Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1906-01-29
in hand with financial bankruptcy. II

rags and have no roof which he can
claim as his own. Yet the direct oppo-
site of this supposition is true. God
has promised that those who seek first
the kingdom of heaven shall not lack
any good thing.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday,
today and forever. How did God deal
with his disciples of old? Does Abra
ham come before US dressed in rags?
Was Joseph p bankrupt? Did Job have
to beg his BREAD after he had remained
true to God aid forgiven his three mis-
cradle friends3 Did Joseph always re-
main hireling, slave and an out
cast? Was daniel always a despicable
! youth? Was David a perpetual refugee
in NiDg Achish's courts Did Mordeeai
| always have TO bend the knee to the
| wicked Hannah: Were only the bad
men of the Bible garmented in silks
and the good men clothed in rags?
| Nay. King Solomon once wrote, "Seest
thou a man diligent in his business, he
shall stand before kings, he shall not
| stand before obscure men," That state
ment applies just as much to Gods dis
ciples as to any one else. If man is
| true follower of God, as was Joseph,
and. like him, faithful and diligent, he
will not be kept from success by his
religion. There are cases in which
| God, caring for the best interests of
| his child. sends adversely upon him, as
he permitted it to fall upon Job, that
| his faith may be increased; but taken
/ as a rule. we may rely upon it that the
| godly business man enjoys theiblessing
of God on his enterprises.
How He Was Paid.
Religion, curing men of dissipation
and improyidance, promotes their pros
| perity. Many years ago l heard this
| fact illustrated in a powerful way. The
| head of the famous WaldenSian church
of Italy was speaking in the Philadel-
phia church of which | was then as
sistant pastor. The Waldensian church
of Italy is really the Protestant church
Of NictOrs kingdom. 1t mostly repre-
sents the peasant classes. One day a
humble Italian heard that if he would
attend a Waldensian church he would
be paid for doing so. He went, eX-
| pecting to get money, but he found
something better than silver and gold.
He found Jesus Christ. He accepted
him rs his Saviour. Though he had
never been a good Catholic, he NOM
inally had given his allegiance to the
church of Rome. No sooner did the
priest of his town hear what the man
was doing than he went to the mans
wife. He told the woman her husband
must leave the Waldensian church or
he would be spiritually destroyed. The
wife said, Father, L have something
would like to tell thee" The priest
answered, Say on" Father, you say
my husband will go to hell if he con-
tinues to go to the Waldensian church.
l want to tell you what our home was
before he went there and found Christ
My husband was a drunkard He used
ito work long enough to make little
money. Then it would all go for drink.
We had no home, except a howell. Then
he would come to that howell when he
was drunk and beat me and knock
me down. Often, both by night and
by day, l have heard my children cry
ing with hunger, and l had no bread.
But since my husband found Christ III
the Waldensian church we do not live
in a howell, but in a house. We have
a carpet upon the floor. We have
enough food to eat. Instead of my chill
dren running around half naked they
now have clothes and can go to school,
Every morning he kisses me goodby
before he goes to work. When the twi-
light sets in he always comes home to
greet me with a smile and to pet the
children. When Saturday night comes
he brings me home his wages and
throws the money into my lap as he
says, There wife, are enough funds for
rent and clothing and meat for the
coming week." Then the wife. with
tears streaming down her cheeks, said
; "Now, father. if finding Christ in the
Waldensian church means all that to
our home do you not believe had bet
: ter let my dear husband go and find
; Christ there 4 little longer?'
Emancipation From Sin.
"Ah, yes" | said to myself when I
, heard that story, true gospel consecra-
, ton means more than spiritual saliva
) ton beyond the grave. True gospel
conservation means emancipation from
sin, and emancipation from sin means
dresses for our babies and food for our
dining rooms and books for our library
shelves and carpets for our floors and
beds in which to sleep. When Joseph
gave himself in loyal service to God he
got all these. And my friends, Il you
consecrate your life to Jesus Christ you
will get all these also. Do not talk to
me about Christianity being a financial
failure. The most expensive altar at
which a man ever worshiped is the altar
of sin. May God help us. in Christs
name, to be his true and faithful serv-
ants, sincerely desireus of doing his
will in all circumstances. and then we
shall be blessed, whether we are in adj
yersity or financially prosperous, as
was Joseph.