The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-09-05
The Bung and the SpigOt.


the vessel is filed But there is another
opening into which is inserted a spigot,
through which the contents are to flow
out. The one is the door of admission,
the other the door of departure. The
office of the former must not be con-
founded with the office of the latter. Few
persons need any instruction on the para
BILE of the bung and the spigot. But the
particular kind of folly that would be ex-
emplifed in using the spigot for the bung
is not very hard to find. The rarest and
best endowment outside of the grace of
Christ in the human heart, is the pos
session of common sense. 1t is question
whether there can be healthy growth of
religion on any soil that is not enriched
by this wonderful fertilizer. How natu-
raj it is for us to designate those who
have made high attachments in holiness
as persons of remarkable sense Those
who have been distinguished as teachers
of religion have been noted prominently
for that which Sir William Hamilton is
pleased to call "the faculty of first princi-
ples;" but which is ordinarily known by
the designation of common sense. When
a sinner takes God at his word and adapts
himself to the Divine method of salvation,
he gives the very best evidence that he
possesses the faculty of "first principles
This be needs at every subsequent step of
his progress just as much as at the be-
ginning. We must have the wisdom that
cometh from above. The "horse sense"
that commands such high premium, has
its origin, no doubt, very often in Gods
guidance. 1t is not possible to trace dis
| 1.,o 4kaA H.
of this world from that which is the result
of the grace of Christ. We so often see
people of the world so well furnished with
common sense, and we see so many in the
church who are scantily supplied with
this commodity, that we are perplexed.
The solution of the mystery must be
found in the fact that grace cannot be
substituted for brains. The religion OF
Christ raises man spiritually, but en-
cages not to increase his mental calibre.
In the olden time, "the children of the
world were in their generation wiser than
the children of light" Is it not so now
Among the many who profess faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ, how frequent the de~t
atoms from the line of common sense
AS it is painful to look upon thing to
which life belongs from which life has
departed, so it is unpleasant to con-
template the conduct of one who pro-
fesses to walk in wisdom, but whose pur-
suit is folly In order to walk worthily
of our vocation, the highest wisdom is re-
quired. There are points to be observed
as well as points to be overlooked; and
there are some adaptations to be made,
and some to be avoided; and there are
times when we must be fearful, as well as
times when we must be courageous. It
is still true that there is that scattereth,
and yet increaseth and there is that with
holdest more than is just, but it tendeth
to poverty. The liberal soul shall be
made fat, and he that watereth shall be
watered also himself He that with
holdeth corn, the people shall curse him
but blessing shall be upon the head of
him that selleth it. He that trusteth to
his riches shall fall; but the righteous
shall flourish as branch" Our religion
is designed to give as well as to receive,
and it should be our aim to do both wisely.
There is homely proverb that reads
thus: " Saving at the spigot and wasting
at the bung." Any one who would liter.
ally so use his barrel of molasses or vine
gar, would be regarded as fool. But in
the ordinary practice of Christianity this
is sometimes done. We have all observed
the tricks of trade" employed by wide
awake business men in order to draw Gus
tom. And, on the other had, we have
seen men standing in their own light, and
failing miserably, for want of ordinary
wisdom in securing that which was almost
within their reach. 1t is charged that
men sometimes employ their standing in
the church as means of promoting theil
worldly business. But what right have
we to Judge the motives of those who have
secured the confidence of the Christian
public and are now doing what they car
to hold it? 1t is their prerogative to
manage their own barrels. If they use
the bungs and spigots properly, they dc
well, and they command our respect. But
when men invert the proper order OF
things, and labor to save at the spigot
while the bung is open, we may wei
doubt their sanity. We then say they
are penny-wise and pound.foolish. Here
is specimen of the economizing referred
to. A business man entered the church
by profession. He was in moderate cir
cumstances, and not at all Indifferent tc
the Importance of securing custom. The
attention OF the congregation was now
drawn particularly to him, and some Of
the best families resolved to patronizt
him. Suddenly, however, he took offence
at the action of the church officers in set
ting price upon the pews. He regarded
the assessment on his own as So beyonc
what he would pay. There was no com
pulsion for him to pay anything, and he
was urged to let the matter drop and at
tend the church as usual. But be saw
proper to absent himself. He had RICH
to do so the church also had right to q
elsewhere to make purchases. A shrewt
old business man estimated that in thi
persistent determination to save So h,
drove away from his counter $500 wortl
of custom, He saved at the spigot, a
least, but he lost at the bungl We hav
!. all heard of the children who discovered
a hornets nest in their fathers barn
: They resolved to get rid of the pest. Fir
was applied, the end sought was &C
complished, and more too-the hornets
nest disappeared, and the barn also Blu
0 have we not also seen children of large
1 growth doing foolish things2 We hay