Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1902-09-26

thing is needful." SO Christ SAYS TO
every living hOusekeeper today, 'You
need the grace in your heart to over
come the little annoyances as well as
your great trials" o woman. how
different life would be IL you would
ask Jesus TO stand by your side at the
kitchen stove. How different IL you
would only ask his help when you are
mcndiEg baby's frocki How different
IL you would only ask Christs help
when you hunt for the missing silver
spoon-if you would only ask him to
| help you TO bear the burden OF the
grasshopperl
One day n minister was visiting an
invalid who was noted for her great
Christian piety and her exalted happi-
ness, even though she had been bed
ridden for some years. He asked her,
Betty, how is II that you can lie here
In bed and be so happy when once you
were so full of physical life and ener-
gyy" well, pastor" answered the
Christian woman. lit is only because 1
am leaning hard upon the omnipotent
and sustaining arm of God. When /
was strong and physically well, used
TO have lot to do. had a large fam
III.
Then / used to hear God keep saving
TO me, Betty. you do this; Betty, you
do that; Betty. you do the other thingp
And so. of course. | did what God
wanted me to do. But now. sir. as /
am lying In bed hear Gods voice lust
the same-the same sweet voice of the
divine love. I hear it saying to me ev-
cry day. Betty. you just lie here And
so here / stay because it is Gods viii.
and l am happy, very happy" Yes.
the divine grace is sufficient to help
every tired wife and mother triumph
antly 20 bear the little annoyances as
well as the great. IL Is sufficient TO
help a woman 10 bear the painful
stitches In her side as well as to helm
her in her domestic duties. II is suf-
tcient even to enable her to bear the
nagging and tantalizing and confirm
Gus burden OF a great swarm of buzz
ing locusts.
Divine acknowledgements.
III 1t is important for wives and
mothers to have the grace of God In
order TO overcome the infinitesimal bur
dens of the multitudinous locust. II is
also important for husbands and IA
theirs and brothers TO have the same
KIND or divine reinforcement TO meet
the burdensome insectiie annoyances
that affiict them in turn. 1t is not the
thoughts and the freshets and the
mortgage upon the land that wear out
the patience OF the farmer. II is the
annoyance Of the neighbors borrowing
his tools and not returning them. 1t is
the annoyance of the farm hand getting
pfrr nh In h I'll
is the stupidity of the same farm hand
In giving the best horse cold water to
drink when overheated, so that the an
imal becomes foundered
L once heard of n prominent New
York merchant who was sneered at by
his business associates and called &C.
centric because every morning before n
yard OF cloth was taken down from
any OF the shelves or the front door of
the store was opened TO admit the Gus
toners he used TO call into one room
all of his employees. He summoned
them together. the highest as well as
the lowest the heads of departments
as well as the cashgirls and GRAND
boys Then I'm that room this great
city merchant used TO plead at the
throne of mercy for spiritual helm 10
meet the little trials and annoyances
OF the coming day. Surely IL q family
altar is needed in each home around
which n father and a mother and the
children every morning and evening
may gather. such an altar ought to be
erected i'm every factory and store and
office and study. Such an altar ought |
to be raised by every father and hus- |
band and brother and son at which to |
plead daily FOR divine grace, so that |
they may overcome the little annoy |
ances that course about every active |
life like the burden OF the buzzing To- |
Gusts.
Many unjust and contemplate crit |
icisms which are daily made against |
us and our work can aptly be classed |
as among the insectile armies OF the |
multtudinous locusts. A good. honest, |
vehement. healthy criticism ought to |
be spiritually helpful TO the average |
man 1t ought TO act upon the ambi-
tous mind and the spirit In the same |
way that n vigorous massage starts |
the sluggish blood coursing through |
the arteries and veins OF our invalid
body. IL is when an army is invading
q foreign land that the commanding
general is most careful about his scouts
and sentries and countersigns and DOW.
der and bullets ana guns and commits
sary supplies IL is when a man feels
that he Is completely surrounded by
rivals and by honest critics who do not
believe in the way he is doing that he
puts forth his best energies and lives
up TO his highest standard.
Learn 90 DO Better.
The effect which the attack of an
honest enemy ought 10 have upon our
lives was once illustrated by a noted
preacher. He pictured flock of mi
grating birds being shot at by a fowler.
AT the first discharge OF the hunters
gun the migrating birds merely give n
few strokes of their powerful wings
and fly higher. At the next discharge
they fly still higher; at the next. higher
and higher until they are out OF range
Of their enemy's bullets. The true eff
rect OF an honest critics attacks should
De TO make us fly higher and still high.
n into the spiritual life-to fly higher
ind higher until we come closer and
loser 10 God 1t was the attacks and
'neersand derisiveremarks hurled at the
'oung statesman that nerved BENJAMIN
Oisraeli TO become the great leader OF
he house or commons and the favorite
,rime minister OF his queen. 1t was !
he harsh criticism OF an English naval |,
'ficer that made Admiral Farragut ,
irmly set his teeth and lips together ,
ma redouble his energy when ne drove .
lis wooden ship past the supposed i'm :
'assable batteries Of New Orleans, and 1.
is the deserved criticisms of our enc d.
Mes that ought TO make us more con-
ecrated to our life's work and more ,
Wiling to make sacrifices to accom-
fish our object.
But there is Christian as we'll as an /,
In-Christian way of meeting the criti- :
lsms or rivals and OF those VINO are =
eaious or our successes. One way is :
do as Plato. the great disciple OF =