The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-12-01
GREAT BLESSINGS ARE OFTEN
DISGUISED AS SORROWS.
The Reverend Mr.. Lloyd Draws Les
sons From the Disappointments
of the Apostle Paul.

The Reverend George Lloyd preached yes,
terday morning at the congregational
Church of the Redeemer ON Paul, the
Thankful and Courageous" He told of the
apostles haruShipS. mis- waBderlngs and OF
his final salvation. In the latter part OF
his sermon he applied the lesson to national
life. He said in part:
But how similar is our life to that of
Paul, and how easily and fttirgly 1t may BE-
applied TO our national life. Contrary winds
blow against us sometimes. an6 days of
wondering and forebcding oyertake Us.
Shadows stretch across and around the ma
tional sky.
Causes are permitted to operate against
our highest welfare as j people. and many
things we hear urged ana argued that are
common good. The year 1902 mas brought
its lessons. 1t has been both good and ill,
as have all the years been before 1t, and it,
record will soon have been written. In
some particulars it has been as trying as
any former year. and the hard conditions
of life have not been very much modified
for large numbers of our people.
TIE devourinG wolf has made bold and
dangerously near approach to the doors of
multitudes of the nations freemsn. and his
ominous, restless shadow is yet suggestive
of great personal discomfort and unhaIpi-
ness. while the environment: of fe-not-
withstanding all eur super-a bounding pros
perity-has been uncornmonly painful. re-
sulting in suicides. murders and assaults on
the bodies and homes of the people. The
unlawful power of dishonest men has been
felt in many quarters. and secret bands
have joined themselves together to prey up
on the class OF reSpeCtaDle clt12enS VINO
furnish the Sinew and strength of the ma
tons life.
.Dlsappuintments have been as thick as
aforetime, and muititudes have suffered
pain and chagrin on account of the ras-
cality of those in WHOM they trusted. How
many such as these find thanksgiving and
courage? A bitter cup filed to the brim
by the treaclery of friends. the inability to
obtain work at living wages, the absence
of comforts. even the most elementary,
with broken friendships. blighted honors,
beclouded characters and smitten homes
are all these to be lightly passed over when
we speak of the apostles spirit and apply
it to themselves?
We ought not surely to ignore these facts
when we pay to Goo our vows and render
thanks to the most high. The channels of
our social and Industrial life are damned
or freed at the will and beckon of a single
individual. ard the wheels OF monopoly, and
special privilege continue to grind to
powder. as ii We're. the bread of the masses.
The statistics of imports and exports. the
pulse felt in the great centerS of the COM
mercial and business life of the people or
the country. which reveals every new force
that is brought into 1t. as a physician may
know the condition of a child from its
pulse. is not worthy Of the study that Is
now being given to it In comparison with
other things.
THE question how a few American cfti-
zens may be prevented from gathering into
their own private pockets at a single haul
enough of the peoples property to feed ev-
cry needy family between. the two oceans.
is the first, or ought to be the first, study
of our political economists and statesmen.
The Government Of a free Republic is the
agent or representative Of the whole body