Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1897-12-03
DEVELOPING SOULS.
Why MEN AND WOMEN ARE AS.
FuCTED BY A WISE COD.

Burden Bearing i the Title Of the
second at The Sew York sUvTaid's'
Competitive >rrnon>-Prsachsd by the
Rev. ". :. Perkins. Mrridrn, Conn.
TIKI. Bear yr one anuthrr's burdens
Gal. vi. ?
Every one is a burden bearer. having his
load OF want. suffering and responsibility.
some appear so fortunate that We douht
whether they share in the sorrows Of man
kind. They have wealth, friends, health,
wisdom and virtue. What can their burden
he! They have at least "a responsibility
commensurate with their blessings; and,
perhaps, If We knew more ui their lives.
seemingly 80 blessed. we would ind that
they also have burden. all the heavier he
cause borne in secret
Men often think that IL they could change
their c,rrum stances. even slightly. they
would escape trouble. bat this T. an Illusion.
The sick recover health. the poor hccom"
rich, the lowly gain the coveted positions OF
honor, and their common testimony l. that
having gained these advantages their bur
len~ are no less heavier. In fu't the nor
mai condition Of man is that Of burden
bearer. We are born into trouble a. the
sparks fly upward
How can this fact Of burden bearing be
rcconcilol with our belief in a heavenly
Father Some contend that all suffering i
due to sin: that If man had not sinned he
would have had no burden. Jesus, how
ever. rcpudiatcs this thought For when
the Jews asbedIIim. Who did sin. this man
or his parents, that he was born blind:
lie answered, Neither Much suffering
comes indeed as the punishment OF sin,
but some suffering has its source in the
exercise of our hottest affections. as that
Of mother bearing the burden Of an I'M
fortunate or wayward child.
In seeking further for solution to this
problem we find that the really great men
of the world bear its heaviest Burdens, SO
that, il is said. "a mans greatness may ha
measured by his suiIerings.' Burden bear
ing enables a man to do two things to
test his strength aud by using to increase
it, And what splendid characters have
thus been developed, Widows in poverty
giving their all! Martyrs of the sick room
showing marvellous patience! Heroes Of
the faith made such bytheir struggles with
unhclirr Did not God intend such results?
Then that Is the reason why He sometimes
lays on men such heavy burdens.
This leads up to the explanation Of bur-
den bearing suggested in the text Bear
We one anuthcr's burdens" The picture
of the worlds sorrow is very dark, but it
has in it a bit Of blue sky. through which
faith looks NJ amt behOlde the eternal
goodness.
Burdens are put upon men that they may
help one another bear them. Without suf-
fcriHg how could we realize our Dependence
upon God or feel the need of human sym
rathy and love- No opportunity would be
gwen to help a fellow man in trouble or to
sigh ia pity over misery beyond our relief
Grant. then. that the chief reason why
men have burdens is that they may help
one another how great is the duty laid
upon us. In the fulflmrnt of that duty
two ways a., suggested. Those that are
able may take the burden from weaker
shoulders and bear it themselves. St
Paul saws. I've that are strong ought to
bear the fnfrmitr@ Of the weak" Or
strength NAV be- given to tn use upon whom