Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-02-11

proper working Of our mind. We are apt
to take it for granted that the intellect
which has served us so well will always be
faithful We forget that an engine with
such tremendous power, when the wheels
have such vastness of circle and such swift
ness of molten and the least impediment
might put it out of gear, could only be kept
in proper balance by divine hand.
No human power could engineer this
train of immortal faculties. How strange
1t is that our memory, on whose shoulders
all the successes and misfortunes and oc-
currences Of lifetime are placed, should
not oftener break down, and that the scales
Of Judgment. which have been weighing
so much and 40 long, should not lose their
adjustment and that fancy, which holds
dangerous wand, should not sometimes
malcously wave it, bringing into the
heart forebodings and Authorizations the
most appalling
Is it not strange that the expectations of
this intellect should not be dashed to pieces
on its disappointments? Though so deli
cately attuned this instrument of untold
harmonies plays on, though fear shocks it,
and veXatons rack it, and sorrow and joy
and loss and gain in quick succession beat
out of it their dirgc. or draw from it their
anthem. At morning and at night, when
in your prayer you rehearsc the objects OF
your thanksgiving, next to your salvation
by Jesus Christ, praise the Lord for the
preservation of your reason.
DEGRADATION By DRUGS
How many fine ntellects are being de-
stroyed by anodynps and anesthetics, which
were given by Providence for occasional
use in alleviation of pain or insomnia, but
by being employed continuously after
awhile capture and destroy. Chloral, CO.
caine. bromide of potassium, opium and
whole shelves of seductive etceteras that
help turn ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS into imhecility
or madness DO not trife with opiates that
benumb the brain If you cannot live
without the perpetual and enslaving use
of them, you had better die. Better die a
sane man than live fool What right
have you to kill your brain and put in wild
janGle your nervous system? But rum is
the cause of more insanity than anything
else There is nothing like rum to put a
man like Observation-Disclosures down on all
tours.
Again, learn how quickly turns the
wheel of fortune; from how high up to
how far down went ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Those now in places OF position and power,
even though they should live, will in u
few years be disregarded, while some who
this day are obscure and poverty stricken
will ride up on the shoulders of the people
to take their turn ut admiration and the
spoils of Office Oh, how quickly the wheel
turns Ballot boxes are the steps on which
men come down rs often as they go up.
OF those who were II few years ago sue
ceSsful in the accumulation of property,
how few have not met with reverses OF
fortune. while many of those who then
were stratenCd in circumstances now hold
the bonds and the bank keys of the nation
and win the most bows on the exchange.
OF all tickle people in the world Fortune
is the most tickle Every day she changes
her mind. and woe to that man who puts
any confidence in what she promises or
proposes. She cheers when you 90 up and
she laughs when you come down. Oh,
trust not a moment your hearts affections
to this changeabe world Anchor your
soul in God From Christ's love gather
your JOY. Then come sorro" or gladness,
success or defeat, riches or poverty, honor
or disgrace, health or sickness, life or
death, time or eternity, all are yours, and
ycare ChriSt's and Christ is Gods.
Learn also from my subject the comfort
ing truth that Affections are arrested as
soon as they have accomplished their mis-
sion. For seven years did Nebuchadnezzar
dwell among the beasts of the field, but at
the expiration of that time his reason re-
turned, and rs soon As with proper humility
he acknowledged the God of heaven he was
brought back to his palace and reinstated
in his former atlluence and power. Now,
il does seem that when heavy trials come
upon us it is as though they had no limit
We eXclaim, "All thy waves and thy bill,
lows have gone over me-" bat forget that
the depth of that sea and the power of that
billow are definitely determined.
God sees how much our pride is and be
sends Just enough adversely to humble it.
He sees Just how worldly minded we are
and pulls US Just hard enough to detach
US from our follies He sees how hard oul
heart is and smites just hard enough tc
break it. He sees how our eyes have been
blinded and he cuts only just enough tc
remove the scales from our spiritual vision.
AS soon as Abraham's faith is sufficiently
tried the lamb is provided. As soon as
Pharaoh consents to let the children OF
Israel depart the plaques pause. As soon
as the lsraeltcs have been sufficiently dis
ciplined by their wanderinGs, they find
their way into Canaan. But to some the
limit is not set in this life. Their whole
pilgrimage is through the wilderness and
tue NOflu u 10 tneln Il valley OF tears.
But perhaps God has Il special throne in
heaven that no ordinary saint can occupy
and by extraordinary trials he has pre-
pared that Christian soul for extraordinary
glory God will not keep you in the fur
mace one moment too long, just as soor
as Paul had met with enough imprson
ment and scourgings he reached up and
pluckcd his eternal crown. God will keeE
US no longer under the hammer and on tht
stocks than is necessary to tit us for en-
trance into the haven of eternal rest
Glory be to the divine grace that as sooI
as our Affections have accomplished theil
mission, they are arrested.
SUFFERING EXCITES THOUGHT.
The defeats and sorrows of life have
sometimes been the greatest advantage
1t was because Dante failed as a states
man that he gave up politics and wrote
his immortal "Dviua Commcdia." 1t was
a violent thunderstorm that first set Mar
tin Luther seriously thinking, and the
thunder of this worlds disaster has start
ed many a reformation. James Y. Simp
son went from "A Surgeons operating table
tn pynrri1nput and seq if he cOull NOT Gnf