
features como out, and everybody that
enters tho studio is charmed and fasci-
mated, Woll, God has your soul under
process OF development, and it is the
little annoyancos and vcxations of life
that arc ohisoling out your immortal
nature. It is click, click, click! 1
wonder Why some great providence does
not come and with ono stroke prepare
you for heaven. All, no! God says that
is not tho way, and so he keeps on by
strokes of little voxations until at last
you shall be a glad spectacle for angels
and for men.
You know that largo fortune may
be spcnt in small change, and vast
amount of moral character may 20 awav
in small deplotions. 1t is the lit,
troubles Of life that arc having moro l.
feet upon you than great ones. a
swarm Of locusts will kill a graintit'd
sooner than the incurslon Of thrco or
four cattlo. You say, Since I lost my
child, since lost my property, hayo
been different man." But YOU do not
recognize tho architecture of little an-
noyancos that arc hewing, digging, cut
Ting, shaping, splitting and intorjoin-
ing your moral qualities. Rats may
sink a ship Ono lucifer match may
send destruction through block of
storchouses. Catherine do Medioi 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 tho discovery of-a now world. And
there is an intimate connection botweon
trifos and immonsitics between moth.
ings and everythings.
Now, be careful to let mono of those
annoyanoes 80 through your soul unar-
ranged. Compel them to administer to
your spiritual wealth. The scratch OF a
sixpcnny nail sometimes produces look
jaw, and the clip of most infnitesi-
NAL annoyance may damage you forever.
DO not let any annoyance or perploxity
come across your soul without it's max
ing you better.
Our national government when it
wanted money did not think it belittl-
ing to put a tax on pins and tax on
buckles and a tax on shoes. Tho indi-
vidual taxes do not amount to much,
but in the aggregate to millions and
millions Of dollars. And I 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 a great
revenue of spiritual strength and salts
faction. A bee can suck honey cven
out OF nettle, and if you have tho
grace OF God in your yeart you can got
sweetness out of that which would 9th
erwise irritato and annoy.
A returned missionary told mo that
a company of adventurers rowing up
tho Ganges were stung to death by flies
that lnfest that region at certain sea-
sons. The earth has boon strowed with
the carcasscs Of mon slain by insect an
noyances. The only way to get prepar-
cd 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 60 into the conflict
because it was only skirmish, saying:
L am not going to cxpend my ammuni-
tion on skirmish. Wait until thora
comes q general engagement, and thcn
you will sec how courageous | an and
what battling | will do?" The general
would say to such man, "If you are
not faithful in a skirmish, you would
be nothing in a general engagement.
And | have to tell you, 0 Christian
mon, if you cannot apply the principles
of Christ's religion on small scale you
will mover be able to apply thom on
larger scalo. If | had my way with
you, would have you possess all pos.
siblo worldly prosperity. would have
you each one garden, river flowing
through 1t, gcraniums and shrubs on
the sides and the grass and flowers as
beautiful as though tho rainbow had
fallen. l would have you house, a
splendid mansion, and tho beds should