Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-01-23
ed n great host for God

ing their bost for God, and without any
recognition. They go and como, and no
one cheers them. Perhaps all the reward
they get Is harsh criticism, or repulse, or
their own fatigue. II you have over heard
of any good they have done, lot them know
about 1t. If you find some one benefited
by their aims, or their prayers, or their
cheering word, go and tell them. They
may be almost ready to give up their mis-
sion. They may BIO almost In despair be-
cause Of the seeming lack Of results Ono
word from you mny be an ordination that
will start them on tho chief work of their
lifetime. A Christian woman said to hor
pastor: "My usefulness is done. do not
know why my lifo is spared any longer,
because l can do no good" Then tho
pastor replied, "You do mo great good ov-
cry Sabbath" She asked, "How do do
you any goodf" and he replied, "In tho
first place you aro always in your scat in
the church, and that helps mo, and In tho
second place you arc always wide awake
and alert, looking right up into my face,
and that helps mo; and in tho third place
I often SEQ tears running down your
checks, and that helps me-" What good
thing he did not wait until she was dead
before no said sol
Helpfulncss OF Appreciation.
There arc hundreds of ministers who
have hard work to make sermons because
no one expresses any appreciation. They
are afraid Of making him vain. The mo-
ment the benediction Is pronounced they
turn on their heels and go out. Perhaps it
was subject on which ho had put especial
pains. He sought for tho right text, and
then did his best to put the old thought
into some now shape. Ho had prayed that
1t might go to the hearts Of the people.
Ho had added to the argument tho most
vivid illustrations no could think Of. He
had delivered all with power that loft
him norvously exhausted Five hundred
people may have been blessed by 1t, and
resolved upon higher life and nobler pur-
poses Yet oil he hears Is the clnnk of the
pew door, OK tho shuffling OF feet In the
AISLE or sono remark about tho weather,
the last resort Of inanity. Why did not
that man como up and say frankly, "You
have done mo good?' Why did not some
woman come up and say, II shall go homo
to tako up the burden of life more cheer
fullyf" Why did not somo professional
man come up and say: "Thank you, DOM
inie, for that good advicc9 will take it.
God bless you" Why did they not tell
him SOP have known ministers, In tho
nervous reaction that comes to some after
tho delivery Of sermon with no seeming
result, to go home and roll ON the floor In
agony.
But to mako up for this lack Of out
spoken religion there needs to be and will
DO great day when amid tho solomnitics
and grandours of listening universe,
God will "say So" No statistics can state
how many mothers have rocked cradles
and lowered over infantile sicknesscs and
brought up their families to manhood and
womanhood and launched them upon use
full and successful lives and yet never re-
ceived one "Thank you'll" that amounted
to anything. Tho daughters became
queens in social lifo or were afIianced in
highest realms Of prosperity; tho sons took
the first honors Of tho university and be-
camo radiant in monetary or professional
spheres. Now tho secret Of all that up
lifted maternal influence must come out.
Society did not say so, tho church did not
say so. tho world did not say So but on
that day Of oil other days, the last day,
God will say so.
There arc men to whom life is grind
and q conflict, hereditary tendencies to DO
overcome, accidental environments to DO
endured, appalling opposition to be met
and conquered, and they never so much
as had n rose pinned to their coat lapel in
admiration. They never had song dedi-
Gated to their name. They never had
book presented to them with a compli-
mcntary word on tho fly leaf. All they
have to show for their lifetime battle Is
scars. But in tho last day tho story will
come out, and that lifo will be put in holy
and transcendent rhythm, and their cour-
age and persistence and faith and victory
will not only be announced, but rewarded.
"These are they that came cut of great
tribulation and had their robes washed
and made white in the blood of tho Lamb"
God will say sol
Last Judgment.
We miss enc Of tho chief ideas OF Inst
| judgment We put into tho picture the
fire, and tho smoke, and the earthquake,
and the descending angels, and tho upris-
ing dead, but VIC omit to put into the pic
ture that which makes the last Judgment
a magnificent opportunity. We omit the
fact that 1t Is to be day OF glorious OK
PLANTATION and commentator. The first
justice that millions Of unrewarded and
unrecognized and unappreciated mon and
women get will BIO on tlISt day when serv-
ioos that never called forth so much as
newspaper line of finest pearl or diamond
type as the printers term it, shall DO
called up for coronation. That will DO tho
day OF enthronenent for those whom tho
world called "nobodies. Joshua, who
commanded the sun and moon to stand
still, needs no last Judgment to get justice
done him, but those mon do need last
Judgment who ut times, in all armies, un.
der the most violent assault, In obedience
to command, themselves stood still. Deb
orah, who encouraged Barak to bravery
In battle against the oppressors of Israel,
needs no last judgment to get justice done
her, for thousands of years have clappod
her applause. But the wives who in all
ages hayo encouraged their husbands In
the battles OF life, women whose names
were hardly known beyond the next street
or the next farmhouse, must have God say
to them: "You did WE'LL You did glori-
ously! saw you down In that dairy.
watched you in the old farmhouse mend
Ing those children's clothes. heard what
you said In tho way Of cheer when tho
breadwinner Of the household was In de-
spair. remember oil the sick cradles you
have sung to- remember the backaches,
tho headaches, the heartaches. know tho
story Of your knitting needle as we'll as /
know the story OF a queens scepter Your
castle on the heavenly Hill is all ready for
you. Go up and take It'll" And turning
to the surprised multitudes Of heaven he
will say, "She did what she could" God
will say So