The Great Falls leader. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1888-1900, 1889-01-20
Our Now Years Discourse,

his New Years sermon. The theme,
"Does it pay?" is an all-absorbing sub
ject with us all. With many it is the one
question of their lives. From coal pit to
mountain-peak; from the Hereford cattle
ranch to the New York exchange of bulls
and bears; from the cotton and rice fields
of the South to the wheat prairies and
pine forests Of the North; from the cabin
Of the placer digger to the palace of the
millionaire; from the shaft Of the pros
pector to the mansion of the mine owner;
from the prince to the peasant; from
youth to tottering age, Of both male and
female, the question is, Will 1t pay?
And from shop and store, from bench and
block, from dam and drift, from seine and
sea, from farm and forest, and from mine
and from mill accumulate the millions.
The barns become too few, the bins too
SMALL The little one-story store is ex-
changed for the siXfoored wholesale house
with elevators, and the unpretentious
millinery shop is transformed into an
VI A0oA1OAs kl1hb tlAu 61VluS
displace the calicoes and cottons, broad
cloths and beavers the fustian and the
corduroys. Pomp, pageantry and equip
age eclipse the slight adornments of other
days, and VIC are horne away into the
giddy mazes Of mundane glory
Far, far o'er hill and dell,
On the wind stealing,
List to the tolling bell
Monrnfully pealng:
"Hark! hark!' 1t seems to say.
As melt those sounds away,
80 life's best Joys decay.
Whilst new their feeling"
A plumed hearse, slowly ymoving pro-
cession with liveried coachmen attract
the public gaze for moment. The
cemetery reached, Il casket of dust is
committed to its kindred dust again and
the silent grave has closed over the form
that but an hour before was animated
with life, and love, and enterprise.
Here is a diary Of human existence.
We live as if it were all OF life to live and
all of death to die. It is not so. At the
grave our dual life has but just begun.
The Master, who laid down His body
that He might take it up again, and thus
set us the ensample, said, "If man gain
the whole world and lose his own soul,
what shall it profit him?"
There are treasures that we can carry
with lis as we speed from these familiar,
pleasing scenes to brighter realms and
purer joys. Not the purple robe, the
sceptre, nor the crown; not the palatial
mansion, the ottomans, nor the coupon
bonds. No-all these are within the
power of decay and death. But the grace
of life, the comeliness of look that virtue
gives, the port erect with consciousness
of truth, the rich attire Of honorable
deeds, the fair report that's rife on good
mems tongues-they cannot lay hands on
these, no more than they could pluck his
brightness from the sun or with polluted
finger tarnish it.
Will it pay? Yes-to lay up for our
selves the riches that repay good actions
here. No-not to heap up gold as noun
tains, and gilded palaces and plate and
servants like the orient, with avarice and
lust corroding the heart and polluting
the mind. Will this pay? Ask the hosts
who have been crushed to perdition by the
gains Of oppression; the legions who have
unnamed and demoralized themselves
by dissipation. Will it pay? Yes!-go
to the humble abode of virtue and of
trust in Providence. See!there is the
angel of gentle peace, there are the sera-
phim of mercy, truth and love; there the
deep-fowing river Of the waters Of life.
o, yes! it will pay to SOW the seeds Of
kindness and to open our hearts to re-
ceive the benediction of Him who sittcth
upon the circle Of the heavens and who
doeth all things well:
For the Lord God Is a Sun and Shield; He
Giveth grace and glory, and no good thing
viii He withhold from them that walk uprghtly