The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-11-24

tnese times or financial disturbance the preacher in this sermon shows us many reasons for thankfulness. which come to all men and which panics and
 business disaster cannot take away
 The text is Job vii 5, Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass or low
 eth the OK over his fodder?'
 Some people have a false reputation for being good natured that they may easily lose. No man can be confidently pronounced good natured until he has
 been tested by diversity No credit is due to a prosperous man for not com- blaming. If when he is poor and un- fortunate and sick he does not com plain, then he has given proof of the strength and sweetness of his charac- ter. His true nature is shown not when he is basking in the sunshine. but when he Is deluged by the storm. It is really revealed not when cond1- lions are going the way he wishes, but when all his desires seem to be tn wart- ed and he is compelled to do what he does not wish to do He is not tempted to grumble when he is prosperous. Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass or loweth the OK over his fod- der?"
 There is a quaint legend told by pr. Knight that many years ago an east ern king was sailing in ship with I |. 10 bitterly complain of being shut up in the narrow confines of the boat. These complaints irritated the king. Then a philosopher who was travellng in the same boat said, q am silence wonder grumbler if thou wilt let me" The king gave his consent. The phi losopher ordered the sailors to throw the peasant into the sea. After the man had gone down a couple of times the sailors caught him by the hair and pulled him back into the boat safely. Then were all his bitter complaints silenced. The king asked the philoso- pher why this was so. The sage re- piled; At first wonder man had never thought of the danger of being drowned; neither did he appreciate the safety or the ship. As soon as he found out by bitter experience the value of this ship as a reIuge from something worse he was contented to stay therein until he could reach the shore. In like manner he best knoweth the value of prosperl- .ty who hath encountered diversity. Oh, thou who hast satisfied thine hunger thou despisest a barley loaf, but to me. ahungered, barley loaf means life. To the nymphs of paradise purgatory would be hell, but the in- habitants of hell would hail purgatory as paradise"
 In other words, the eastern philoso- ipher was teaching the lesson that when a mans wish is satisfied then he does not complain. He complains about what he has not but not of what he has. Does the wild find fault be- cause he is wadng knee deep in field of sweet scented clover? Does the OK in anger batter his stall into l<indling wood wh en after hard days toll he is allowed to munch his grain at a manager filled to overfowing?
 The book of Job illustrates this truth. There were three distinct epochs in Jobs career. The first was when every desire of his heart was satisfied. Great was he in brain, great in finan- 'cial resources, great in domestic hap ipiness. His pasture land extended on every side. His sheep and cattle and horses grazed upon thousand hills. His harvest fields, like the surface of the sea, stretched away as far as the eye could see. old age mellowed him, but did not deplete his physical strength. His children were his pride and joy. His friends were around him everywhere. Even his enemies were disarmed by his love and generosity.
 He never omitted to thank God for his blessings in the morning and at noon and at night for everything that his heart desired was given unto him.
 Wheel of Fortune Turns.
 But suddenly the wheel of fortune turns. Crash goes his sons home, and m an hour all his beloved children are dead Down swoop the robbers, and his herds are scattered and driven away and his servants put to the sword. Then over his body break forth the horrible carbuncles. His health as well as his wealth and domestic happiness is gone Though he does not sin nor charge God foolishly," he does curse the day of his birth.
 No sooner does he do this than ms three friends gather about him and remind him of his past profession They commence to fling his former avowals of faith at him. Aha" they cry You are a pretty servant Of God, When things were all going your way yon were very willing to tell peo- pie what they should do. bnt "len Things go wrong with you you lose your faith in God just like other men, q know it." answers Job. Alas Tor inc weakness of the flesh. God help me, Alas. I was like the ass standing knee deep in sweet scented clover! was like the OK munching at the aoun- dant grain in his manager. O Ioo' heip me in this time of trouble
 Now. in applying th's principle to ourselves l am not going to catalos vo,r uisfortunes. You can easily do ,bat yourself You have complained oho,,t them enough. You have harped ,,non them day in and day out. But l am going to speak about your .silcnces.,' would remind you Of the h1esinps you have iu life. Perhaps the thought of these blessings, about .,.,ioh vol, are apt to be silent, may strenp pthen your heart to bear adVer- sitv should it come upon you.
 Virtues of Parents.
 ....t ,,lace I have never heard vou complain about your father anu mother. They must certainly nave peen Q great blessing to you. II they mao no, heen YOU would certainly have talked disnarasingly of them. And this Is very roarvelous fact to me, because they were not very wonderful people from human standnoint. I do not think your father had yn,,chr of an education. Then he cer- tainIv was not wealthy. He lived on a f.r,o most of his life. And your mother u,as not a very beautiful woman. l saw her nicture in your home the other day. che had just plain, good, motheriy ssce She was just the kind of woman ,,,a would have supposed your father .o,Id have married. She would not nave f shone as the queen of a ball-room She .,,as the queen of the needle and the best aoor vou have ever known. Your rather .,,ant most of his time in tho fields; she -ra,,t most of her time in the kitchen apd- The nursery. And yet you honor your ! .s,o.her inst as much as though she had ! haan the most beautiful woman that { .,o, lived and as if her fingers had been 1,stro,,s with diamonds. And you pro- nounce your fathers name with as much