Newport weekly independent., 1901-04-25
JUDGING CHARACTER
Dr. Talmage Urges the Adoption of
 an Unusual Mode.
In This Discourse He Shows the Diff fcrence in the Divine and the Human Way-The Weigh
 ing of Nations.
[Copyright, 1901, by Louis Klopscn, N. Y.l
 WaShingtnn May 26

the Bible, Dr. Talmage urges the adop- tion of an unusual mode of estimating character and shows how different is the Divine way from the human way; text, Proverbs, Is, ?: 'The Lord weigheth the spirits"
 The subject of weights and meas ures is discussed among all nations, is the subject of legislation and has much to do with the worlds prosper ity. A system of weights and meas ures was invented by Phidon, ruler of Argos, about 500 years before Christ. An ounce, pound, ton, were differ ent in different lands. Henry III. de- cided 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 III. the English pound was the weight of 1880 grains of wheat. Queen Elizabeth decreed that a pound should be 1000 grains of wheat taken from the middle of the ear. The piece of plat mum kept at the office of the exche- quer in England in an atmosphere of 62 degrees F. decides for all Great Britain what pound must be- Sci entitic representatives from all lands met in 1869 in Paris and established international standards of weights and measures.
 You all know something of avoirdu- pols weight, of apothecaries' weight, of troy weight. You are familiar with the different kinds of weighing ma chimes, whether a 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 substances huge like mountains, and others delicate enough to weigh infnitesimais. But in all the universe there has only been one bal ance that could weigh thoughts, emo- tions, affections, hatreds, ambitions. That balance was fashioned by an AL mighty God and is hung up for perpet- ual service. 'The Lord weigheth the spirits
 This divine weigher puts into the balance the spirit of charity and de- cides how much of it really exists. It pay so for nothing at all. It may be that it says to the unfortunate: Take this, and do not bother me any more." It may be an occasional im- pulse. It may depend upon the con- dition of the liver or the style of breakfast partaken of little while before. It may be called forth by the loveliness of the solicitor. It may be exercised in spirit of rivalry, which practically says: My neighbor has given so much, therefore I must give as much" It is accidental or occa- sional or spasmodic. When such a spirit of charity is put into the bal ance and weighed, God and men and angels look on and say there is noth- ing of 1t. It does not weight so much as 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 thousands of dollars with such feelings and amid such circumstances. and he will get no heavenly recogni- ton.
 But into the divine scales another mans charity is placed. It starts from love of God and man. It is born in Heaven. 1t is lifelong character istic. It may have a million dollars or penny to bestow, but the man. ner in which that giver bestows it shows that it is diyinely implanted principle. The one penny given may. considering the limited circum stances, 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. It is not the amount given, but the spirit with which it is given. "The Lord weigheth the spir- it's"
 Perhaps no one but God heard that good mans resolutions, but if amounted about to this: From this present moment to my last moment on earth, God helping me, I will do all l can to make this world purer world, a better world, a happier world" But the resolution shines out in his face, sweetens his conyer- sation, enlarges his nature. controls his life and shows itself as plainly in the contribution of $1 as though he had the means to contribute $500 GOO When that charity is put into the royal balance, the heavens watch the weighing and invisible choirs chant from the clouds, and catch one bar of the music: Now abideth faith.