Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-04-28

accomplishes his purpose; without it he be
comes disheartoned and fails. With IL he
controls his own movements, and is power
to influence the conduct Of others without
it, he loses his own individuality and be-
comes a creature OF circumstances, passive,
driven and tossed by the winds OF others
opinions. A double-minded man is unsettled
lis unstable in all his ways. We SEQ docis-
ion of character and perseverance, exempli-
fed In the conduct Of Napoleon. BY these
he accomplished the objects of his ambition
fame and wealth and power and glory.
He chose as his calling, military warfare. He
familiarized himself with everything which
appertained to 1t as profession and a science.
He had confidence in IL as a means to an end
that IL would procure him the highest OBJ
jects of his ambition-glory, honor and pow
er. Hence his earnestness and perseverance.
In crossing the Alps, he inquiries of the en-
gineer who had just explored the wild passes
of st. Bernard, If it is possible TO pass.
Barely possible" answered the officer.
Very well, says Napoleon, ''GdUdnceW and
at the head of his army Of above 30, 600 men,
with their arms, horses and artillery he COM
mences the arduous passage. The mountains
seem TO bid defiance to the utmost efforts of
the martial host but dangers and difficulties
deter him not like the gale that watts the
vessel sooner into port, they only urge him
on toward the object of his ambition. "And
over slippery glaciers, wide-yawning ravines,
and eternal SHOWS he conducts the army; he
braves the fury of the tempest and the crash
of the avalanche, he seizes dangers and diff.
cultes as allies, he rises with the storm, his
faith is equal to the emergency-to what
seems iusurmountsble-and barely possible
only urges him on to victory; he overcomes
every obstacle and swoops upon Italy like the
Alpine eagle upon his prey"
WIaN. n = g.. -,
be; whatever his attainments otherwise;
whatever else he may be or possess, to COM
plete his character and show himself man,
he must be decided Christian-must be q
good soldier of Jesus Christ To the Chris
tian soldier decision is Of the utmost impor-
lance. He has chosen the Christian warfare
as means of procuring to himself glory,
honor, Immortality, eternal life. 1t is neces-
sary, therefore, for him to know what be-
longs to his calling TO know himself, his du-
ties aud privileges; to know the way, its dan
gers and difficulties to know his enemies,
their methods and power to know the cap
tain Of his salvation, the Spirit and word of
God; TO have living, practical faith, by
which he shall overcome and win crown of
life He may have to encounter powerful
opposition, dangers and difficulties, but if
decided, he can say, 'none of these things
move me-my heart is fixed will sing and
give praise" and having fought good fight,
and finished his course, and kept the faith,
there is laid up for him crown of righteous
ness.
When Pizarro was on his second expedition
to Peru, on one occasion, worn out by fa-
tigue and disease, many Of the Spanisrds
wished TO give up the enterprise. Pizarro
called them together drew a line on the sand
with bis sword from east to west and thus
addressed them: Comrades, on that side
are toll, hunger, nakedness the drenching
storm, battle, and death on this side are
case aud safety. But on that side lies Peru
with its wealth on this side is Panama with
its poverty. Choose, each man, what best
becomes a brave Castiian For my part,
go to the south" With these words Pizarro
crossed the line and thirteen of his company
followed. So we say to you, fellow travellers
to eternity, in drawing the line between right
aud wrong. sin and holiness, life and death,
in endeayoring to bring you to q decision
on that side, that is, on the side of Christ,
truth and holiness, are crosses, toll and con-
hct On this side that is, on the side of the
world and sin, are sinful pleasures for sea-
son but on that side are riches enduring,
pleasures forevermore, glory and honor and
Immortality, eternal life on this side, pow
erty, misery and death. Choose what best
becomes mGn-accountable, immortal man,
Christ and heaven. With Joshua say, "But
as for me and my house, are tcW ser0e the
Lord"
Stand firm for the right. In every ques-
ton involving mans present and eternal
good, right and wrong, truth and error, JUS
tice and injustice, virtue and vice, corruption
and interruption, show thyself a man in the
practice and defense of all that is noble good
and pure, by e1alting the right and putting
down the wrong. In the midst of moral, po-
s.,l ,.,1. 81 l.
compromise with sin. Never seek to please
any man, or gain favor at the sacrifice of
principle, at the expense of truth and a good
conscience, notwithstanding you may and
ought to accommodate yourself to circum-
stances and conform to customs, so far as you
can consistently with pure gospel, innocen-
cy, sincerity and truth and to exercise wis
dom and prudence, and even give up your
own preference, will, ease and pleasure, that
you may win souls to Christ. Be bold, cour-
ageous. fearless like Daniel Paul, Luther,
Knox, Wesley, whitefeld. Be strong. New
er sell the truth at any price-it cost too
much. Never be bribed. Never sell your
birthright or liberty, or conscience, or vote,
! for a filthy bribe. Never submit to any hu-
man law which is antagonistic to the divine
law. The Scriptures teach us that we must
be loyal, must obey the civil laws under
which we live, and the peace and welfare of
society depend upon it. But at the same time
our duty to obey depends upon whether the
laws are impartial, just and humane; whether
| they are in accordance with the law of God,
since mo human power has divine authority
to legalize what is wrong, nor to prohibit
that which is morally right" And when ty-
rants make unrighteous and cruel edicts and
statutes and enforce them, like Daniel of old,
| it is our duty to resist and keep on praying,
or with the three Hebrews exolaim, ''be it
known unto thee, o, king, that We will not
serve thy gods, nor worship the golden i'm
age which thou hast set up" Or, with the
apostles of our Lord, we ought to obey God
rather than men. TO his scepter they bow
ed, as king supreme and Lord of ALL" not
fearing those who kill the body only, but
Him who has power to destroy both soul and
body in hell While it is the duty of Chris
tians TO obey the civil laws of the land, and
while the civil arm is raised in defense of
| Christianity, yet no civil authority has any
right whatever TO control the consciences of
Christians in matters of religion, nor to make
laws to govern the church, nor to interfere
with the laws of the church, so long as they
| do not conflict with the laws of the land.
Sd. Show thyself man towards others
1st by generosity. What is more becoming
a manly character, what better characterizes
manly virtue, what Is more noble, Christ-like,
than a magnanimous soul? But how mean,
contracted and despicable a parsimonious
spirit It is contrary to all that is manly and
| Christian.
I'd, By courtesy. You cannot determine
the character of a man by the coat he wears.
He may be clad in costly and rich attire, and
yet be a miserable, pro6igate wretch. On
the other hand one may be poorly clad, and
yet have a heart adorned with shining vir-
tues Man being in honor sbideth not he
is like the beasts that perish Made in the
image of God, he has descended in the scale
of being, even below the brute. How are the
mighty fallen While ridiculous ceremonies,
and hollow compliments, and superficial man
ners, and ostentation, and incivility, pride,
and ain-glory are out of place and character,