The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1894-10-12

= man who, seeing himself mirrored In
a stream, became so enamored of his OPP
pearanco that he died Of the effects IL
lustrates the fatalities under which
thousands of both sexes have fallen by
the view of their own superiority. Ex-
traordinary capacities cause extraordi.
nary temptations Men who have good
moral health down in tho valley ON the
top Of the mountain are seized Of con-
sumption.
Monimia, the wife of Mithridates,
was strangled with her own diadem.
While the most of us will not have the
SAME kind of temptation which Hadas.
sab must have felt from her attractive
ness Of personal appearance, there may
be some to whom it will be an advan-
tage to hold up the character of the
beautiful captive who sacrificed not her
humility and earnestness of disposition
to the worlds admiration and flattery.
The chief secret OF the beauty of the
violet is that, away down in the grass,
from one week rs end to another. it never
mistrusts that it is violet.
bad Home Influences.
Again, our subject exhibits what re-
ligion may be under bad domestic influ.
ences. Hadassah was snatched from the
godly home into which she had been
adopted and introduced into the abom-
Unable associations Of which wicked
Ahasuerus was the. center. What a
whirl of blasphemy and drunkenness
and RIGHTEOUSNESS! No altar. no prayer,
no Sabbath; no God! II this captive
girl can be Christian there, then it is
possible to be Christian anywhere.
There are many of tho best people Of
the world who are Obliged to Contend
with the most adverse domestic influ-
enccs, children who have grown up into
the love of God under the frown of par
ents, and under the encouragement Of
bad example. Some sister of tho family
having professed the faith of Jesus is
the subject of unbounded satire inflicted
by brothers and sisters. Yea, Hadassah
was not the only Christian who had a
queer husband 1t is no easy matter to
maintain correct Christian principles
when there is companion disposed to
scott at them and to ascribe every i'm
perfection of character to hypocrisy.
What hard thing for one member Of
the family to rightly keep the Sabbath
when others are disposed to make it a
day of revelry, or to inculcate propriety
of speech in the minds Of children when
there are others to offset the instruc.
tions by loose and profane utterances, or
to he regularly in attendance upon
church when there is more household
work demanded for the Lords day than
for amy secular day. Do speak to any
laboring under these blighting disadvan-
tages? My subject is full of encourage.
ment. Vast responsibilities rest upon
you.
BE the One Good Man.
Be faithful, though you stand as
much alone as did Lot In Sodom, or
Jeremiah in Jerusalem, or Jonah in
Ninevch, or Hadassah in the court Of
Ahasuerus. There are trees which grow
the best when their roots clutch among
the jagged rocks, and you verify have
but poor soil in which to develop, but
grace is thorough husbandman and
can raise crop anywhere. Glassware
is nodded over the fire, and i'll the same
way you are to be fitted as vessel of
mercy. The best timber must have on it
saw and gouge and beetle. The founda-
ton stone of yours and every other
house came out only under crowbar and
blast. Files and wrenches and hammers
belong to the church. The Christian VIC
tory will be bright just in proportion as
the battle is hot. Never despair being
thorough Christian in any household
which is not worse than the court Of
Ahasuerus.
Finally our subject illustrates what
religion may be in high worldly posi-
ton. The last we see in the Bible Of
Hadassah is that she has become the
queen of Persia. Prepare now to see the
departure of her humility and self sac
rifice and religious principle. As she
goes up you may expect grace to go
down. 1t is easier to be humble in the
obscure house of her adopted father than
on throne of dominion. But you mis-
judge this noble woman. What she was
before she is now-the myrtle. APP
plauded for her beauty and her crown,
she forgets not the cause Of her suffer
ing people, and with all simplicity of
heart still remains worshiper of the
God of heaven.
Dangers In Prosperity.
Noble example followed only by a
very few. / address some who, through
the goodness of God, have risen to posi-
lions OF influence in the community
where you live in law, in merchandise,
in medicine, in mechanics and in other
useful occupations and professions. You
hold an influence for good or for evil.
Let us see whether, like Hadassah, you
can stand elevation. Have you as much
simplicity of character as once you evi.
denced? Do you feel rs much dependence
upon God, as much your own weakness,
as much your accountability for talents
intrusted, or are you proud and override
manding and ungrateful and unsympa-
thetic and worldly and sensual and dew
ilish? Then you have been spoiled by
your success, and you shall not sit on
this throne with the heroine of my text
In the day when Hadassah shall come
to the grander coronation, in the pres
ence of Christ and the hammered hosts
of the redeemed, you will be poor in
deed. Oh, there are thousands of men
who can easily endure to be knocked
down of misfortune who are utterly
destroyed if lifted up of success. Satan
takes them to the top Of the pinnacle Of
the temple and shoves them off. Their
head begins to whirl, and they lose
their balance and down they 60.
While last autumn all through the
forests there were luxuriant trees, with
moderate out branch and moderate
height pretending but little, there were
foliage shafts that shot far up, looking
| down with contempt on the whole for
est, clapping their hands in the breeze
and shouting, Aha, do you not wish
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