The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-10-03
The Elder Brother.

The Elder Brother forms the dark
background of one of the brightest, low
Hest, and most charming pictures in the
gospel history. Mark his scowling feat
ures as he stands there amid the black
shadows of hate, envy. jealousy. cold and
frigid as an iceberg. I" He was angry, and
would not go in" He does not say,
"My brother" hut, This, thy son-this
fellow" The voluptuous strains of mnsic,
the radiant cbeerfuluess, the general glad
ness, and the festive Joy with which they
celebrate the return of the long lost son,
together with the earnest entreaties of the
father avail not to stir the pathos of his
soul. His heart throbs with no pulse of
Joy; he remains without. "nursing his
wrath to keep it warm" This elder
brother is not merely an analogue of the
Scribes and Pharisees to whom the para
BILE was first addressed. but he is also a
type-the idealzed representative of
character. This episode holds up the
mirror to that self-righteous and dogmatic
surliness which cries down all churches
and creeds except its own; which deems
Its own kith and kin the very cream and
acme of society. Like the Wandering
jew" the elder brother never dies. "Men
may come and men may CO." but this
typical character "goes on forever" OF
him it will never be written that che has
gone glimmering down the stream of
things that were." He burns beneath
tropical suns and shivers amid Arctic
SHOWS, but still survives. and will be here
when the trump of God shall sound.
"Who is this elder brother ?" was once
asked in an assembly of ministers at FL
herleldt, when the venerable Daniel Krum-
macher sprang to his feet and made
answer, al know him very well; / met
him Yesterday" "Who is he ?" eagerly
asked the brethren. "Myself." was the
prompt and emphatic reply. He went on
to explain that on the previous day.
hearing that an ill-conditioned person had
received gracious visitation of Gods
goodness, he felt not little envy aud irri-
tation. Where is the man who dares to
say that he never played the role of the
elder brother Does not elder-brotherism
crop out everywhere, in church and state,
in families and communities The finan-
cial success and prosperity of A kindles
the fires Of envy and hate in the bosom of
neighbor B. Ahab covets Naboth's vine-
yard. Jonah is moody, fretful, peevish
and petulant, because the heather city is
not overthrown ; weighed in the angry
prophets balances against the grateful
shade of his precious gourd," how quick
the souls of the teeming thousands of
Nineveh kick the beam let the lightniugs
OF retributive wrath consume the wicked
city, but spare my "gourd.' Envy is the
vilest of passions. 1t loves shining
mark. 1t seeks to dim and becloud the
lustre it cannot out-shine. 1t is "pure
soul-sin." Its bases is not physical, but
psychical. 1t has its throne in man.
spiritual nature; and yet, considered in
reference to its effects, it is "rottenness in
the bones." 1t is a fire that burns in the
soul. 1t has in it more pure and unmixed
demonism than any other passion. 1t is
not confined to any special class. 1t not
unfrequently preys upon the mind of the
great philosopher, who ascertains the dis
tances, calculates the periods, and un.
braids the light of the stars. On two
occasions elder-brotherism got the mastery
ct the lofty soul of the gentle, loving
John. ave saw one casting out devils,
and we forbade him." On another occa-
sion he wanted to call fire down from
heaven and consume certain inhospitable
Samaritan village. "You know not what
spirit ye are Of" said Jesus. We all have
need to pray that the blessed fires of love
might come down from heaven to burn
up our egotism and enrich our characters
with the true Christian gold. Envy is
not only vile passion, but is also pain.
full. 1t is armed with double barb that
stings itself while it wounds others.
Envy at each others good malignant poison
sitting on the soul
double woe to him infected with It,
OF inward pain the heavy load he bears,
At sight Of Joy without he mourns
The jealousy that begrudges your neigh
Dor his gladuess, fills your own soul with
more than Egyptian darkness, and effectu
ally shuts out every ray of the Sun Of
Righteousness. The Ancient Mariner
"whose soul had been alone on wide
wide sea-" teaches the wedding guest {
lesson we would all do we'll to learn
Farewell farewell; but this tell
To thee, thou wedding guest:
He prayeth well who loveth we'll
Both man, and bird, aud beast.
He prayeth best who oveth best
All things both great and small;
For the dear God who oveth us
He made and loveth ALL
Rev. 4. r. Glenn, IN Christian at Work