Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-02-11

l remember being struck with IA prac-
teal illustration of what God meant by
that sentence. Some years ago out in
the country was walking over the
hillsidcs overlooking Il beautiful valley
filled with rich farms. | said to the
companion by my side: Look. Did you
ever see Il more beautiful country than
that: God is certainly rich provider
for his children Yes. answered my
companion. but did you ever stop to
think that though Gods wealth is I'M
limited he gives but few of the neces-
stiles to man unless man is ready to
work for them: God gives us the soil;
God gives us the seeds. But the essen
tial food products which come from
that soil must he developed by unceas-
ing toll. This fact is emphatically true
to ponder over the words of my friend.
and | said: Yes. you are right. Never
since the fall of man has God provided
for man wheat or rye or corn unless
man as farmer will cultivate those
cereals. All kinds of weeds may grow
wild. all kinds of thorns and thistles
certainly do grow wild. but the cereals
will not grow Wild From the earth
man must obtain his bread He must
work or starve The soil must be pre-
pared: the seed must he sown: the
harvest must he gathered.
His Power LimitIess.
Let me remind you. too. how limit
less are the energies which God has in
his control Everywhere are pow
er and force. but man must patiently
study and discover for himself how to
apply them TO his purposes. Very
slowly has he learned the secrets of
the world i'm which he is placed. God
might have revealed the whole To him
ut the outset. but he wished him to
find il out for himself. and as each
source of power was discovered he
must learn how to harness il Alright
that il may do his bidding and relieve
him of toll. Go To Niagara falls and
take your stand on the ledge of rock
called Observation point and watch
that rush of water descending from the
heights. What power is there to light
our cities. To bear our burdens. to il
Illuminate our habitations Yet for
countless ages il has been running
TO waste because man did not know
how To harness il Alright. Stand on the
seaslore and see the power in tlee in
coming tide. Quietly and resisticSSly
wave succeeds wave. breaking impo-
tently on the rocks. yet there is power
there that might he turned to account.
wheel of the village mill. grinding the
corn and wheat for whole valley, is
feeble beside the pillows of the sea-
This. too. man may yet learn TO har-
ness that ii may work for him. The
secret is with the Lord. Man must
plan and contrive and design before he
can master il. So long as he sits at
ease and makes no effort it is useless
to him. Why should not God have
given man this knowledge at the be-
ginning: Because he wished him to
develop his intellect. He wished to
teach him that there was IA reward for
his labor. by the sweat of his brow he
must gain his bread
All. my friends. this problem that
perplexes us. this distressing question
of why God permits us to struggle
along in poverty and hardship, finds
its solution in the Bible. 1t was not
in vindictiveness or for his own sake
that lie cursed the ground. The SEN
tence was beneficial and remedial.
Cursed is the ground for thy sake"
God is allowing the thorns and the
thistles TO grow wild instead of the
wheat and the barley. Why? BY the
bayonet thrusts of those thorns God is
driving us closer and closer TO him
self. BY putting us in the treadmill of
unceasng daily toll God is teaching us
to turn our eyes away from tempta-
ton. He is also teaching us to turn
them toward himself Work serves Il
useful purpose. Our toll and difficulty
nearer to himself. When trust in God
and love of him have filled the hearts
of men. when the knowledge of God
covers the earth as the waters cover
the sea, then poverty will have fulfilled
its mission and will be eliminated from
this weary world. for then. says Isai-
all, Instead of the thorn shall come
up the fir tree. and instead of the brier
shall come up the myrtle tree and it
shall be To the Lord for name. for an
everlasting sign that shall not be cut
OFF," Oh. sinner, thank God today that
he makes your callous hand stick to
the pillow of daily toll in order that your
feet shall follow the narrow and
straight groove of virtue and truth and
purity and gospel conservation and
right.
God could easily take out Of this
world all physical ailments if he would.
He could change the invalid chairs of
the homes, the operating tables of the
hospitals. the medicine bottles of the
drug stores, the ear trumpets of the
deaf. the ambulance wagons and the
anaesthetics and the splints and the
bandages of Il military surgeons outfit
and make them rs unsuitable and anti
quated articles for modern use as the
chopSticks of the Chinese would he for