Connecticut western news., 1892-04-28


 with their own ax hewn health out of log. or with their own scythe garnered health from the grain field.
 FOOLISH PRIDE ABOUT WORK.
 There are many who estimate the responsibility of an occupation by the little exertion it demands, and would not have their children enter any em- ployment where their hands may be soiled: forgetting that laborer's over alls are just as honorable as a priests robes and an anvil is just as respectable as pulpit. Health flies from the bed of down and says, Il Icannot sleep heres" and from the table spread with ptar- migan and epicurean viands, saying, "I cannot eat here:" and from the vehicle of soft cushions and easy springs, say ing, "I cannot ride here;' and from houses luxuriously warmed and uphol- stered, saying, II cannot live here;" and some day you meet Health, wno declined all these luxuriant places, walking in the blows furrow, or swcltering beside the hissing forge, or spinning among the looms, or driving a dray or timing aroof or carrying hods of brick up the ladder of a wall.
 Furthermore, notice that incidence endangers the soul. Satan makes his chief conquests over men who either have nothing to do, or, if they have, re- fuse to do it. There is legend that St. Thomas. years after Christs resurrec- tion, began again to doubt. and he went to the apostles and told them about his doubts. Each apostle looked at him with surprise and then said he must be excused for he had not time to listen any longer. Then St. Thomas went to thedevout women of his time and expressed his doubts. They said they were sorry but that they had no time to listen. Then St. Thomas concluded that it was because they were so busy that the apostles and the devout women had no doubts.
 likeness not only leads q man into associations which harm his morals, but often thrusts upon him the worst kind of skepticism. Loafers are almost al- ways iniidels, or fast getting to be. Consummate idlers never read the Bible, and if they appear in church can be distinguished in an audience of thou sand by their listlessness, 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 religion 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 he may have to give to him that needeth."
 Inever knew man given up to thor ough idleness that was converted. Si- mon and Andrew were converted while fishing and Lydia while selling purple. and the shepherds of Bethlehem watch ing their focks heard the voice of angels, and Gideon was thrashing on the thrash ing 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 the world which is to come. If the Son of God, who owned tine whole universe, worked iu the carpenter shop of Joseph, surely we. who own so little yet want so much, ought to be busy. The redeemed in heaven are never idle. What exciting songs they singl
 On what messages of love they fly through all the universe, fulfilling Gods high behests and taking worlds in one circuit, 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 darkness, 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 hallelujahs ever rising, and the harps ever sound ing, and the temple always open, aud 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.
 SORE NEED OF WORKERS.
 Alas, my hearers, that in this world there should be so many loungers and so few workers. We go into the vineyard of the church and we hear the arbor groan under the heft of the vines, and the clusters hanging down, large and thick and ripe, cluster against cluster, fairer than the punches of Eshcol and En. edi, and at touch they will turn ir wine more ruddy than that of Lib ..iIs and Helbon. But where are the men to gather the vintage and tread the wine pressG There comes to your ear a sound of a thousand wheat fields ready for the sickle. The grain is ready. It is tall, it is full, it is golden. It waves in the sunlight. 1t rustles in the wind. 1t would fill the barns. It would crowd the gamers. After awhile it will lodge, or the mildew and the rust will smiteit.
 Oh. where are the reapers to bind the sheaves? The enemies of God are mar shalcd. You see the glitter of their bucklers. 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. ghey come not in numbers, like the hosts of Sennacherih. but their multitude is like the leaves of the forest aEd the sound of their voices like the thunder of the sea. Mailed in hell's impenetrable arbor, they advance with the waving of their banners and the dancing of their plumes. Their ranks are not easily to be broken, for the batteries of hell will open to help them, and ten thousand angels of dark ness mingle in the fight. Where are the chosen few who will throw themselves into the jaws of this conflicty
 King James gave to Sir John Scott, for his courage, charter of arms with number of spears for the crest and the motto, "Readyl aye, readyl" and yet when God calls us to the work and the cause demands our espousal and inter- ests dreadful as the judgment and sol- emn as eternity tremble in the balance, l how few of us are willing to throw onr-