The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1909-11-25
Victory Over Trouble.
BY THE REV. JAMES E. G. SAWYER, D.

BY THE REV. JAMES E. G. SAWYER, D. D.
Into every life great trials come.
There are some who for years are SEEM
ing!y remarkably exempt from serious
Affections, disasters and sorrows; but
even to them the days Of trouble finally
come. Most people taste the bitter cup
early in life, and are called to drain it
more than once. The forms of affection
are manifold. The many suffer disap-
pointments and reverses; others become
suddenly MANNED for life, many more lose
their health, becoming chronic invalids;
others are suddenly reduced from pros
perity to perjury, all sooner or later are
called to suffer agonizing bereavements.
There are those-and their number is not
small-who seem continually pursued by
trouble; to others life's greatest calam-
tiles and sorrows come with startling
suddenness, like the terrible and destruc-
tive tempest that so swiftly darkens the
sky on peaceful and smiling summer
day, filling the whole horizon with black
terror, illumined only by the flashing
thunderbolts. In one way or another
great Affections come to all. "Man is
born to trouble, as the sparks fly up
ward" Not few are crushed by their
disasters and bereavements; they are
made despairing and rebellious. Others
who suffer grow the stronger through
their Affections. How may we be pre-
pared to bear our troubles? How may
we be fore-a armed against the storms and
battles of life?
One of the elements of serenity and
strength in times of disaster or bereave-
ment is the habit of faithful and regular
labor. He that feels that he has some
definite task for which he is responsible
will be strengthened to endure by his
habit of faithful service Work is one of
Gods angels of comfort The man on
whom rests some great responsibility, like
the command of an army in active serv-
ice in time of war, or the command of
ship at sea, or the construction of great
railroad bridge, or some noble edifce,
cannot supinely surrender to trouble.
and his necessary devotion to his tasks
may be the very thing that will keep his
heart from breaking A smaller respon-
sibility may serve similar helpful pur-
pose, especially if it involves the daily
discharge Of regular round of duties.
To grid ourselves for the humblest of
regular tasks strengthens the heart to
bear trouble. The frmness of the will
required by fidelity to duty tends to re-
store serenity to the agitated and dis
tracted heart. Active employment is an
antidote to morbid brooding. Richter
says: "a busted heart is like vessel of
water swung round; hold it still and it
runs over"
Intellectual resources are source of
strength and comfort in seasons of trouble
and distress. We do not mean that thew
supply a philosophy which can explain
the mystery of suffering, but that love
OF books, or of art, or of science, or of
the beauty of nature, has a broadening
and strengthening influence on the mind
and heart, and that wide outlook on the
world OF nature and of men will minister
to noble endurance as we'll as supply
many source of wholesome distraction
from the continual contemplation of per-
sonal affection.
A still nober kind of relief from un-
due dwelling upon personal sorrow is
found in sympathy and care for others.
A loving regard for the welfare of those
about US, and unsefsh devotion to their
comfort, the habit of ministering to their
needs and of sympathizing with them in
their trials, will greatly support US in sea-
sons of severe disappointment or person
al bereavement. Our unwilingness to
burden others with our griefs will help
US to bear them bravely and quietly
Self-sacrifce does not create insensi-
bility to suffering but it gives strength
to endure it with fortitude and even with
cheerfulness.
Strength for the victorious endurance
of many of life's disasters and troubles is
afforded by an understanding and appre-
citation of real values. The prime object of
life is not pleasure, or ease, or personal
promotion. Still less is it wealth. 1t is not
happiness. but character In the fires that
purify one can be content if he has no
love for dross. The sorrows of childhood
are real, but transient. By becoming a
aspirations are spiritual, who hunger and
of life's storms. They do not feel them.
They look down upon them. They see
them from above and so behold them
TRANSPORTED and glorifed by eternal sun
shine. A noble spiritual aid will subor-
dlnate all of life's events to itself, get
ting gain to character from adversity as
well as prosperity. All things work to-
gether for the realization of the Hottest
ideals Of those who have spiritual vision
and aspiration. All the events of our
life, including our affections, are material
out of which we may make what we will.
The soul that yearns for completeness
will win glorious gain from losses and
crosses and Misunderstanding bereave-
ments.
The supreme source of resignation and
comfort in suffering and sorrow is trust
in the loving heavenly Father, the Father
of mercies and God of all comfort, who is
revealed in the Scriptures and especially
in the character and the sufferings of
Jesus the Christ. An inward assurance
of filial relationship to God is an unfail-
ing support in trouble of every sort and
every degree. To know that God him
self heals all our sorrows, and is the ten
der and svmpathizing COMPANION of OLE