Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-10-22

applies them III all pTdCIlCdl ways L ne
true family Is religion living, daily. 1t
tends to repress the hateful, harmful i'm.
pulses in human nature. 1t fosters all
the graces which shed abroad sweetness
and light. It stands as a corrective for
many a degrading influence which falls
upon men elsewhere. Nor is what we
cali the world without its contributions
to the growth and refinement of char
acter. As yet, the forces which push
the secular enterprises of society are, in
great degree, harsh and selfish and cor
ruptng. Not very much of the Sermon
on the Mount gets admitted into politics
or business. Read the papers and you
soon learn this. But still the industries
and employments by which men thrive,
and in which they contend so fiercely
with one another, do beget resolution,
and patience, and enthusiasm, and hun
bred more excellent qualities.
And then the material interests of life
are, by no means, wholly given over to
evil. In every walk and calling there
are hosts of kindly, generous, just, God.
fearing, Godloving men. They stand as
beacon lights among their fellows.
Whoever will look for instruction and
encouragement in all things honorable
and loyal can find multitudes to com
mand his esteem and admiration. And
what shall we say of the discipline which
heaven offers through the properties
and the universities which it sends:
Shall we abandon the Christian philoso-
phv which teaches that they are for the
enrichment of nature and life? Shall we
believe that they who get good from
Joy, and they who get good from pain
are fighting the power which guides the
universe? Shall we Judge thus, rather
than that they are in mighty alliance
with it? No, no. friends, the nature of
thngs-that is to say Gods on the
side of the human soul. All his in-
fluences work for righteousness. The
events he sends are always designed to
make his children better. And the OPP
portunities he opens before us are un-
speakably precious. And of all classes,
would that the young might recognize
this fact today. | would that they could
see what priceless possessions they have
in the good books that are in their
hands, in the schools which are provided
for them, in the instructors who direct
their training. i'm the thought, and
energy. and patience. and experience,
and sefdenal which parents and friends
dedicate to their welfare. Could this
vision be granted them, very few would
then feel that life is narrow and desti-
tdte. la most hearts there would be
deep gratitude, mingled with sense of
ill-desert. Just so with Us all. Over
much are we blind to the. helps God
brings us.
The other class of privileges, at which
limited may be summed up 10y the eX-
pressiOn-OppOrtun for service. And
now what am saying: Am | making a
new point? No. am not. In the trurst
sense am simply extending the thought
already advanced. Above everything
else an opportunity for service is a
chance for ones own Improvement.
Our best offer of the noblest progress,
of the finest culture is made when we are
challenged to confer benefits on our
fellows. Christ was the most profound
philosopher of all the ages And he
taught that there was greater happiness,
larger success, higher attainment to be
found in service than in anything be-
sides. He declared that the only man
who saved his life was he who gave it
away. and that he who lost his life was
the man who saved it to himself. He
Insisted that to do something good for
another was to do even more for ones
self. And therefore this is but the
former idea in new guise. Whatever
is an opportunity for service is, most
assuredly, chance for personal i'm
provement.
But though this is true, it is not the
fact with which we are here to deal My
plea now is not that service is privilege,
though nothing is more certain than that,
but merely that we all have OppOrtuni-
ties for service. And | am quite con-
fident that we are, very frequently, but
dimly conscious of how multiplied, and
how valuable these opportunities are.
For example, is it always clear to our
minds as to how great a service man
renders to community by simply being
what he ought to be? Take, for instance,
the matter of honesty. What does it
mean to a town if a well known citizen,
one who has active part in its business
life, is recognized on every hand as a
thoroughly honest man, and in deed and
in truth is such in every transaction.
Well. it signifies much, and in at least
three ways. First of all it means that a
lot of people shall not be robbed, par
ticularly if he CHANGED to be energetic,
shrewd, full of native resources, ailable,
pleasant. I'm the next place it means
that another fraction of society, be it
large or small, will get justice done it
NiltUtNcI IL utdlS NllI Dlil. It's IN pee
tatiOns will be fulfilled. Its dependence
will not be misplaced. In his hands its
interests will be conserved according to
his pledges or representations. But this
is by no means all, nor the most i'm
portant of all, for, as yet, moral ele-
ments have not entered into the case.
SO far, only pecuniary issues have been
affected. His highest favor to the COM
munity is in standing as witness for
honesty. He is an example to all who
come into contact with him. Ac-
cording to his intelligence, and the eX-
tent of the circle in which he moves he
is an encouragement to all fair deal
ing and "A living protest against fraud
and deception. And this represents one
phase of an invaluable service which
every man can render to his fellows. No
person is truthful, or meek, or self-cOn-
trolling, or devout; no person regards
Gods dav, or supports the church, or
cOnfesses Christ, or forgives his enemies,