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osperity is the sunshine that he has sent； and Faith； as she weeps； beholds a bow in the clouds。
The religious man takes things as they come； but how？ In a reverent and filial spirit； a spirit that obeys and trusts because God has ordained。 He refers； behind the event； to the will that declares it。 And yet； this will be no formal lifeless resignation。 He will not be stripped of his manhood； or become unnatural in his religion。 His resignation will not be the cold assent of reason； or the mere rote and repetition of the lips。 No； it will be born in struggling and in sorrow。 Religion is not a process that makes our nature callous to all fierce heats or drenching storms。 Neither is he the most religious man who is calmest in the keen crisis of trouble。 I say in the crisis of trouble…for to human vision there always is a crisis。 We cannot penetrate to the secret determinations of God； and in the season of care and affliction there is a time when the issue is uncertain；…when we cannot say it is sealed。 What shall we do then？ Is human agency nothing？ Grant that we are driving down a stream；…can we use no effort？ Is there not a time when deeds； struggles； prayers； are of some avail？…when the spirit； in its intense agony； with swollen strength and surging tears； heaves against the catastrophe； if yet； perchance； it may ward it off？ Truly； there is such a time； and the humblest disciple of Christ may weep as he also wept。 But let him also strive as Christ strove。 Let him not dash his grief in rebellious billows to the throne； let not his groans arise in resentful murmurs； let the remembrance of what God is and why he does； be with him； and let the filial； reverent trust steal in；…〃Not my will； but thine be done。〃 That reference to God； that obedience to him； rising from the very depths of sorrow； and clung to without faltering； is RESIGNATION。 It shall bestow peace and victory in the end。 O！ how different from that sullen fatalism that lets things come as they will。 To such a soul things do come as they will； and it hardens under them；…they do come as they will； but it sees not； cares not； why they come。 No thought goes up beyond the cloud to God；…no strength is born that shall make life's trials lighter；…no love and faith that will seek the Father's hand in the darkest hour； and shed an enduring light over the thorny path of affliction； and upon the bosom of the grave。 Look at these two。 Outwardly； their calmness may be the same。 Nay； the one may evince emotion and tears； while the other shall stand rigid in the hour of calamity； with a bitter smile； or a frown of endurance。 But in the one is strength； in the other rigidity； in the one is power to triumph over sorrow； in the other only nervous capacity to resist it。 The one is man hardened to indifference； sullen because of irreligion； upon whom some sorrow will one day fall that will peel him to the quick； and he will not know where to flee for healing。 The other is man contending against evil； yet not against God；…man with all the tenderness and strength of his nature； impressible yet unconquerable； walking with feet that bleed among the wounding thorns； and a heart that shrinks from the heavy woe； yet； all lacerated as he is； able to walk through； because he holds by the hand of Omnipotence。 The one is the unbending tree； peeled by the lightning and stripped by the North wind； lifting its gnarled head in sullen defiance to the storm； which； when the storm does overcome it； shall be broken。 The other also is rooted in strength； and meets the rushing blast with a lofty front。 But as 〃it smiles in sunshine； so it bends in storm；〃 trustful and obedient； yet firm and brave； and nothing shall overwhelm it。
I trust I have succeeded in impressing upon you the difference between Christian resignation and mere hardihood； or indifference。 Resignation is born of discipline； and lives only in a truly religious soul。 We have seen that it is not incompatible with tenderness； nay； it is more valuable； because it springs up in natures that have thus suffered and wept。 To see them become calm and pass with unfaltering step through the valley of affliction； when； but now； they shrunk from it； is a proof that God indeed has strengthened them； and that they have had communion with him。 The unbeliever's stubbornness may endure to the end； but no human power could inspire this sudden and triumphant calmness。
And even when the crisis is past； when the sorrow is sealed； it is not rebellion to sigh and weep。 Our Father has made us so。 He has opened the springs of love that well up within us； and can we help mourning when they turn to tears and blood？ He has made very tender the ties that bind us to happiness； and can we fail to shrink and suffer when they are cut asunder？ When we have labored long in the light of hope； and lo！ It goes out in darkness； and the blast of disappointment rushes upon us； can we help being sad？ Can the mother prevent weeping when she kisses the lips of her infant that shall prattle to her no more； when she presses its tiny hand； so cold and still；…the little hand that has rested upon her bosom and twined in her hair； and even when it is so sweet and beautiful that she could strain it to her heart forever； it is laid away in the envious concealment of the grave？ Can the wife； or the husband； help mourning； when the partner and counsellor is gone；…when home is made very desolate because the familiar voice sounds not there； and the cast…off garment of the departed is strangely vacant； and the familiar face has vanished； never more to return？ Can the child fail to lament； when the father； the mother；…the being who nurtured him in infancy； who pillowed his head in sickness； who prayed for him with tears on his sinful wandering； who ever rejoiced in his joy and wept in his sorrows；…can he fail to weep when that venerable form lies all enshrouded； and the door closes upon it； and the homestead is vacant； and the link that bound him to childhood is in the grave？ Say； can we check the gush of sorrow at any of life's sharp trials and losses？ No； nor are we forbidden to weep； nor would we be human if we did not weep；…if； at least； the spirit did not quiver when the keen scathing goes over it。 But how shall we weep？ O！ Thou； who didst suffer in Gethsemane； thou hast taught us how。 By thy sacred sorrow and thy pious obedience thou has taught us； by thy great agony and thy sublime victory thou has taught us。 We must refer all to God。 We must earnestly； sincerely say； 〃Thy will be done。〃 Then our prayers will be the source of our strength。 Then our sorrowing will bring us comfort。 〃They will be done；〃 repeat this； feel this； realize its meaning and its relations； and you shall be able to say； with a rooted calmness； 〃The cup which my Father hath given me； shall I not drink it？〃
〃The cup which my Father hath given me； shall I not drink it？〃 Who shall be able to say this as Jesus said it？ They who struggle as he struggled；…who obey as he obeyed；…who trust as he trusted。 There are those upon earth who have been able to say it。 It has made them stronger and happier。 There are those in heaven who have been able to say it。 They have gone up from earthly communions to the communion on high。 Do you not see them there； walking so serenely by the still waters； with palms about their brows？ Serenely…for in their faces nothing is left of their conflict but its triumph； nothing of their swollen agony but the massy enduring strength it has imparted。 They have ceased from their trials； but first they learned how to endure them。 They submitted； but they were not overwhelmed。 When sorrow came； each pious soul struggled； but trusted； and so was able to meet the last struggle；…was able to say as the shadow of death fell upon it； 〃The cup which my Father hath given me； shall I not drink it？〃 They were resigned。 Behold…theirs is the victory！
The Mission of Little Children
〃And Jesus called a little child unto him； and set him in the midst of them。〃 Matthew xviii。2。
Everything has its mission。 I speak not now of the office which each part of the great universe discharges。 I speak not of the relation between these parts；that beautiful ordinance by which the whole is linked together in one common life； by which the greatest is dependent upon the least； and the least shares in the benefactions of the greatest。 In this sense； everything has； strictly； its mission。 But I speak of the influence； the instruction； which everything has； or may have； for the soul of man。 The flower； and the star； the grass of the field； the outspread ocean； are full of lessons； they perform a mission to our spiritual nature； if we will receive it。 We may pass them by as simply material forms； the decorations or conveniencies（sic） of this our natural life。 But if we will come to them in a religious spirit； and study all their meaning； they will be to us ministers of God； impressive and eloquent as human lips； and filled with truths instructive as any that man can utter。
Jesus illustrated his teachings by these objects。 He made everything that was at hand perform a mission for the human soul。 The lilies of the field were clothed with spiritual suggestion；