The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-05-18

thing to do with that property got into
trouble about 1t. It 10 just 30 with this
world; everybody that has had any thing
to do with It, n Q possession. has been in
perplexity. How was 1t with Lord Byroni
Did he not sell his immortal soul for the
purpose OF getting the worldl Was he sat-
isfied with the possessioni Alasi alas!
the poem graphically describes his case
when 1t says:
Drank every cup Of JOY.
Heard every trump Of fame;
Drank early. deeply drank.
Drank draughts which common millions might
have Quenched,
Then died Of thirst because there was no moro
to drink"
o, yes, he had trouble with it, and so did
Napoleon. After conquering nations by
the force OF the sword he lies down to die,
his entire possession the military boots
that he insisted on having upon his feet
while he was dying. SO it has been with
men who had better ambition. Thack.
cray, one OF the most genial and lovable
souls. after he had won the applause Of all
intelligent lands through his wonderful
genius, sits down In q restaurant in Paris,
looks at the other end Of the room and
wonders whose that forlorn and wretched
face is; rising up after awhile he finds that
1t is Thackeray in mirror. O, yes, this
world is cheat Talk about man gain
ing the world! Who ever gained half
OF the worldl Who ever owned q
hemisphere Who ever gained continentl
Who ever owned Asial Who ever gained
o citya Who ever owned Brooklynl Talk
about gaining the world! No man ever
gained 1t or the hundred thousandth part Of
it. You are demanding that sell my soul,
not for the world, but for fragment of it.
Here is q man who has had large estate
for forty or fifty years. He lies down to
die. You say: THAT man is worth millions
and millions Of dollars" Is hel You call
up u surveyor, with his compass and
chains. and you say: There is property
extending three miles in one direction and
three miles in another direction"
Is that the way to measure that mans
propertyl No; you do not want any sur
veyor with his compass and chains. That
is not the way you want to measure that
mans property now. 1t is an undertaken
you need, who will come and put his finger
in his vest pocket and take out tape line,
and he will measure five feet nine inches
one way and two feet and q half the other.
That is the mans property. o, no; for.
got; not so much as that, for he does not
own even the place in which he lies in the
cemetery. The deed to that belongs to the
executors and heirs. U, what q property
you propose to give me for my soul! II
you sell bill Of goods you 60 into your
counting room and say to your partner:
do you think that man is good for this
billl Can he give proper securityl Will
he meet this paymentp Now, when you
are offered this world as possession
want you to test the matter. I do not want
you to 60 into this bargain blindly. Iwant
you to ask about the title, about the insur-
ance, about whether men have ever had
any trouble with 1t, about whether you can
keep it, about whether you can get all, or
the ten-thousandth, or one-hundred-thOu-
sandth part Of it.
There is the world now. shall say no
more about 1t. Make up your mind for
yourself, as ! shall. before God, have to
make up my mind for myself about the
value Of this world. I can not afford to
make mistake for your soul.
Now, let US look at the other property
the soul We can not make bargain with
out seeing tho comparative value. The
soul! How shall estimate the value of il |!
Well, by its exquisite organization. 1t is
the most wonderful piece Of mechanism
ever put together. Machinery Is Of value
in proportion as it Is mighty and silent ut
the same time. You look ut the engine
and the machinery in the Philadelphia
mint, and, rs you see it performing its
wonderful work, you will be surprised how
silently it goes. Machinery that roars and
tears soon destroys itself; but silent ma
chinery is often most effective. Now, SO it
is with the soul OF man, with ali his tre-
mendOus facultles-it moves In silence.
Judgment, without any racket, lifting its
scales; memory, without any noise, bring
ing down all its treasures; conscience TAX
ing its judgment-seat without any excite
ment, the understanding and the Will all
doing their work. Velocity. majesty,
might; but silence-silence. You listen at
the door Of your heart. You can hear no
sound. The soul is all quiet. 1t is so deli
cate an instrument that no human hand
can touch it. You break bone, and with
splinters and bandages the surgeon sets It;
the eye becomes inf1amed, the apothecary's
wash cools it; BIT q soul OF the track I'M
balanced, no human power can readjust it.
With one sweep Of its wing it circles the
universe and overvaults the throne Of God
Why. in the hour Of death the soul is so
mighty, it throws aside the body as though
it were a toy. 1t drives back medical skill
as impotent. It breaks through the circle
of loved ones who s,and around the dying
couch. With one leap it springs beyond
star and moon and sun, and chasms OF
immensely. o, it is q soul superior to all
material things! No fire can consume it;
no floods can drown it; no rocks can crush
it; no walls can impede it; no time can
exhaust it. 1t wants no bridge tn cross a
chasm. 1t wants NO plummet with which
to sound depth. A soul so mighty, so
swift, so silent, must be a priceless soul
calculate the value Of the soul, also, by
its capacity for happiness. How much joy
1t can get IN this world out OF friend hips,
out of books, out Of clouds, out Of the sea,
out of flowers, out Of ten thousand thingsi
and yet all the joy it has here does not test
its capacity. You are in q concert befor
the curtain HOSTS, and you hear the instru-
meuts preparing-the sharp snap Of the
broken string, the scraping OF the bow
across the viol. There is no music in
that" you say. 1t is only getting ready
for the music. And all the enjoyment Of
the soul in this world, the enjoyment we
think is real enjoyment, is only prepare
tive; it is only anticipative; 1t is only the
first stages Of the thing; it is only the en-
trance. the beginning Of that which shall
be the orchestral harmonies and splendors
of the redeemed.
You can not test the full power Of the
soul for happiness in this world. How
much power the soul has here to find enjoy
ment in friendships! but q. the 9rander
friendships for the soul in the skies! How
sweet the flowers here! but how much
sweeter they will be there! l do not think
that when flowers die on earth they die
forever. I think that the fragrance Of the
flowers is the spirit being waited away
into glory. God says there are palm trees
in Heaven and fruits in Heaven. II so,