Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1902-02-19

/ tlced IN the last six years: that he can
look through the iron wall of their fire
proof safe; that he has counted every
dishonest dollar they have in their pock-
ct, and that day of Judgment will come
These inconsistent Christian men win sit
on the Sabbath night in the house of God
singing at the close of the service Rock
of ages cleft for me-" and then when
| the benedletion is pronounced shut the
pew door and say as they go out: Good
| by, religion I'll be back next Sunday"
| The Sabbath day is worthless il it last
only twenty-four hours.
The Work Nearest at Hand.
There are many Christians who say:
I'VE are willing to serve God, but we
! do not want to do it in these spheres about
which we are talking, and it seems so
| insipid and monotonous. If we had some
great occasion, if we had. lived in the
| time of Luther, if we had been Paul's
travelling companion, il we could serve
God on a great scale, we would do it, but
we can't in this everyday life" | adj
nit that a great deal of the romance and
knight errantry of life have disappeared
before the advance of this practical age.
The ancient temples of Rouen have been
changed into storehouses and smithies.
The residences of poets and princes have
been turned into brokers' shops. The
classic mansion of Ashland has been cut
up into walking sticks. The groves where
the poets said the gods dwelt have been
carted out for frewood. The muses. that
we used to read about have disappeared
before the immigrants ak and the trap
per's gun, and the man who is waiting
for a life bewitched with wonders will
never find it. There is, however, a field
of endurance and great achievement, but
it is in everyday life. There are Alps
to scale, there are Tablespoons to swim,
there are fires to brave, but they are all
around us nov. This is the hardest kind
| of marty room to bear
Do not think that any work God gives
you to do in the world is on too small a
scale for you to do The whole universe
is not ashamed to take care of one little
flower. Plato had a fable which | have
now nearly forgotten, but it ran some-
thing like this: He said spirits of the
other world came back to this world TO
find a body and find sphere of work.
One spirit came and took the body of a
king and did his work; another spirit
came and took the body of a poet and
did his work: after awhile Ulysses came.
and he said: why, all the fine bodies are
taken, and all the grand work is taken.
There is nothing left for me-" And some
one replied 'Ah, the best one has been
left for YOU Ulysses said, whats
that?" And the reply was, 1.-The body of
common man, doing common work
and for common reward" A good IA
BILE for the world and just as good a IA
BILE for the church Whether we eat or
drink or whatsoever we do, let US do it
to the glory of God.
Religion of Everyday Life.
Again, we need to bring the religion
of Christ into our commonest trials. For
severe losses. for bereavement, for trou-
bic that shocks like ar earthquake and
that blasts like a storm, we prescribe re-
ligious consolation; but business man,
for the small annoyances of last week
how much of the grace of Gcd did you
apply? oh" you say, these -rials are
too small for such application" My
brother, they are shaping your character,
they are souring your temper. they are
wearing out your patience and they are
making you less and less of a man. You
know that a large fortune may be spent
in small change. and a vast amount of
moral character may go away in small
depletions 1t is the little troubles of
life that are having more effect upon you
than the great ones. \ swarm OF lOcusts
will kill grainfield sooner than the in
cursion of three or four cattle. You say.
'Since | lost my child. since l lost my
roperty, | have been a different man."
But you DO not recognize the architecture
of little annOyances that are hewing,
digging, cutting, shaping, splitting and
interjoining your moral qualities. Rats
may sink ship. One lucifer match may
send destruction through block of store
houses.
And there is an intimate connection be-
tween trifes and immcnsities, between
nethings and eyerythings. Now, be
careful to let none of those annoyances
go through your soul unarraigned Com
pei them to administer to Jour spiritual
wealth.
Revenue of Spiritual Strength.
Our national government lid not think
it beiittling to put tax on ms and
tax on buckles and a tax on slices. The
individual taxes do not amount to much
but in the aggregate to millions and mill
ions of dollars And / would have YOU
o Christian man. put high tarf on ey-
cry annoyance and vexation that comes
through your soul. This might not amou1t
TO much in single cases, but in the aggre-
gate it would be Il great revenue of spir-
itual strength and satisfaction. A bee
can suck honey even o. of nettle, and
il you have the grace of God in your
heart you can get sweetness out of that |
which would otherwise irritate and an
noy. The only way to get prepared for |
the great troubles of life is to conquer
these small '"oubes. And | have to !
tell you, 0 Christian men. if you cannot |
apply the principles of Christ's religion |
on a small scale you will never be able |
to apply them on a large scale.
Again. we must bring the religion of |
Christ into our comm0nest blessings. |
W hen the autumn comes and the har !
vests are ia aud the governors make proc /
lamntions. We assemble in churches and |
we are very thankful. But every day |
ought to be thanksgiving day. We do /
not recognize the common mercies of life. /
We have to see blind man led by his /
dog before we begin to bethink ourselves /
of what a grand thing it is to have un-
dimmed eyesight We have to see some
man hobbling on his crutch or
with his empty coat sleeve pinned mp be-
fore we learn to think what grand taing
God did for US when he gave us healthy
bse OF our limbs. We are so stupid that
nothing but the misfortunes Of others
eau rouse us up to our blessings. As