Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1901-05-29

tNopSFiSut, LOUIS htopscl, loU-.l
0N this discourse, from symbol Of
the Bible, DIR. Talmage urges tne
q adoption of an unusual mode of esti-
mating character and shows how differ
ent is the divine way from the human
way; text. Proverbs xvi, ., The Lord
weigheth the spirits
The subject of weights and measures
is discussed among all nations, is the sub
iect of legislation and has much TO do
with the worlds prosperity. system
of weights and measures was invented
by Phidon, ruler of Argos, about 500
years before Christ. An ounce. pound,
Il ton, were different in different lands.
Henry III. decided that an ounce should
be .ae weight of GAO 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 1850 grains of wheat. Queen
Elizabeth decreed that n pound should
be 1000 grains of wheat taken from the
middle of the ear. The piece of platinum
kept at the office of the excGequer in
England in an atmosphere of 81 L. de-
cides for all Great Britain what pound
must be. Scientific representatives from
all lands met in 1869 in Paris and estab-
lished international standards of weights
and measures.
You all know something of avoirdupois
weight, of apothecaries' weight, of troy
weight. You are familiar with the diff
ferent kinds of weighing machines.
whether Roman balance, which is our
steelyard, or the more usual instrument
consisting of a beam supported in the
middle, having two basins OF equal
weight suspended to the extremities.
Scales have been invented to weigh sub
stances huge like mountains, and others
delicate enough TO weigh inhnitesimals.
But in all the universe there has only
been one balance that could weigh
thoughts. emotions. affections, hatreds.
ambitions. That balance was fashioned
by an Almighty God and is hung up for
perpetual service. The Lord weigheth
the spirits"
This divine weigher puts into the bal
ance the spirit of charity and decides
how much of it really exists. 1t may go
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 oc-
casional impulse. 1t may depend upon
the condition of the liver or the style of
breakfast partaken of a little while be-
fore. 1t may be called forth by the
loveliness of the solicitor. 1t may be
exercised in spirit of rivalry, which prac-
tically says, My neighbor has given so
much; therefore | must give as much. :"
1t is accidental or occasional or spasmod-
ic. When such a spirit of charity is put
into the balance and weighed, God and
men and angels l. ok on and say there is
nothing of it. 1t does not weigh so much
as a dram, which is only the one-eighth
part of an ounce, or a scruple, which is
only the twenty-fourth part of an ounce.
A man may give his hundreds and thou
sands of dollars with such feelings and
amid such circumstances, and he will
get no heavenly recognition.
But into the divine scale another
mans charity is placed. 1t starts from
love of God and man. 1t is born in heav-
en-. 1t is a lifelong characteristics 1t
may have a million dollars or penny
to bestow, but the manner in which that
giver bestows it shows that it is a divine
ly implanted principle. The one penny
given may, considering the limited cir
cumstances. attract as much angelic and
heavenly attention as though the check
given in charity was so large it staggered
the cashier of the bank to cash it. 1t is
not the amount given. but the spirit with
which it is given. The Lord weigheth
the spirits"
A Noble Resolve.
Perhaps no one but God heard that
good mans resolutions, but it amounted
about to this: From this present mo-
ment to my last moment on earth, God
helping me, | will do all | can to make
this world purer world, a better world,
a happier world" But the resolution
shines out in his face. sweetens his CON
versation, enlarges his nature. controls
his life and shows itself as plainly in the
contribution Of 81 as though he had the
means to contribute 100000. When
that charity is put into the royal balance,
the heavens watch the weighing and in
visible choirs chant from the clouds. and
| catch one bar of the music, Now
abideth faith, hope. charity-these three;
but the greatest of these is charity
So also in the celestial scales is placed
the spirit Of faith. In most cases faith
depends 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 teis him something agreea-
Bile or disagreeable. Some da, the sales
in his store do not amount to 50 much ms
he expected, and he goes home with
enough complaints to fill the house as
soon as he enters it, Another DAY the
sales are 20 or 10 per cent larger than
usual. and as he is putting the ~ into
the door lock his family hear him wills
Ting a tune most jubilant. lie has faith
that everything in bis own affairs and
in the affairs of church and state are
tending toward better conditions until
something depressing happens in his own
personal experiences or under his own
observation.
There are Christian people who had
faith that China would be redeemed and
for thirty years Have been contributing
toward that object, but they changed
their minds and now despair of the Flow
cry Kingdom since the Boxers began
their masSacres. There are those Who
were busy in New York missions and ex-
pected the salvation of OUT American
cities until recent developments showed
that the police were in completely with
crime, and now these Christian workers
are despairfBl. as though all were lost.
OF what worth is such a mans faith ::
When weighed, will they have what the
chemists cal, atomic weight-the weight
of an atom: No. Such faith is no faith
at all.
But there is another man who by re-
pentance and prayer has put himself into
alliance with the Almighty God. Made