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"Affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground."-Job v. 6.

T is a common thing for men to look upon pain as wholly evil. The human heart shrinks from it, just as the leaves of the sensitive plant curl up at the touch of one's finger. Some people will even do wrong-tell falsehoods, neglect duty, displease God, in order to escape suffering.

Whole branches of human industry are devoted to the work of preserving or delivering men from pain. And the Ideal Life of many persons is a simply pleasurable existence-a golden summer day without a cloud.

But deeper reflection shows that suffering is not thus purely evil-a thing to be utterly feared and hated. Scripture and human experience both testify that it is not a mere useless destructive force, like rust which dims the brightness and eats away the substance of iron, or like mouldering decay which soon destroys the sweetest fruitbut that it is often an instrument employed by God for the good of men.

VOL. XXIX.

E

say

Let not any one think that I treat suffering lightly when I this. Full well do I know that the sighs and groans which float on every passing breeze, the cares which furrow many a brow, and the pains which rack many a human frame, are not to be talked about as mere trifles. The young and inexperienced may thus regard them, but not those who have themselves wept bitter tears and borne the heavy burden of sorrow. People who tread on the mountain tops of prosperity may speak carelessly about life's trials, but not those who have often descended into the valley of adversity, and walked amidst the gloomy shade of the cypress tree. Suffering men need tender treatment; and surely the tenderest, kindest conduct is to convince them that there is a Divine purpose in earthly tribulation; that it is not the work of chance or fate, that "affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground." Let me offer two general observations on the subject:

man.

I. SUFFERING CANNOT BE WHOLLY EVIL. First: A life without trouble would be one of the worst things for What would be the moral effect, if it were possible for a person to go through this world from the cradle to the grave, without pain of body or sorrow of heart? What would be the result, if such a man possessed as much wealth as he could desire, if he never wished for power or fame without obtaining it, if he never found his schemes fail nor his friends prove false? Why his freedom from trouble would be a curse to him. His sinful heart would be puffed up with pride; he would be unable to sympathize with his fellow-men in their trials; he would forget his God, and would cry in his self-sufficiency—"I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing" -and yet all the while would be "poor and blind and naked."

Secondly: Nothing which is a necessity of our nature is utterly evil. "Man is born unto trouble as the sparks fly upward." Suffering is one of those things which no one can avoid in this imperfect state of existence. We may

refuse to believe that sorrow will be our lot, we may dream of uninterrupted prosperity, but presently we shall be awakened with a rude shock, and find that we too are frail mortals. We may employ every precaution to guard against the approach of trouble, but it will come from some unexpected source-just as a bird builds its nest for security in the topmost branch of a lofty tree, and then sees the fierce hawk swoop down upon its treasures, or the wild tempest hurl them to the earth. Suffering is the universal lot of man-a necessity of his present nature and condition; and it would be a reflection upon the Divine goodness to suppose that anything which must be is wholly and inevitably hurtful. Black clouds without a thread of silver lining, dreary nights never to be followed by a fair dawn, fires of suffering which torture but do not purify-think you that the Father of Mercies dooms the children of men to evils such as these? No; this may be the case in a world forsaken of God, but cannot be in a world where Infinite Wisdom and Love still reign.

Thirdly: The innocent often suffer. A great deal of pain is endured which cannot be deemed retributive, cannot be termed punishment. Look for a moment at the animal creation. What sufferings are experienced by multitudes of birds and beasts and fishes! "The whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now," and yet animals do not bring all this trouble upon themselves by their own demerit. Think also of the sorrows which men unjustly endure-the cruel wrongs of poor slaves, innocent prisoners, and oppressed peoples! What undeserved trials war brings upon thousands-peasants are driven from their homes, widows' hearts break, and the

Then too, men

wail of the fatherless rises heavenward! frequently suffer for righteousness' sake, are despised and ill-treated because they will speak the truth and obey the voice of conscience! And is it possible that such sufferings can be borne in vain? Our moral instincts rise up against the supposition. Uses, wise purposes, there must

be in all these earthly trials.

Fourthly: The most highly gifted natures are the most susceptible of pain. Nothing is more certain than that the same outward influences are more hurtful to some people than to others. The surgeon's knife inflicts exquisite agony on one person, and comparatively trifling pain on another. The biting sarcasm will deeply wound the sensitive heart, but will hardly make a dull nature wince. The same kind of sin will be a burden to the Christian conscience, but will not cause the least uneasiness to the hardened sinner. The finer organizations, the minds capable of the noblest thoughts and the deepest feelings, suffer most acutely. If then pain were utterly hurtful, it would be enough to make us wish for a narrower range of being. If suffering were an unmixed evil, genius would be a calamity, and the tender heart a misfortune.

Fifthly Jesus Christ condescended to endure suffering. It is impossible to believe that the Son of God would do or endure anything without a worthy end in view. Waste of energy and feeling is incompatible with the Divine Wisdom. Suffering must, then, have noble uses, since the Lord Jesus made it the very element of his life for three and thirty years. The fierceness of temptation, the scorn of evil men, the unfaithfulness of friends, the dull pain of loneliness, and the weeping of bitter tears, are capable of yielding precious results, or else the Saviour would not have stooped to know such sorrows. Yes, the dark rough path of trial is not always to be avoided, for Christ has left sacred footprints upon it. The crown of thorns is not

wholly hurtful, for He wore it on His brow. The Cross of shame is not utterly evil, for He once bore it upon Calvary's steeps. The other general observation we offer is :

II.

SUFFERING ANSWERS USEFUL PURPOSES. Pleasure is often an end in itself, something which we desire for its own sake; but Pain is only a means to an end. This fact at once marks out the general use of suffering, and shows that it is medicinal, disciplinary. Going into detail

First: It is a Motive Power in the development of Civilization. Dissatisfaction lies at the root of progress. Place men where the conditions of life are easy, where there is plenty of food to be had for the gathering, and where the climate is so genial that there is little need of clothing and shelter, and they will continue to live a mere sponge-like or butterfly-like existence. But place men where suffering threatens them on every side, where hunger impels them to hunt, or sow corn, and the bitter cold urges them to manufacture warm garments and to build comfortable houses-and lo! they are started on the great path of human progress. Pain quickens man's inventive genius, forces him to acquire dominion over the world around him, and drives him to wrest from nature her useful secrets. Susceptibility to pain has also greatly influenced the world's social and political growth, has impelled oppressed nations to break off the tyrant's yoke, and has led them to establish freedom on a firm basis, and to originate wise, righteous laws. The world would not have been what it is to-day, civilization would have lacked some of its noblest elements, but for the stimulative power of suffering.

Secondly: It is one of the great Regenerative Forces of Society. There are seasons when evils grow to a head in communities and nations, and nothing but suffering can purge them away. Enlightened men point out the injustice

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