Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-04-28

because they wero 20 busy that the Apos-
ties and the dcvout women had no doubts.
ldleness not only leads man into as
sociations which harm his morals, but
often thrusts upon him the worst kind OF
skepticism. Loafers are almost always in
fdels, or fast getting to be. Consummate
oilers never read the Bible and if they ap-
pear in church can be distinguished in an
audience of u thousand by their listless-
ness, for they are too lazy to hear. 1t is
not so much among occupied merchants,
Industrious mechanics and professional
men always busy that you hear the reli-
gion Of Jesus maligned, as in public
lounging places, given up to profanity and
dissoluteness. They have no sympathy
with the Book that says, Let him that
stole steal no more; but rather let him
labor working with his hands the thing
which is good, that ne may have to give
to him that needeth."
l never knew a man given up to thor
ough idleness that was converted. Simon
and Andrew were converted while fishing,
and Lydia while selling purple, and the
shepherds of Bethlehem watching their
flocks heard the voice of angels, and Gid
con was thrashing on the thrashing floor,
but no one was ever converted with his
hands in his pockets. Let me tell the idler
that there is no hope for him either in this
world or in the world which is to come.
If the Son Of God, who owned the whole
universe, worked in the carpenter shop of
Joseph, surely we, who own so little, yet
want so much, ought to be busy. The re-
deemed in heaven are never idle. What
exciting songs they sing
On what messages Of love they fly
through all the universe, fulfilling Gods
high behests and taking worlds in one cir
cult; rushing with infinite fierceness
against sin and cruelty and oppression,
and making the gates Of hell to quake at
the overthrow of the principalities of dark
ness, and in the same twinkle of an eye
speeding back to their thrones with the
news of sinners repentant. The River of
Life is ever flowing, and the palms ever
waving, and the hallelui abs ever rising,
and the harps sver sounding, and the tenn
pie always open, and the golden streets
always a-rush with chariots of salvation,
and the last place which you ought ever to
want to go TO is heaven, unless you want
to be busy.
Alas, my hearers that in this world
there should be 50 many loungers and SO
few workers. We go into the vineyard Of
the church and we hear the arbor groan
under the hcft of the vines and the clus-
ters hanging down, large and thick and
ripe, cluster against cluster, fairer than the
lunches of Eshcol and Engedi, and at a
touch they will turn into wine NOR, ruddy
han that of I.ibanus and Helbon. But
where are the men to gather the vintage
and tread the wine press? There comes to
your ear sound of a thousand wheat
fields ready for the sickle. The grain is
ready. 1t is tall, it is full, it is golden.
1t waves in the sunlight. 1t rustles in the
wind. 1t would fill the barns. 1t would
crowd the gamers. After awhile 1t will
lodge, or the mildew and the rust will
! smitc it.
REAPERS IN TIE WORLDS HARVEST
Oh, where are the reapers to bind the
! sheaYes! The enemies Of God are mar.
shaled. You see the glitter of their buck
| lers. You hear the paving Of their chargers
and all along the line of battle is heard the
| shout of their great captain, and at the
armies of the living God they hurl their
| defiance. They come, not in numbers Xix
| the host of Sennachcrib but their multi
| tude is like the leaves of the forest, and the
| sound Of their voices like the thunder of the
sea. Mailed in hcll's impenetrabe armor
they advance with the waving Of their
banners and the dancing of their plumes
lhelr RANKS are hoI easily TO he broken
Tor the batteries OF hell Will open to hell
lheh ana ten Thousand angels OF darkncN'
nllhSie III thc hKht' W mere are the choSrI
| lew VINO Will throw themselves INTO the
jaws of this conflict?
hlhg James gave to SIR John Scott fol-
ms courage, IA charter OF arms with NUM-
Der Oh spears LOT the crest ana the motto
teauy! aye ready ana yet, when Goo
III I. /
calls us to the work ana the cause demands
our eSpousal ana interests dreadful as tie
Judgment ana solemn as eternity trembl'
III the balance, now rev OF us are willing
TO throw ourselves INTO the breach, crying
READY aye ready
On should IKE TO see TOD arise fol
the defense OF has own cause and the dis
ehthralment OF world IN bondage! How
the letters would snap ana now the dark
ness would ny, ana now heaven would
sing on nave never seen an army Ilk'
'haI Whlch "od shall gather from the fou
WINGS OF heaven TO h9ht ms battles. Ihc'
sha'l cover every Allltop ana strctcl
through every valley ana man the vessel
on every sea There snail neither be up
roar nor wrath nor smoke nor bloodshed
liarNeStS snail not lie waste IN the traCi