Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-05-08

when night comes I may be able to
forget my existence in sleep" In the
light of these testimonies ask you,
my hearers, does it pay to gain fnan-
cial prosperity at the expense of your
immortal soul?
The Bubble of Fame.
Fame does not assure happiness. A
prominent man is the worlds target to
be shot Mt. No matter what his motives
and ambition may be, defamation and
SANDER and Misrepresentation never
tire of haunting his tracks. The giants
are the pygmy's natural objects for ridi.
cule. A ground mole has never any re-
spoct for the broad wings of a flying
eagle. Daniel Webster, the great con-
stitutional lawyer, made this solemn
statement: I'm my time l have often
done wrong. I am by no means per-
feet. But before God | can say that
for the words have spoken and the
deeds which have performed with the
hottest and the most unselfish and the
purest Of motives have been the most
bitterly assailed. If It were not for the
fact that am trying to live by prln-
some good, I would have given up the
struggle OF public life long ago" Sue
cess may mean great opportunities for
usefulness. II also means tears and
heartaches and agones. 1t means that
II you are to accomplish any great good
In the world you must also be cut and
slashed and manned. The lightnings
play upon the rugged heights Of a tall
mountain far easier than they strike
into the valleys below. The bird which
flies nearest to the sun has It's wings
scorched quicker than the little wood
robin cooling its throat by the mountain
stream. The songs Of the night are the
sweetest Of all songs. They are the
songs sung by broken heart.
| When the man of the text gains a
life's interest in the world by losing his
! own soul. he unkenncls and unleashes
the bloodhounds Of his lower passions.
! He enters into Il contract with Satan
the same as he would sign a promis-
sorry note to his creditor. AS mer-
chant there comes to him a Ouestiona-
| BILE proposition He knows that If he
/ yields great profit will accrue. He
knows that If he does what this Ques-
tionable proposition demands he must
practice deceit. He lies awake two or
three nights trying to decide whether
or no he will he dishonest. At last in
the midnight hour, he yields He prac-
| tlcally calls Satan into his bedroom.
While lighting the gas he says: Now.
Satan. am resolved to lie dishonest. I
L. ~, nod
full pound of flesh nearest to Antonio's
heart. Give me success, and I am will
| ing to sell you my soul" When a man
| comes to such decision as that, he
naturally lets loose the lower part of
his nature. AS n merchant he becomes
a mere money making machine. AS
| lawyer who seeks political preferment
be becomes an Aaron Burr.
Unworthy Rewards.
When he reaches thus for a soldiers
reward. he is Benedict Arnold. Then,
finding that the worldly success which
he has won at the expense of his soul
does not bring the much sought after
happiness. he will let his evil passions
run a madden riot. He will drown his
sorrows in the drunkard's cup. He will
dazzle himself into blindness by the
hell fame of licentious carousal. He
will curse sin as a drunkard after suf-
fering the terrors of delirium tremens
will curse liquor, and then drink. He
will curse sin as the poet cursed 1t and
yet keep on SHINING.
"Goodby" I said to my conscience.
| "Goodby for aye and ave-"
And | put her hands off harshly
And turned my face away,
| And conscience. sorely smitten,
Returned not from that day.
But time came when my spirit
Grew weary OF It's pace.
And l cried Come back, my con-
science.
long to see Thy face"
But conscience cried, Il cannot;
Remorse sits in my place
Now, while there is nothing in this
world that can be compared in value to
ar immortal soul, my text does not
imply that If n man gives his soul to
Christ he shall have nothing but pow
erty and humiliation. the poorhouse
md potter's field. The Bible refutes
that idea. In the thirty-seventh Psalm
we read, Il have been young and now
am old, yet have | not seen the right
eous forsaken nor his seed begging
bread" The same God who cares for
the sparrow and who numbers the
hairs of our head will not let his chill
dren want. The Divine Father will
always see. if we do our duty, that we
have enough to eat and to drink.
enough to wear and a place where we
can sleep Every one who gives his
soul to Christ will be able to sing
} Channing's symphony. He will have,
Mt least, an opportunity to live content
; with small means, to seek elegance
! rather than luxury, refinement rather
than fashion, to be worthy. not re-
spectacle and wealthy. not rich; to
study hard think quietly, talk gently,
act frankly; to listen to stars and
birds, to babes and sages with open
hearts 10 bear all cheerfully. do all
bravely. await occasions, hurry never
in word. to lei the spiritual, unbid-
den. grow up through the common.
Could happiness demand any greater
opportunity to exist than these oppor-
tunitics which are given by God to all
his children who obey him? | would
that we all might go back more con.
tpntnb IN nIr everyday 1utieS of life