Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-01-22

y
four weeks sat down to the communion
table Absolutely alone. They had not
yet made one convert for Christ. At
the end Of these seven long years of
seeming defeat the Missionary society
wrote to him that he had better surrcn
der his mission az n failure and start
in another field Adoniram Judson,
with his gospel spirit aglow with the
awful struggle from those seven long
years. answered the Missionary society
in these memorable words: mo. No!
I cannot and will not surrender this
mission. Success is as certain here as
the promise Of ii faithful God can make
it," Then came the great outpouring
of the Holy Spirit; then Burma saw its
day Of Pentecost. So, my brother, III
the Christian ministry or in the Chris
tan pow. lighting against seemingly
Overwhelming obstacles, remember that
God has sent TO you that tempest for
purpose: remember that you are being
fitted for your work. if you arc faithful
10 him, as Adoniram hudson was being
fitted for his work; remember that in
the dark hours of your tempestuous
night Christ is watching and caring for
you as he watched the disciples strug-
Cling on the waves of Lake Galilee: re-
member that at the fourth watch, or
Just at the breaking of the dawn.
Christ. MS he did of old will appear to
you walking upon the crystal pavement
Of the deep.
Fitting Is For the Work.
There is suggestive story told OF
young girl who sang in Il large concert
hall of London. one of her friends
asked n noted musical critic who was
present what he thought of her voice.
she lacks ono element which would
make her the greatest singer of Eu-
rope" answered the critic. she lacks
soul power. II | werc Il young man
and could marry her and i'll treat her
and break her heart, then on account
of her grief aud her talent she would
be one of the brightest stars in the
musical armament" Tine passed on.
and this woman'S heart was broken by
n cruel husband. Then came the true
days Of her power and fame. God.
true work. sends us a hurricane of
trouble. He cOnpels us to battle with
tho Galilean tcnpestS for Il whole
night DO not hr weary of well do
ing, my brothers. You are one of
Gods favOritcs There is Il great tri-
umph Of gospel usefulness for you
ahead.
It's easy enough to ho pleasant
When life flows alonE like song
But the man worth while is the one who
win smile
When everything goes dead wrong;
For the test of the heart Is trouble,
And it alwa - comes with the years.
And the smile that is worth tho praise of
the earth
Is the smile that comes through tears.
Tho dark. tCmpcstuOus nights of
financial ruin have often been. in Gods
sight. the bright. blessed, suushny
days for the merchant. How is
George Watson getting along | ask
you. well, you answer. Il do not know
how he is getting along now. We were
boys together in the same town. We
came To the city at the same time. We
used to room together, hut we have
drifted apart in the Inst few years. At
first George made quite II success. He
saved up n little money. and then start
ed in business. Bit George was al
ways a tr,lstful fellow. and he had n
dishonest partner. | believe the part
ncr Swndled him ont OF some money.
Then the panic came. and his creditors
began To press him Then The next
thing | heard was that George had
failed He moved ont Of our uoighbOi
hood. | have not seen him for Il long
time. | heard. however. that ne is now
quite an active member in church work.
He is also one of the active men in the
Young Peoples Christian EndpaVor so
ciety. But fear George is not doing
very we'll. When a business man be
gins to get mixed IN in church matters.
as rule, it implies he has not Il very
big business to run. However to tell
the truth, do not know what George
is doing, except that | have Il feeling
that his credit is not very high in the
business world" Is that all YOU know
| about George? well, my friend. can
tell you that George Watson is getting
along a great deal better than you are.
lis true he was caught in Il financial
storm as fierce as the Galilcan tempest.
which threatened to cngulf the disciples
after Christ had fed the muttudcs,
but after that tempest ahated he heard
the voice of Jesus calling him to the
truer and nObler life. And George
would never have heard the voice Of
Christ had he not first heard the hurri-
cane Of n financial storm shricking
about his head"
One Mans Experience.
George Watson landed in this city a
| Christian boy from Il Christian home.
He carried in his satchcl the Bible
which his mother gave to him the
Christmas before he left the old home
stead. The very first Sabbath after
| he came to Chicago he hunted up n
church and joined a sunday school
class, The girl whom he afterward
married was Il member Of that same
| Sunday school. The trouble was George
! Watson made too big a success in bust
ness. He worked hard and had promo
ton after promotion. Then Sundays
he would feel tired. lie neglected
| church. His wife would stay home
with him. The more money he earned
the greater were his responsibilities
and the less his religion. Then came
the panic and the iinancial cyclone.