Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1905-09-25

divine Father does anything for US.
We do not believe that the God of the
hills has any part in our harvests. We
say, "Our hands planted the corn"
We think God has nothing to do with
our clothes because our sheep grew the
wool. We assert that God has nothing
to do with our homes because our
timber is turned into the boards which
are nailed into the walls. "Oh, no."
SAYS Amos, that is not true; the God
of the hills waters the fields. He gives
drink and food to the fiocks. He
nourishes the trees into mighty forests
1t is God, and God alone, who provides
ALL" Ought we not to give thanks to
the God of the hills who clothes us
and feeds US today?
An Incident of Thackeray
The providing of our everyday wants
should be continually Acknowledged be-
fore God. DR.. Taylor told a beautiful
incident about the life of William NJ.
Thackeray. After the author of "Vani-
~ Fair" had finished his American lee
ture tour he was returning home
When the ship was within a few hours
Of Liverpool there was farewell meet
ing of the passengers in the main sa-
loon. A prominent minister arose and
spoke about as follows: Friends. we
must now part. l want to tell you how
much l have enjoyed this trip. 1t is
a solemn fact to know that most of
us will never meet again until we as
semble at the judgment seat of Christ"
said: 1T is solemn to think that we
are all to assemble at the Judgment
seat of Christ, but it is even more sol
emn for me to think that every minute
of every hour of every day God is hold
ing me in the hollow of his hand and is
feeding me and clothing me wherever
may go. So, instead of thinking about
the judgment seat at this time. if my
fellow passengers are willing l would
like to have our ministerial brother
lead US in prayer and thank God for
the care he has taken of US during the
last ten days when we have been on
ShipbOard together. No storm has
wrecked US. No harm has come to US.
We shall soon be at home with our
l1l6I1NlS. aye, w lllIlI1 NJ. 1udCh6IdN
was right. 1t is our duty to think of
the God of the judgment, but it is
| also our duty every day to thank the
God Of the hills who feeds and clothes
us and cares for US each morning and
| each noon and each night, whether we
are awake or whether we are asleep.
Shall we stop here? Was the east
ern herdsman only symbolizing the
strength of God and the care taking
providence of God in the strength and
the power of the hills? Was he not
making allusion to the gold and the
silver buried in the depths Of the noun
tains, and to the diamonds hidden in
their subterranean vaults, and to their
many precious stones, some of which
St. John in Apocalypse saw in the
walls of the New Jerusalem? Was he
not using these stones as the symbol
of the joy and the peace and the hap
piness of this world which comes from
God to those who are living in close
communion with God? l think he was.
Furthermore l believe Amos, the
herdsman, not only found these SYM
bols of earthly happiness coming from
God by following the miners with their
little lights into the ground, but also
by following the call Of the bird, sing
ing to him on the top of some noun
| tain ravine or in some hidden glen.
Methinks I can follow this sainted
herdsman as he some autumn day HES
away to the hills. We will call it an
autumn day, for that is the time when
every tree becomes a flaming torch.
Amos is longing to go off for awhile
and be alone with God. He turns over
his sheep to the care of one Of the
under shepherds. He takes his staff
and climbs up the mountain side.
Higher and higher he goes until his
parched lips call, Drink, drink; give
me drink" He reaches up and pulls
off leaf from an overhanging branch.
he twists it into more beautiful
chalice than was ever handed forth by
the Egyptian cup bearers at Pharaoh
court. Then he stoops down and lifts
up the water out of the gushing spring.
The rocks seem to close in about him.
He seems to be in temple, and the
waters at his feet seem to be "holy
waters holy because they have been
touched by the finger of God. Then
he stretches his tired limbs upon a
couch of moss. Then the same bird
that called him from his herd now
. brings to him his companions, and thew
!, begin to sing. A gentle eyed deer
pokes forth her head from the thicke1
and seems to say: 'Who art thou-a
friend or an enemy? Dare trust nv
, little fawn in thy sight while l quench
, my thirst?" Then the leaves begin r.
: sway and sigh. That peace of the
woods comes over the happy prophet
as he says: Eyes, God has made the
mountains. God has made the gold
} God has made the silver and the
. precious stones buried here. He has
made the woods Of the mountains, the
trees and the moss, the birds and the
flowers and the brightly colored leaves
He has made the brooks TO sing as well