The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1906-04-20

were almost sure to find out that you
were talking to the other. The other
Sunday one of those little girls, then
about four years old, went into the
kitchen and began to play with matches
! She struck one. 1t ignited. Her little
| fluffy dress took fire. And before we
pronounced the bGnediction of the even
ing sermon "Bluey" was dead Ex-
plain this tragedy. l cannot. do not
wish to try God knows best. l will
leave 1t to the next world to find out
why ''Bluey'' was taken and "Pinkey"
| left.
Act of Loving Father.
But I can explain to you how avert
ed tragedy in my own home some
two years ago One of my little chill
dren, then about three years of age,
| came running to me, calling, Papa,
there is q firew / never waited mo-
ment. I leaped up the stairs, and there
1 found that my little boy had been
playing with matches and had set fire
! to the closet. / was practically alone
in the house. / went into that closet
and tore the clothes down from the
hooks and threw them out of the win
dow. I burned my arms and my face.
But what of that? / saved the house.
The boy was too frightened to speak,
so / did not punish him, but the next
day found that this little boy of only
three years of age went and built an
other fire in the back yard. He seemed
to have the same fascination for fire
that the moth miller has for the even
ing lamp. There he was, lying upon
his stomach, playing with the burning
sticks. What did l do? l loved that
boy just as much as did any of the
other children, but l knew a severe
course had to be taken to save him
from a horrible death. First l whipped
him. Then ! took match and lighted
it and said, my boy, if you ever touch
matches again l shall put your little
finger into that fire and burn your skin
just as much as papa's was burned
yesterday in that fire you made"
What was the result? That little boy
found out what a deadly enemy fire
could be, and he has never touched a
match from that day to this. Was 1 a
cruel father to punish the child, or was
l a true parent to save my little boy
from a tragic death? Cannot God in
the same way be a loving, kind Fa-
Their when he sometimes permits trou-
bles to beat on the throbbing hearts of
his own children?
In closing I would bid you set your
gospel compass. / want you to be like
the traveller going through the western
country guided by the beacon light Of
the rising and setting sun. l want you
to be like voyager setting sail across
the Atlantic. He does not go in hap
hazard way to a fisherman of Nan
tucket and say, "Will you with your
sailboat take me to EuropeT" But he
goes down to the office Of great trans
atlantic line. There he selects his
steamer. He knows that this steamer
is managed by a competent crew and
commanded by an able captain. When |
the storms come and the winds blow
and the pillows heave, he does not rush |
upon the deck and say, Let me take
that wheel" Nay. He says, 1.-THE cap
tain knows best, and he will see us
through" So, may it be with us in
life's voyage. May we step into the
gospel ship and say to Jesus, Master
wherever thou takest me
l know it is best for me to 60"
Some time ago a little girl was out
driving with her father. Suddenly the
horse SHE'D, and in great fright the
daughter grabbed the reins from her
fathers hand, and the leaping horse
nearly caused an accident. With that
the father said: Daughter, never do
that again. You should learn to trust
me. l will not let any harm come to
you when l have hold Of the lines"
We must walk by faith and not by
sight. We must let our God take us
where he will. Friend, child, are you
'eady to let God drive? Knowing that
le loves us, will you trust him even
when you cannot always understand
him? Drive on, thou King of kings,
lrive on!
copyright, 1906, by Louis Klopsch.l