The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-07-27

the university, stands ia g pulpit
widely influential and preachoe
righteousness, Judgment and tem-
perance, and thousands during his
ministry are b1 essed. The other lad
who got the collegiate education goes
into the law, and thence into legisla-
tive halls. and after a while he com
mands listen ng senatea as he makes
3 plea for the downtrodden and che
0utcast One Of the younger boys be-
comes a merchant starting at the foot
Of the ladder but elm bling on up nm
I'll his success and his philauthropic1
are recognized all over the land. The
other son stays at home because DO
prefers farming life, and then he
thinks he will be able TO take care of
father and mother whan they get old
OF the two daughters. when the war
broke out one went through the hose
pitfalls Of Pittsburg Landing and For
tress Monroe cheering up the dying
and homesiclx and taking the laat
message to kindred far away. So that
every time Christ thought Of her be
said. as Of old. 1.-THE same is my sister
and mother" The other daughter
has q bright home of her own, and Gas
the afternoon or the forenoor, when
she has been devoted to her household.
she goes forth TO hunt mp the sick and
to encourage the discouraged, leaving
smiles and benediction all along the
way.
But one day there start Eve tele-
grams from the village for these Eve
absent ones. saying: Come. mother
ID dangerously i'll" But before they
can be ready TO start they receive an
other telegram, saying: Come.
mother is dead. The old neigh bora
gather fla the old farm honse TO do che
last Offices OF respect But as that
farming son, and the clergyman, and
the senator and the merchant and
the two daughters stand by she caaret
of the dead mother taking the last
look. or lifting their little children 90
see nee more the face OF dear old
grandma. / want to ask that group
around the casket one question: "pc
you really think her life was worth
living?" A life for God, a life for
others, q life Of usefulness. a useful
life. Christian life is always worth
living.
Neither would 1 have hard work 90
persuade you that Grace Darling lived
a life worth living-the heroine of the
1ifeboat- You are not wondering
that the duchess Of Northumberland
came to see her and that people of ala
lands asked for her Lighthouse. and
that the proprietor Of the Adelphi
rheater In Philadelphia offered her
500 night just TO sit ia the ifeboat
while some shipwreclx scene was being
snacted.
But / know the thoughts ia the
minds of hundreds who read this.
You say: while 1 know all these
lived lives worth living. don't think
my life amounts to much. Ahi my
friends. whether you lead a life con-
spicuous or incoh5picuous, it is worth
living. If you live Alright And I want
my next sentence to go down into tho
depths Of all your souls. You are 70
be rewarded, not according to che
greatness of your work, not according
20 the holy industries with " hich you
employed the talents you really pos
sessed The majority of the crowns
Of heaven will not be given to people
with ten talents. for most Of then
were tempted only TO serve them
selves. The vast majority Of the
crowns Of heaven will be given To
people who had one talent but gave
1t all 10 God And remember that our
life here is Introductory to another.
It is the vestibule to a palace; but who
despises the door Of the Madeleine be-
cause there are grander glories Within
Your life II rightly lived IS the FIRST
bar of an eternal oratorio. and who
despises the first note OF Haydn's SYM
phonies? And the life you live now ia
all the more worth living because Dc
opens into LIE that shall never end,
and the last letter of the word thine"
As the first letter of the word
'eternity?'