Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-02-20
Jupn0YISG OPPORTUNITIES.

Take therefore the talent from him, and give
it unto him which hath ten talents.-MAT
THEW XIV: %.
The world is full of men and women
who are clamoring for increased priv
leges, religious, social and political.
Though not, like Oliver Twist, fed on
short allowance, they are nevertheless
continually asking for more. They may
be possessed of reasonable share of this
worlds goods, yet they are not satisfied
but are grasping for a greater store. They
may have the right to believe and preach
whatever religious doctrine they may
please, yet they want the privilege of
forcing others to accept the theories they
entertain. They may have all the privi
leges of citizenship, but are not content
unless they are permitted to hold office
perpetually.
use of the privileges they enjoy. The
rich man does not enjoy his money. He
is usually selfish, sordid, unsympathetic,
and in no respect desirable company for
any one. He might alleviate distress
dry many tears and put to fight many
sorrows-but he neglects those opportuni-
ties, and in effect buries his talentsin the
ground. Some Christians partake of the
same disposition They think they en-
Joy divine favor and are filled with the
grace of religion, but imagine there is not
enough to go around, and so hoard it as a
miser does his gold, being particularly
careful to allow none to suspect they pos
sess it. Men and women are asking for
= enlarged political powers, though they
make but poor use of those they possess.
Like the women who have so recently
been petitioning the Legislature for in
creased citizenship, they do not use the
influence they already possess, but bury
it in the ground, and are not able to
give a good account of their stewardship
when the day of reckoning comes.
Unhappily there is no human master
who can hold men and women to strict
account for the privileges they enjoy
If there was he would say to the rich
man who neglects his opportunities,
Surrender what you have and give it to
those who know how to benefit mankind
by discussing the bounty you have re-
ceived. He would say to the religious
man whose predominating quality is self
ishness, Disseminate the truths of the
gospel freely as you have received them,
or do not dare to call yourself Christian.
He would say to the women of Minnesota,
Vote to make the schools of the State
what they should be before you have the
presumption to ask the privilege of regu-
lating other matters. He would, in short,
insist that whether person has one or
ten talents, the best use should be made
of them before more are granted
Protesting Christians are exceedingly
lax both in practice and precept in en-
forcing the duty of every man to properly I
employ his talents with which he has
been endowed. Some fritter away their
opportunities heedlessly; others are too
indolent to care whether they do right or
wrong, and still others are utterly regard
less Of the welfare and happiness of others
as long as they themselves enjoy the lux
urles of life.
A word spoken in season is like
apples Of gold in pictures of silver,
yet the time when that word might be
spoken is permitted to pass by, often to
the detriment of of q human soul and the
wreck of life. A kindly deed that costs
nothing may frequently avert a great
deal of unhappiness and suffering; a
cheerful look may dry the moisture upon
the tear-stained check and inspire hope
in the dropping or despairing heart.