Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1903-12-03

or it may have been the previous one,
when the rain froze as it fell and encased
every object with coating Of crystal. The
trees were covered with ice from trunk 70
outmost twig Of every branch. They
swayed and creaked through the night, as
the wind beat upon their laden branches.
In the morning the sun came out, and
what a scene greeted our eyes. It was as
if all the jewels Of Heaven had been loaned
to the earth for some royal or bridal occa-
sion. Every tree shining with the bril-
lance of pure silver, as the sun flooded it
with revealing light.
/ The distant forest looked like magnif-
cent army, helmeted and breast plated
with FURNISHED steel, as if to blind with its
brilliance, the enemy il was marching
against / am sure that no human hand
ever put upon the canvas such a scene as
God wrought that Winters day for the
adornment of his earthly house. Such are
the pictures that are crowded within this
magnificent dwelling, and it costs US noth-
ing to look at them, and nothing to own
them. They belong to every man and IS
every woman, who has an eye to see, and
soul to appreciate their grandeur. Light
heat, pictures, carpets the wonderful
grass Of the Summer fields interviewer
with exquisite figures Of flowers. marvels of
variety and color, gs19t deal to put into
a house for uncertain, and too often, alas,
ungratefui tenants.
But that is not ALL Not long since
saw building advertized for rent, with
the added announcement, Power supplied
if desired God not only gives us this
house to live in. lighted and heated, car
peted and adorned, made congenial for our
indwelling, but ne supplies power besides.
He provides steam to turn our machinery,
electricity to drive our cars. inventions to
tighten our labor, means BY which to give
greatest efficiency to our industry and
skill. Indeed, He not only gives us this
house to live in, but makes it possible for
us TO live after we are il it. The cotton
fields and the sheep folds are the well-fur-
|nished wardrobes. that belong to the house
In the secret chambers He has hidden.
a wealth Of gold and silver and precious
metals for coinage, for utility, for adorn-
ment, and it all goes with the house which
we occupy as tenants of his favor. Here
we live in house Of magnificent appoint
ments, covered with the most marvellous Of
ceilings, spread with the richest of carpets,
draped with finer than Gobleiu tapestries,
furnished with all things agreeable to our
taste and suitable to our needs, provided
with wonderful powers for progress, aud
successful achievement, to which we may
freely attach ourselves. How much
owest thou unto my Lord, z for all this
Another years tenancy Of this splendid
house, has expired, counting from last
Thanksgiving Day to this. How many
docs that make for you in all? Thirty,
forty, fifty, sixty All these years ten
ant Of God $ house, which be has furnished
abundantly for your welfare and comfort.
All our life thus far, has been spent in.
happy occupancy of this house, which we
found built and furnished for us, when we
opened our eyes in conscious life. How
much owest thou unto my Lord?'' A few
years ago, the ownersof fine estate on the
Hudson river, paid it visit and was Or
dered off as a respasser. Keepers came to
think themselves owners. Alas, some men
in this world seem to be trying to put God
off his own property. as if they not He were
the riehtful proprietors. Item 2. lay
before you this morning. bill for board, as
well as, a bill for rent. Not only have we
been tenants of Gods house, but we have
been pensioners at his table. We have
wrought with our hands to be sure, or
toiled with our brains, and have said Of our
bread that we earned it, But there is a
bit of fallacy in the assertion, that we
alone can earn anything We might labor,
but we could not have bread, unless it
should please God to prosper the interest OF
ptuNviCnt OK aOutp tpttt q Alce efg oeJ w otiC
grain, Grow not on the hills of the East,
or on the fertile prairies of the West, 9
and how could any man earn bread? Il is
what grows out Of Gods soil that lies as
the basis OF all our life.
God has ordered, as one has declared,
that the sceptre Of this world shall be lit
orally a straw. He has appointed two
kings to reign jointly above all the forces
Of industry, King Wheat and King Corn.
1T has pleased him that the music Of the
worlds prosperity should be traced, not
| mytbically bnt literally to the Pandpan
| pipe, the humble stems Of the gWwing
grain. The seeds that go into the soil hold
the germs Of life I the whole great house,
hold Of man. The wheels Of our work
shops, the furnaces Of our factories the
s..-z