Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-12-28

woman aud her eldest daughter rum
ming away toward the river Nile with
a little babe in her arms. They are
hiding that child among the bulrushes
Of the river. That child was and II l."
"What else dost thou see, O mighty
chieftain:" Il see a princess Of Pha.
raoli's court coming down to the river
to battle. I see her bending over that
child and then adopting him a. her
own SON." what else dost thou see,
q leader:" "1n that adoption I see
how IT was made possible for me to bs
educated. see that through this edu.
cation was fitted mentally to do the
work God has given to me to do.
Through that adoption I became the
lawyer. the statesman, the molder Of
people who nre to become possessors
Of yonder promised land. God fitted
inc for my work by first making me q
founding and social outcast."
why Trssbls Comes.
Troubles must have q long perspec.
tive II we are 10 see them Alright 40
messengers OF mercy. Thomas Fuller.
the quaint English divine. once said
that troubles appeared to him at close
view great deal like piece OF tapes.
try turned wrong side out. 1t seemed
to he nothing but a great conglomera.
ton Of nonsense. 1t was without head
or foot. Confusion itself had as much
method in II. 1t was company Of
thrums and threads. with many pieces
and patches Of several sorts and sizes
and colors. all which significd nothing
to my understanding" Then DR.. Full.
Ter turned the right side Of his tapes
try to the delighted eyes of his audi
ence as he said: But. though the wrong
side is all a mystery. how beautiful is
the right side! Here are all beauties
and all right proportions" 10 use his
exact words, Here Is history not wrote
with a pen, but wrought with a nee.
die" Such are the dealings Of God
with us. When we look at our trou.
blcs close at hand we seem to be look.
ing ut a piece Of tapestry wrong side
out, but when we stand with Moses
upon Pisgah's heights and look at our
troubles through the inspired vision OF
the years we see why those troubles
came and how they were the means Of
fitting us for our lifelong usefulness.
Our past troubles fitted us and are At.
ting us for the work God has given us
to do. Thank God for the east wind
as we'll as for the west wind.
But our Pisgah heights today have
their visions ahead, as well as their OK.
planned Egyptian mysteries and their
! pillars Of fire and Of cloud. The chapter
Of my text tells us that God took Moses
unto the mountain Of Nebo, TO the ton
Of Pisgah. that Ia over against Jericho.
And the Lord showed him all the land
of Gilead and Dan and all Naphtali
and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh
and all the land Of Judah unto the ut
most sea" DO you know what that
panorama meant, In a nutshell? God
took Moses upon the top Of Pisgah and
said: "Sec, Moses. yonder is the prom
Used land. Thy work in Egypt is not
to go for naught. Thy wanderings in
the wilderness seemed to lead thee
around and around in a useless circle.
but those wanderings have led thy peo-
pie to the crystal gates Of the Jordan.
Now the children Of Israel shall pass
over to the grapes Of Eschol and to the
land which Is flowing with milk and
honey Look and sec what Is to be the
result Of thy noble work. So God let's
us climb to the Pisgah heights to see
the result Of our work. The vision Is
here for you now to see II you are will
ing to open your eyes and look.
In the first place. we can see In the
dim future noble spiritual work
which our children shall do after we
are dead. All, that family was hard
one for you to raise! am not now al
luding to the mere question of food
and clothing. I mean more than that
I mem the spiritual raising Of them
Let me sec. You have Eve children
Three Of those children were born
good. They never gave you any trou
BILE. But two Of them--and especially
the youngest son-were always in mis-
chief. The neighbors used to say Of the
youngest, HE will he very good man
or q very bad one" Yes. and it seem
ed as though the evil would win out In
his nature. Then he took to drink. Oh
how many. many anxious nights yor
used to have! Like David, you were
continually mourning for your way
ward Absalom. But you have changed
OF late. The cloud has left your face
! know the good news. The neighb0r.
have told 1t to me. What" you say
"have you heard it too? Who told yor
that all my children are now member.
Of the church and that my yOunges
boy was converted about a year age
and is going to be Christian mission
ary:" Yes. have heard it. You ar,
, standing upon Plsgah's heights. o ia
, ther O mother. Not only are you,
boys and girls spiritually safe. but, II q
Moses with the children Of Israel, 70,
. can look on upon their promised land
. You can picture their future lives
You can see them living in Christia,
homes. rearing Christian children mt
perhaps preaching in Christian pripits
|, You can today he truly thankful tina
, your children are all safe in Christ
, love and pardon.
! Success COmes.
Then in reference TO our other line
of work-oh We can have wonderful
: visions in reference to them. 70
, years some Of us have been working
' in the temperance cause and In til