The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1901-07-16
ESTIMATING CHARACTER.
Rev. DR.. Talmage Says the Divine Way
Differs From the Human Way.
The American Nation Put Into the Royal
Balance = 1.-The Lord weigheth
the Spirits"
tCoprrishtt,u :,

Rom symbol of the Bible DR.. TalmaSe
urges the adoption of an unusual mode Of
estimating character and shows how DIFF
ierent is the divine way from the human
welgheth the spirits"
The subject of weights and measures is
discussed among all nations in the subject
OF legislation, and has much to do with
the worlds prosperity. \ system of
weights and measures was invented by
Fhidon, ruler of Argos. about 500 years be
tore Christ. An ounce, a pound ton
were different in different lands. Henry
III. decided that an ounce should be the
weight OF $40 dried grains of wheat from
the middle of the ear. From the reign of
William the Conqueror to Henry VIII
the English pound was the weight of 1880
grams OF wheat. Queen Elizabeth decreed
that pound should be 1000 grains of
wheat taken from the middle of the ear
The piece of platinum kept at the Office
OF the exchequer in England in an atmos-
phere OF slNty-two degrees +. decides for
al Great Britain what a pound must be
ScIentihc representatives from all lands
met IN 1859 IN Paris and established inter
national standards of weights and meas
ures.
You all know something of avordupois
weight. of apOthecares' weight Of troy
weight. You are familiar with the differ
ent Kinds OF weighing machines, whether
Roman balance, which is our steelyard
or the more usual instrument consisting
OF beam supported in the middle, having
two basins of equal weight suspended TO
the eXtremities. Scales have Leen invented
TO weigh substances huge, like mountains,
and others delicate enough to weigh inf
niteslmals. But in all the universe there
has only been one balance that could
weigh thoughts, emotions, affections ha-
treds, ambitions That balance was fash
Toned by an Almighty God. and il hung up
for perpetual service. The Lord weigh
eth the sNirltS
The divine weigher puts into the bal
ance the spirit of charity and decides how
much OF 1t really exists. 1t may 20 for
nothing at all. 1t may be that it says to
the unfortunate, Take this and do not
bother me any more" 1t may be an occa-
slonal impulse. 1t may depend upon the
condition of the liver or the STYLE of
breakfast partaken of little while before
1t may be called forth by the loneliness of
the solicitor. 1t may be exercised in spirit
of rivalry, which practically says, MY
neighbor has given so much; therefore I
must give "a much" 1t is accidental or
occasional OF spasmodic. When such a
spirit of charity Is put into the balance
and weighed. God and men and angels
look on and say there is nothing of it,
IL does not weigh so much as a dram,
which is only the one-eignth part of an
ounce, or a scruple. which is only the
twenty-fourth part of an ounce. A man
may give his hundreds and thousands of
dollars with such feelings and amid such
circumstances, and he will get no heavenly
recognition.
But into the divine scales another
mans charity IS placed. 1t starts from
love Of God and man. It is born in heav-
en-. it is a lifelong characteristics 1t may
have million dollars or a penury to be-
stow, but the manner in which that giver
bestows 1T shows that 1T Is a divinely i'm
planted principle.
The one penny given may, considering
the limited circumstances, attract as much
angelic and heavenly attention as though
the check given in charity was 80 large IL
staggered the cashier of the bank TO cash
it,. II Is not the amount given. but the
spirit with which it is given. The Lord
weigheth the spirits"
Perhaps no one but Cod heard that good
mans resolutions. but it amounted about
TO thiG From this present moment to my
last moment on earth, God helping me,
viii do all can 70 make the world a
pu-er world, a better world a happier
world" But the resolution shines out in
his face, sweetens his conversation, en-.
larges his nature, controls his life and
shows itself as plainly in the contribution
of 81 as though he had the means to con-
tribute $500 900.
When that charity is put into the royal
balance, the heavens watch the weigl ing
and invisible choirs chant from the clouds,
and i catch one bar OF tie music-"Now
abideth faith hope. charity-these three;
bus the greatest of these is charity"
SO also in the celestial scales is placed
the spirit of faith. In most cases faith de-
ponds on whether or not the sun shines
and the man had sound sleep last night
and whether the first person he meets in
the morning tells him something agreeable
or disagrceable. Some day the sales in his
store do not amount to so much as he eX-
pected, and he goes home with enough
complaints to fill the house as soon as he
enters it, Another day the sales are TWEEN
~ or forty per cent. larger than usual, and
as he Is putting the key into Che door lock
his family hear him whistlng tune most
Jublant. lie has faith that everything in
his own affairs and i'm the affairs or church
and state are tending toward better condi-
tions until something depressing happens
in his own personal experiences or uader
his own observation.
But there is another man who by re-
peutance and prayer has put himself into
alliance with the Almighty God. Made an
right by the Saviour grace, this man goes
TO work % make toe world straight He says
70 himself. God LAUGHED this world, and
lie never launched a failure. The Garden
on Lden was useless mor1ss compared
with what the whole world will be when
~ blossoms and leaves and flashes and re-
founds with IT'S corning glory God via
saVo 10 anyhow, with me or without me,
but want % d. ny snare. j have some
equipment, not as much as some others.
but what i have ] wi. use. / have power
u irown, and / viii frown upon iniquity.
j have power 90 smile, and / viii smile
encouragement upon all the struggling. i
have vocabulary not so opulent as the
vocabulary OF sCLc others, but / have a
storeh0use OF good words, and / mean TO
scatter them ma helpfuncs5. J will ascribe
right motives to others when it is possible.
IT ! can say anything good about others,
Will say 70. IL ] can say u6thlng but evil
OF them il wi keen my lire ghut ~ tight