The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-15

tude Is 50 sweet as wealth we grow ola
and gray in its pursuit for money brings in
its train. power. consideration. luxury and
display-things inexplicably dear 10 the hu-
man heart.
There is nothing so detrimental 10 the
higher life this mad and senseIess rush
after riches. Who after school life is ended.
held up as models to our young gradu-
ates for imitation? The millionaires. The
greatest hero of to-day for the young
American to initiate is Carnegie or Rookie
Teller There are few Of our young men
that would not be glad to be a Jay Gould.
1t is our boast that never before have our
country and our people been so prosperous
they are to-day. 1t is pointed out with
gratitude and pride that we have never
had so high per capita of dollars or such
an enormous trade balance. But did il ever
occur TO you that we. as a people, were
never so poverty stricken i'm oratoTy
craftsmanship, poetry and great men in
the present year of grace. 1901? BoOms are
the worst possible things for the higher life
of the nation. Never before have lawyers
realized such big fees, but where, now that
Harrison is dead. the big lawyers? The
salary of leading city pastor of to-day in
a single month is more than Jesus Christ
and all his apostles ever realized in their
whole lives, yet where are the Phillips
Brookses. the John Wesleys, or the David
Swings? For a quarter of century We
have had no political issues to speak of ex-
cept dollars and cents, but where to-day
are our great statesmen? And this COM
mercialism has undermined the spirituality
of our churches. What men, except the
very old or the very young. attend our
prayer meetings? Who goes TO our Sunday
evening services in the evening after at
tending the dress rehearsals and the morn
ing operetta? And when this spiritual dead
ness is pointed out our preachers calmly
turn 70 their church ledgers and in their
turn point to the big sums paid for sal
aries. music and missions proofs of the
vitality of the gospel in this age of doubt
LEARN TO DO THINGS.
While life is both ideal and practical, the
practical prevails largely over the ideal.
The knack of getting things done and of
bringing desirable things your way is in
valuable. n boy who learns at home how
to mend a broken chair or harness, who
can organize and control clique of other
boys, who can bring things his way and
get invitation to the desirable party,
while otner and brighter boys stand out in
the cold. has in him the beginning of a sue
cessful man. Some girls always have a
train of admirers al their heels, and when
the proper time comes they have the pick
of the most desirable homes How do they
do it? That is the thing | am urging upon
you to study and learn. Books are all well
enough in their place. but too much book
has been the ruin of lots of valuable men.
and absorb, but as they never give out
anything. except when squeezed: they rot
with riches.
One thing more. The person who confines
himself herself to doing one thing only
has an enormous advantage over any per-
son, no matter how brilliant, with half a
dozens irons in the fire. The successful man
is the man who knows more about one
thing and how to do it than all his COM
petitors. The best are always in the great
est demand and the best are those who
| concentrate themselves upon one thing and
no more. The great majority of us are
ruined by too much miscellany.
If / had another chance l would settle
my religious faith while young and not
wait until gray hairs or death surprised me
or threatened me into a reluctant creed II
is always best to believe the best-aIways
unwise to believe less than the best. Ten
nyson puts it thus:
Nor dream that human love and truth
Are dying natures earth and lime"
The man who believes that all men are
liars will be vastly less happy than he who
| believes that most men are honest and tel
the truth. While man is too weak TO WELD
unlimited power he is too noble to be a
slave and will not long put up with "a
| boss" The world over we may take it as
true that whatever has stood the test OF
/ time and criticism, even though imperfect
/ and open TO objections, is the best attain
/ able. Any government is better than an
archy. Justice often miscarres in our
/ courts, yet how much superior are courts
and law and order to every mans being his
/ own judge and avenger. The church is a
most imperfect institution, but then it is
/ the only body in the Western world which
/ can show 1900 years of historic unity. 1t Is
the best attainable, because it has stood
/ the test of time and criticism. The Chris
tian religion has some very serious draw
backs. and some of its dogmas are the
/ height of foolishness. But then, what bet.
| ter have you got TO put in its place, and
what will you substitute if you once de-
/ stroy the church? To some one Directing Il
the gospel of John the great Mr.. SpurgeoT
replied: My friend. bring me a better gos.
| pei and L will cheerfully throw st. Johr
/ overheard"
/ Personally, l accept the Apostles Greed
\ for il is the simplest and best statement
/ of our faith that we have. | do not believe
/ i'm personal devil an endless hell. But
/ that is only an objection, and objections
are never a safe basis for our belief. NJ
/ man can ever thrive upon religion of OBJ
l jections or negations. Settle your BELIEF
early in life; don't go drifting into old age
\ upon the waves of no belief. Settle your
/ faith when young, then stick to it anC
work ii into your life and character.
/ 1t is worth remarking and emphasizing
/ that those eminent men-Wiliam McKin
/ lev. Benjamin Harrison. James A. Mount
/ and Clement NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. death:
l have made sacred to the first year OF
our twentieth century, were and al
earnest Christians-men of faith and mel
who were proud to call Jesus Christ theil
\ Master.
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