Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1898-12-02
Life's Response bility-Part 2.
From The Jetersontan, by ]. L, LoDGE,
d. D., Editor,

We live in deeds, not years-in thoughts, no
breaths-
In feelings, not in figures on dial;
We should count time by heart throbs. HI
most lives
Who thinks most, feels the noblest, act
the best
Bailey
The primitive and normal condition of {
good man is that OF dependence. What hi.
reason first teaches him antagonizes neither
his will nor his affections Recognition Of
the utility of such state comes later, through
the medium of experience. Whatever sus'
tains existence, gives comfort, or supplies
strength to endure pain, is then seer
to have its source outside of the indi'
dividual, beyond the human. The natural
is itself decretal; for what is nature, igno
rantly and arrogantly opposed by some Ia
the all.governing principle, but the regular
operation of pre- ordained lawsH A perfectly
arranged system under superior intelligent
control. Any disturbance or upheaval fills
with awe; any temporary suspension of func
tons, as the cessation of seasonable rains
any phenomenal intensiveness in action, as
excessive or protracted heat devastation IN
cident upon peculiar meteorological condl.
tons reverts the mind to that control. II
dependence is 80 manifest in merely physical
relations, how much more in essentials who'll
ly spiritual Where the beginning OF life,
the streams which supply and increase vital
ty, and fructity, together with every agency
required for expansion, promotion OF useful
ness, and final triumph must be referred to
divine movement and power. Unaided hu'
manity cannot originate correct lie, nor
sustain it for one single hour. The double
effect of this mental state is to prevent pride
and ensure safety. How can weak and
wicked pride dwell in mind which hum
bly, realizes that its every capacity, endow-
ment, faculty, and resource of energy, is the
product of an absolute will and benevolent
purposeP Safety lies in the absence of pre-
sumption. AS predicted in the Word, and
corroborated by experience, strength is thus
evolved out OF weakness, The paradox Is
applicable by the fact of substitution. When
self is expurgated, divinity fills up the
vacuum. The will to undertake then har-
monizes with the power to perform. In
supremest matters of life and character, mo-
tive is power. 1t is designer, qualitler, exc
cutor. In decreed iailure--or, rather, what
appears to be iailure--t IS comforter. With
the part rightly conceived, and with direc
ton pledged, the result is certain; and this
guarantee rests on surrender:
''ln all thy ways acknowledge him,
And he shall direct thy paths Prov. o g.
The Christians existence is not his own
The infinite and eternal majesty of the
thought prevents It's descent into the com.
mon place. The true life gets all its ihspira
tion theretrom. All that life means Is in.
closed in the fact. This man il more than
a high grade animal. More than an insect.
or dumb human, who, on the same plane,
enjoys the sunshine. Gadders 10 carry and
reconvey gossip; loiterers on Plraeus gap.
ing Tor news; bon UiUGnts whose gluttOny
shames brutes; Idiots who faunt the tinse
aud tawdiness of pell exhibiting the vul'
gartY OF the DOnOedu richie; panderers Ia
powers and fishers Tor the praise of mObs
borrowers in the earth for treasures which
shall corTode, and be eaten up with moth
and all the rout and rabble OF the deformed
these exist for what they deem pleasure.
Happiness comes unsought-and only thus II
ever comes-to the noble through their min
istry TO humanity. The highest classified
ton is OF such AZ regard that mysterious thing
men call life rs the product of Almighty
energy, and all intention and execution as
reierabe to Hin. The solemn purport is
in the gift. When the shrivelled heavens
shall be rolled up like parchment, when
iervent heat shall melt the elements, and
final flames dry up the sea, life shall infinite
ly expand in value and duration. Not 80
much In strange newness as in modified
continuance. This led that giant, Carlyle,
10 say, Thy life, went thou the 'pitiiullest
Of aithe sous Of earth, is no idle dream,
but a solemn reality. n IS thy own; Il /
all thou hast TO front eternity with" Tn
curious union Of the spiritual with the cor
poral, which the inquisitIve intellects O
men can neither comprehend nor explain
has no solution other than the one name
God. The giver OF life, the taker away o
life. The mysterious change which trans
lates from narrow, temporary sphere, 10
scene illimitable and eternal, with all tn,
causes OF what we call death, Is under Hi
control, and obeys His word. II we coulC
remove the veil which hides Providence,
from our sight, we would see the hand tina
restraints the instruments OF death would
see the path We tread walled In with myriaC
dangers on either side. In one instance, W.
mark the prolongatiOn of a life which all
| physical conditions threaten with extinction
Disease cannot Stay IT,; the waters of afflic-
ton cannot whelm it attrtion with hard
trials do not wear it quite way its owl
longings for release do not wing It from the
earth What means itp That every mans
immortal till his work Is done. Another
possessing all the present world can give
but nothing more, Is cut down in prime
What means itp That the profitless proba
ton has been sufficiently extended. Or, Il
the useless, selfish life has been prolonged
it means what Wordsworth says:
The good die first.
But they whose hearts are dry as summer
dust,
Burn TO the socket.
Every man, just or unjust, Is Dependent
upon the Giver of all for whatever temporal
possessions he may enjoy. 1t is pure be
nevOlence, but part of a system. Account
ability is general, with specific obligation
upon the chosen. The parable Of the talents
Is too much spiritualized. IL has, also, a
literal intention. Acquisition of means Ia
the result, not of blind iortuitous circum-
stances, but of the favor and blessing of God
| Acquisition, not theft Honesty circum'
scribes increase the robber Is not barred
BY limitations. IL Is an insult 10 the Sover.
eign N refer success W "luck." God Ia In
finite intelligence; "luck" Ia blind fatality.
One single case OF "chance" would throw
into irretrievable chaos universal govern
ment. Under equally favorable conditions
one succeeds, and another fails. Why
The usual explanation, Of superior faculty,
greater diligence, better administration, sat.
isles the majority but Ia 1t true1 This YER
sion, as apology or critique, can never be
true, az fixed principle, for II eliminates
the prime factor, In pressing too far the law
of cause and effect. Conceding all allow
able, the fact remains that man ia not al
ways the artiflcer Of his own fortunes
That's the cant Of the worldly wise. That's
the philosophy that Ignores Diety. As viri
tue is often a deficiency Of temptation, so,
prosperity Is not seldom nude satire.
Rockville Bakery and Con-
fectionery!