Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1890-12-04

instruments were ordered. and the we'll OF
nearly four thousand years ago was sunk
through the solid rock.
When Jacob thus wisely insisted on hav-
ing his own we'll he taught us not to be un-
necessarily dependent on others. Inde-
pendence Of business character. indie
pendence Of moral character. Independ-
cnce OF religious character. Have your
own we'll OF grace. your own we'll of cour-
age, your own we'll OF divine supply. If you
are an invalid you have a right to be de-
pendent on others. But II God has given
you good health, common sense and two
eyes, and two ears. and two hands, and two
feet. He equipped you for independence
OF all the universe except himself. II lie
had meant you to be dependent on others
you would have Eeen built with cord
around your waist to tic fast to somebody
else. No; you are built with common
sense to fashion your own opinions, with
eyes to find your own way. with ears to
select your own music. with hands to fight
your own battles. There is only one being
in the universe whose advice you need, and
that is God; Have your own we'll and the
two hundred feet of solid rock. Dig it
with your pen. or dig it with your yard
stick. or dig it with your shovel, or dig it
with your Bible.
In my small way I never accomplished
anything for God or the Church. or the
WOIAus OE my SclAs
except in contradiction to human
advice and in obedience to divine
counsel God knows everything and
what is the use OF going for advice to
human beings who know SO little that no
one but the all-seeing God can realize how
gan to dig this we'll on which We are sit
ting this noontide. people gathered around
and said; ''What a useless expense you
are going to. when rolling down from
yonder Mount Gerizim and down from
yonder Mount Ebal. and out yondcr in the
valley Is plenty of water!" 'Oh,' replied
Jacob. 'that is all true. but suppose my
ncishbors should get angered against me
and cut Oft my supply OF mountain bever-
age. what would do, and What would my
family do. and what would my fOcks
and herds do! Forward, ye brigade
of pick-axes and crowbars, and go down in
to the depths OF these rocks and make me
independent of all except Him who fills the
bottles OF the clouds! I must have my
own well!''
Young man, drop cigars and cigarettes,
and wine cups. and the Sunday excursions
and build your own house and have your
own wardrobe and be your own capitalist!
"Why. l have only five hundred dollars
Income year" says some one. Then
spend four hundred dollars OF II in living
and ten per cent OF it, or fifty dollars, in
bencvolencc. and the other fifty in begin
ming to dig your own we'll. Or. il you have
thousand dollars u year. spend eight
hundred dollars of 1t in living, ten per
cent, or ono hundred dollars, in benevo-
lence. and the remaining one hundred in
beginning to dig your own we'll. The larg-
est bird that ever flew through the air was
matched out OF ono egg, and the greatest
estate was broOded out OF one dollar.
suppose when Jacob began to dig this
well on whose curb VIC are now seated this
Dccpp1h nr IT W 9 n nv then n G
now, and some one comes up and say;
Now. Jacob, suppose you get the well fifty
feet deep or two hundred feet deep and
there should be TO water to fill 1t. would
you not feel silly?" People passing along
the road and looking down from Mount
laugh and say: THAT is Jacobs we'll. a
great hole In the rock, illustrating the
mans folly" Jacob replied. ''There
never has been a well in Palestine or any
other country. that once thoroughly dug
was not sooner or later filed from the
clouds, and this will be no exception" For
months after Jacob had completed the we'll
people went by and out OF respect for the
deluded old man put their hand over their
mouth to hide smoker, and the well re-
manned as dry as the bottom OF u kettle
that had been hanging over the fire for
three hours. But one day the sun was
drawing water. and the wind got round to
the east and it began to drizzle and then
great drops splashed all over the well-curb.
and the heavens opened their reservoir and
the rainy season poured its floods for six
weeks, and there came maidcns to the well
with empty pals and carried them away
full, and the camels thrust their mouths
into the troughs and were satisfied, and the
water was In the we'll three feet deep, and
fifty feet deep, and two hundred feet deep,
and oil the Bedouins OF the neighbOrhoOd,
ana all the passers-by realized that Jacob
was wiss in having his own we'll My
nearer. 1t is your part to dig your own
well and 1t Is God 8 part to fill 1t. You do
your part and He will do His part.
Much Is said about good luck" but peo-
pie who are industrious and self-denying
almost always have good luck. You can
afford to be laughed at because Of your ap-
plication and economy. for when you get
your we'll dug, and filled. 1t will be your
turn to laugh.
hut look up from this famous we'll, and
sec two mountains and the plain between
them on which was gathered the largest
reatgiOuS audience that ever assembled on
earth, about live hundred thousand people.
Mount Gerizfm. about eight hundred feet
high, on one side and on the other. Mount
Ebal. tho former called the Mount Of Bless
ing and tho latter called the Mount OF
Cursing. At Joshua's command six tribes
stood on Mount Gcrizim and read the bless
inss for keeping tho law, and six tribes
stood on Mount Ebnl reading the curses for
breaking the law, while the five hundred
thousand people on the plain cried Amen
with an emphasis that must have made the
earth trcmble. Il do not believe that"
says some ono, ''for those mountain tops arc
two miles apart, and how could voice be
heard from top to top:" My answer is that
while tho tops are two miles apart. tho
bases OF the mountain are only half q mile
apart, and tho tribes stood on the sides of
the mountains. and the air is so clear,
and tho acoustic qualities of this great
natural amphithcatre so perfect that voices
can be distinctly heard from mountain to
mountain as has been demonstrated by
travellers fifty times in the last fifty years
Can you imagine anything more thrilling
and sublime. and overwhelming than what
,ranspired on those TWO mount ain sides. and
In the plain between, when the RESPONSIVE
service went OF, and thousands OF voices on
Mount Gcrzm cried. ''Hlessed shalt thou
be IN the city, and blessed shalt thou De In
the fields blessed shall be thy basket and
thy store!" and from Mount Ebal thousa nds
OF voices responded, crying: Cursed be he
that removcth his neighbours landmark!
Cursed be he that makcth the blind to wan
der out Of the way and then there rolled