Affliction comes to us, not to make us sad but sober; not to make us sorry but wise. What a mother sings to the cradle goes all the way down to the coffin. Troubles are often the tools by which God fashions us for better things. Rain! whose soft architectural hands have power to cut stones, and chisel to shapes of grandeur the very mountains. Riches are not an end of life, but an instrument of life. That is true culture which helps us to work for the social betterment of all. The dog was created specially for children. He is a god of frolic. The strength of a man consists in finding out the way God is going, and going that way. The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but the thankful heart will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings. Theology is but our ideas of truth classified and arranged. | 
