Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 April 1885 — RELIGIOUS MATTERS. [ARTICLE]

RELIGIOUS MATTERS.

BY REV. T. C. WEBSTER.

WHY? There is no question so frequently askod as-why. Why is this, and why is that? The poor man. as lie toils on day alter day, from early morn till late at night, and secures but a scant support for his family. as he looks upon his neighbor, who, perhaps, does not labor'lialt so hard, and sees prosperity and success attend every effort, anil lhat he continually gathers about him the "riches of earth, until his coffers aro full of glittering gold, eye he is aware there falls from his lips—why is it thus? Am I not as industrious as he? Do I not live as economically and manage my affairs with equal propriety? Then why am I kept poor, while he becomes rich? The blind man says- Why,—do I have to grope my Way in darkness and distress. While those around nie, no belter than myself, are blessed with good eyesight I have tried to walk uprightly before Grpd arid mam and yet I am sorely afflicted. Why is it? The cripple, who goes through life on his crutches, often asks—Why—am 1 denied a perfect physical frame? What have I doue, more than others, that I should thus suffer ? The invalid, as he gradually and surely wastes away under the power of disease, now scorched by fever, then racked with pain, through long weary days and sleepless nights, and looks on the friends, healthy and cheerful, that stand by his bed of pain, asks, why do I have to suffer, while others go free? The broken hearted parents bid farewell to their orily child, and with trembling hands smooth down its cold brow in the last

sleep, then return to the desolate home, only to look on the empty crib, and the little play things, and listen, but in vain, for the patter of little feet, and now and then visit the the lonely grav'd that contains the sacred dust of the dear form so often and so fondly caressed; as they look, through tears, into the homes, where the death angel has not gone, but the family circle remains unbroken, and the same question comes: Why was our child taken, and theirs leftP And so we might go on enumerating the various cases of disappointments and bereavements, and the same “why” would tremble on every lip, and echo in every heart. Would you have mb answer the question? I wish I could; but there is no answer now. These are some of the “secret things, that belong unto God.” He has not seen fit to reveal them to men. Angels, if they know, have not unlocked the mystery,. Our redeemed loved ones, who have passed through the shining portals of day, and understand it all, have not come back to tell us any thing about it. It is not necessary that we should know. It would not make us, really, any wiser or better. We know if these afflictions are regarded and used by us, as they should be, they will be sanctified to our good in this life, and when we stand out yonder in the pure light that lalls from the great “White Throne,” all of these mwsteries \ o; v will be revealed; and, I have no doubt, as Infinite Wisdom unfolds them to us, that we will rejoice that they ever came to us; and as we sit down under Celestial bowel's, and, with the saved, talk it all over, that we shall see it was all for our good, and be abundantly satis-' fled. Until then let us meekly kiss the the chastening rod, looking forward to the time when earth's inequalities shall be made right, and its toils shall end in the peaceful rest and fruitions of Heaven. *Obey implicitly tho three-fold precept: “Walk not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful:” by the grace of God keep out of temptation's way. ... c are laborers together with God.” There need be no idle hours. Christien brother, thrust in thy sickle and reap the golden grain, for the g.truer in the j skies, lie in ha-te lest the storms -f i earth beat it down, and it perish forever. J ’ 1 G d beds the wild dowers on the lonely mountain side, without the help of man, and t ey ar c as fresh and lovely, as l ose t ut are daily watched over in our gardens M> God can fee.* his own planted on'ps, withouftae hoip q: man, by the sweetly failing dew of his spirit. ' v