El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-12-04
Nearing the Edge Of Ruin
Most Mems Faith in Providence
Limited to sights Too Many
Pray without Hustling.
BY MADIsOs C. PETERS.

w TaEN Sir James Thornhiu was
NJ painting the inside of the Gu
pOla OF St Paul's. London. he
stepped back to see the effect of his
work. and came. without observing II,
so near the edge Of the scaffoiding
that another step would have proved
his death. friend saw the danger
rushed forward and. snatching up a
brush. rubbed it straight over the paint
ing. Sir James. transported with rage,
spring forward to save MS work, and
received the explanation: "Sir, by
spelling the painting, have saved the
life of the painter
Has not a kind Providence many
times wrought thus TO save us? Often
in our blind idolatry we have walked
near the verge OF utter ruin. And when
nothing else would save up. a strange
kind Providence has broken our reverie
by some startling act, and when our
rage was over we have found that a
kind heart guided the destroying hand
and that mercy presided at the ruin Of
our hopes.
Most mems faith in Providence is
limited TO sight Like the woman when
the horse ran away. she was asked II
she put her trust in Providence. sEe
said she did until the preaching
broke"
God must be trusted even when His
Providence seems to run counter TO
His promises. The wheels IN a clock
move contrary one to another, some one
way, some anothes yet al serve the in
tent OF the maker to show the time
So in the world. the ProVidences Of God
seem TO run cross TO His promises, yet
all IN the conclusion accomplish the di-
vine purpose.
No Diamond Fit Until Cut.
No diamond is fit for a crown till L
is cut and the more il is cut the bright
er il sparkles- The worlds greatest
merchants. inventors. statesmen, ora
tors and refOrmers have gotten their
force from trouble Bunyan wrote his
Pilgrims Progress" On the untwisted
papers used TO cork the bottles Of milk
brought for his meals in prison. Milton.
during the long years OF his blindness.
held on held out. and his ma gnificent
epic was the immortal outcome
Our estimate Of LIES trials and dis
appointments viii be modified by the
standpoint from which we see them
When We close our eyes to things tenn
poral and open them 10 things eternal.
physical or mental pain even the fall
ures in our business Iife, VIII appear as
part Of Gods great disciplinary plan BY
which our highest moral good is
worked out
A good old English mother had two
sons on the seas captains Of vessels
she prayed daily for their safety. But
there came a time when one son was
other leaving Gibraltar for England. II
the good old woman prayed that the
wind blow with the son leaving home
II would be a contrary wind TO the son
coming home The perplexed woman
was at a standstill before the throne
Of grace She had never been in such a
perplexity before; but at last il oc-
Cured to her that instead Of praying
for fair wind she had better pray for
side wind and the side wind was favor
able to both captains.
Hustle While You Prny.
This illustrates how Providence comes
to our relief Trade is bad unless some
thing is done you viii 90 to the wall
You pray for more customers, but God
can't send the customers to you with
out taking them from your neighbor
who is likewise Up against it But is It
useless to pray because Of that2 God
loves both you and your neighbor, and
II you sincerely supplicate his help. and
hustle while you pray, some side wind
viii come from a direction you never
dreamed OF, that VIII help you This
is a practical lesson every successful
business man must learn.
But suppose in spite OF your faith
fortune fails and business disappOint-
menrs bar the gates Of SUGGEST Pow
erty is not the worst thing that can
happen to a man Unmixed Business
prosperity is oftentimes most narroW-
ing and hurtful. The ministry OF hard
times teaches US that we should not
pass our bounds and glory too much IN
worldly prosperity