Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-12-19

Joshua iii, 4, aye have not passed this
way heretofore"
In December 1889, I waded the river
Jordan, and although the current was
strong. ! was able TO bear mp against it,
but in the time of spring freshet, when
the SHOWS on Mount Lebanon melt, moth
ing but n miracle would enable any one to
cross this river. 1t was at the dangerous
springtme that Joshua and the officers
of his army uttered the words Of my text
to the people who We're in n few hours to
cross the Jordan. About that crossing
we say but little, because on previous
occasion we discoursed concerning that
piling up of the waters into crystal barri-
cade. We only speak Of the march to the
brink of the river. No stranger thing has
ever occurred in all history.
The ark of the covenant was n brilliant
chest of acacia wood, ovcraid with gold,
on the top of which were two winged fig
ures facing each other. 1t was five feet
long and three feet wide. Poles were
thrust through the rings at the side, and
by these poles the ark was lifted. This
splendid box was to be carried three
quarters of a mile ahead Of the hosts Of
Israel on the way to the crossing. That
distance between the box and the advanc.
ing thousands must be kept because Of
reverence. There Wis a sanctity in tina:
divine symbol that they must observe by
keeping three quarters of mile away.
They must watch that gltterng box and
follow, otherwise they would lose their
way and not arrive at the right place for
crossing. They had never been there be-
fore, and they must be guided. For that
reason Joshua utters the words of my
hic har.
tofore," and the subordinate officers at
the head OF the regiment repeated it, "Ye
have not passed this way heretofore
What was truthfully said Of the an
cient Israelite3 may be truthfully said Of
us. We are making our first and last
journey through this world 1t is posi-
Bile. as some of my good friends believe,
that this world will be corrected and inn
proved and purified and forali2ed and
emparadsed as to climate and soil and
character unit il shall become n heaven
for the ransomed, but do not think it. |
have an idea thai heaven is already built
somewhere. Our departed friends could
not wait until this world is fixed up for
sanity and angelic residence Having
once gone out of the world, ! do not think
we will come back, except as mnistering
spirits to help those who remain in the
earthly struggle or perhaps TO look at the
wondrous spectacle of n burning planet.
Our Frs: Trip.
But. leaving that theory aside, we are
very sure that we are for the first time
walking the earthly pilgrimage. "Ye
have not passed this way before" Every
minute is new minute. every hour a
new hour. every century a new century.
Other folks have gone over Nhe same road
we are travelling. but it is our first trip
New appearances. new temptations, new
sorrows. new joys. That is the reason so
many lose their way. They meet some
one on the road of life and ask for direc
ton. and wrong direction is given. We
have all been perplexed by instruction
after asking the way to some place we
wished to visit. Some one said to us,
Take the first road to the right and
having gone mile on that road. take the
first road to the left, and you will soon
reach your destination" We took the ad
vice. but our informer forgot n turn in
the road or forgot one of the roads lead
ing to the left. and we took the wrong
road and were lost in the woods, and
night came on, and we were put to great
irritation and trouble.
The fact is blame no one for making
lifetime mistakes. pity them instead Of
blaming them. There are so many wrong
roads, but only one right one. You can
not in midlfe draw upon your youthful
experiences for wisdom, for midlife is so
entirely different from youth. You can
not N old age draw upon midlife expert
ences for the two stages Of existence are
so diverse. What is wisdom for one man
TO do would be folly for another to under
take. A man of nerve and pluck is rot
qualified 10 advise man tlmid and
shrinking. An achievement that would be
easy for you might be impossible for me.
Human advice is ordinarily of little val
ne. People review their own successes or
failures and then tell US what is best for
us to do, not realizing that our circum-
stances are different. our temperament is
different our physicn. and mental and
moral capacities different. Most OF the
great mistakes that have been made have
been made under human Amusement.
SO. also. il may be said to every nation,
aye have not passed this way before"
Our own republic is going through novel
experiences. Could wsest statesmen
twenty years ago have prophesied pres
ent conditions? Every president. every
congress- has new crises to meet and new
questions 10 Scttle. 30 pTOpU"Cles ilhue
about conditions in this country fifty
years from now may turn out as far UNI
true as the prophecies made fifty years
ago by the greatest Of American states
men when he declared on yonder Capitol
hill that it was unwise to think Of civil
cation or prosperity the other side of the
Rocky mountains, and according to his
belief the Pacific coast would be the per-
petual abode of barbarians and mountain
lions. and we must not think of anneXiug
those forbdding regions,
The worlds Advance.
Many prophecies in regard TO our ra-
ton failed and many prophecies concern
ing its future will fail because it is tray
cling new road, Every step it takes on
that road is a novelty. The opinion of a
Monroe or Il jefferson in the far past is
not of as much value as the opinion OF
our wisest men now. How could men
know in 1923 what II would be best fol
This nation to do in 1901? 1t is belittlipg
as well as nnwise for our statesmen, who
are quite equal to the statesmen OF the
past and who have, in addition to the
natural talents of their predecessors. at
tainments In knowledge that were impos
sible In any decade but our own, to de
pend on advice of men who have keer
dead three-Quarters of a century. In al
Can it be that in craftsmanship it hu
gone back and that this opening OF IT,,
twentieth century must consult the op"u