The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1898-11-26
GoD'st GIFT.
DR.. Talmage Says 1t Is Better Than
This World.
spiritual blessings and the Giories
of the World to Come Compared
with the ..SOuth Land"
of This Life.
copyright, 1881

H..
raj advantages of religion for this
world and the next; text. Joshua, XIV,
10: "Thou hast given me a south land;
give me also springs of water. And he
gave her the upper springs and the
neither springs"
The city of Debir was the Boston of
antiquity-a great place for brain and
books. Caleb wanted it, and he offered
his daughter Achsah as prize to any
one who would capture that city 1t
was strange thing for Caleb to do,
and yet the man that could take the
CITY would have, at any rate, two ele-
ments of anhood-bravery and pa
triotism. Besides, | do not think that
Caleb was as foolish in Offering his
daughter to the conqueror of Debir us
thousands in this city who seek alli-
ances for their children with those who
have large means without any refer
ence to moral or mental requirements.
OF two evils / would rather measure
happiness by the length of the sword
than by the length of the pocketbook.
In one case there is sure to be one good
element of character; in the other there
may be none at all. With Caleb's
daughter as prize to fight for, Gen.
Othniel rode into the battle. The gates
of Debir were Numbered into the dust
and the city of books lay at the feet of
the conquerors. The work done. 9th
MEL comes back to claim his bride.
Having conquered the city, it is no
great job to conquer the girls heart,
for however faint hearted Il woman her
self may be she always loves courage
in man. never saw an exception to
that.
The wedding festivity having gone
by, Othniel and Achsah are about to go
to their new home. However loudly the
cymbals may clash and the laughter
ring. parents are always sad when a
fondly cherished daughter goes off to
stay. and Achsah, the daughter of Ca
leb. knows that now is the time to ask
almost anything she wants of her
father. 1t seems that Caleb, the good
old man, had given as wedding pres
ent to his daughter piece of land that
was mountainous. and, sloping south
ward toward the deserts of Arabia.
swept with some very hot winds. Ii
was called "a south land But Ach-
sab wants an addition of property; she
wants n piece of land that is well
watered and fertile. Now it is no won
der that Caleb. standing amid the
bridal party. his eyes so full of tears
because she was going away that he
could hardly see her at all. gives her
more than she asks. She said to him:
Thou has given me n south land; give
me also springs of water. And he gave
her the upper springs and the neither
springs"
The fact is that as Caleb, the father,
gave Achsah. the daughter, n south
land, so God gives TO us his world. |
am very thankful He has given il to us.
But am like Achsah in the fact that |
am not satisfied with the portion.
Trees and flowers and grass and blue
skies are very well in their places. hut
he who has nothing but this world for
a portion has no portion at all. It's
mountainous land sloping off toward
the desert of sorrow, swept by fiery
siroccos; il is "a south land poor
portion for any man that tries to pu;
his trust in it. What has been your
experience? What has been the expert
ence of every man. of every woman.
that has tried this world for a portion?
Queen Elizabeth, amid the surround
ings of pomp. is unhappy because the
painter sketches too minutely the
wrinkles on her face. and she indiS-
nantly cries out: "You must strike
off my likeness without any shadows.
Hogarth. at the very height of his
artistic triumph, is stung almost to
death with chagrin because the paint
ing he had dedicated to the king docs
not seem to be acceptable, for George
II. cries out: "Who is this IIogarth?
Take his trumpery out of my presence
Brinsley Sheridan thrilled the earth
with his eloquence, but had for his last
words: 81 am absolutely undone.
Walter Scott, fumbling around the ink
stand. trying to write, says to his
daughter: "Oh, take me back to my
room! There is no rest for Sir Walter
but in the gravel" Stephen Girard, the
wealthiest man in his day, or at any
rate only second in wealth, says: Il
live the life of galley slave. When l
arise in the morning, my one effort is
to work SO hard that can sleep when IL
gets to be night" Charles Lamb. APP
plauded of all the world. in the very
midst of his literary triumph says: DO
you remember. Bridget. when we used
to laugh from the shilling gallery at the
play? There are now no good plays to
laugh at from the boxes" But why go
so far as that? need to go no farther
than your street to find an illustration
of what l am saying.
Pick me out ten successful worldlings
and you know what I mean by
thoroughly successful worldlings-pick
me out ten successful worldlings and
you cannot find more than one that
looks happy. Care drags him to bust
ness; care drags him back. Take your
stand at two o'clock ut the corner of the
streets and see the agonized physiogo-
mics. Your high officials. your bank
ers. your insurance men. your import
ers, your wholesalers and your retail
ers No N class-ns n class are they