The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1904-06-21
AUNT JENNIE.
Perfect Through Suffering"

"Perfeet Through Suffering
Dear Aunt Jennie:-I would say to Max that
the city has an advantage which is not always SO
apparent in the country, and that is, that the best
of everything produced in the country nearly al
ways finds it's way into the city, so that country
children are often fed on what might almost be
termed the refuse. The best butter and eggs, the
finest fruit, the biggest melons, the soundest pota-
toes, the best cured hams, the early chickens, and
whatever else will tempt the city's pocket book to
unclasp and empty a small portion of it's contents
into the farmers hands. On the other hand, the
country child has the purest water and the fresh
est air; and every sunrise and sunset afford him
views grander than ever could be portrayed by an
artists brush, and the morning and evening mel
odies that the song birds make salute his ear in
stead of the ear-piercing blasts of the steam whis-
ties, and the clang-clang of the factory bells. The
springtime rambles and the horseback rides
through forests and fields make the eyes sparkle
and the cheeks glow with health, the limbs sup
pie, and the carriage graceful. But Aunt Jennie
has what many of us would like to have, a wei
come wherever Social Chat enters. A little girl
smelled her grandmother's pies, and said, "They
taste, oh so good and so-grandmotheryp And SO
Aunt Jennie's letters are SO good and so sympa-
Patience. DufS, and Friendship! Close COM
panions with ufer!sag-s obedience and Perfec-
ton.
Of Christ it is written, Though q 80
Son, yet learned he obedience by the ting Mohich
he suffered; and being made perfect he became
the author of eternal salvation unto all them
that obey him"
Obedience is our first lesson, and if Christ, the
sinless, learned obedience by the things which he
suffered, should we be impatient when we suffer?
No, rather let us learn to obey and so arise to
perfection. Saul d~isobeyed the words of the
Lord, and was rejected from being king. Samuel
said to him: "Behold to obey is better than sacri-
fee, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For
rebellion is as the sin Of witchcraft, and stubborn
ness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou
hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also
rejected thee from beinr. king" How different
the Hebrew children acted and how different
their reward. Rather than disobey their Creator.
they yielded their bodies to the flames, and were
rescued from death, not even a hair singed nor a
thread of their garments scorched, and after that
were promoted in the province of Babylon.
Christ said to the rich young man, eff thou
wilt enter into life keep the commandments. To
his disciples he said: eye shall be hated of ali
to the end shall be saved: Fear not them which
kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul:
but rather fear him who is able to destroy both
soul and body in hell" "Tribulation worketh pa
thence; and patience, experience; and experience,
hope; and hope maketh not ashamed; because the
love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the
Holy Ghost which is given unto u.s." When the
rulers and elders of Israel commanded Peter and
John not to speak at all nor to teach in the name
of Jesus. Peter and John answered and said unto
them whether it be right in the sight of God to
hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye."
And at this day whoever passes a law or utters a
command contrary to the Divine law, places him
self in line with oppressors and prosecutors. And
whoever through fear of man dares to disobey
the known command of God, gives place to the
devil, and will suffer for it sooner or later; for
God will either chastise the erring one and bring
him to repentance or give him over to the devil.
MINNIE.
Cumberland Co., N. @.