Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-01-02

| they remember! To clotbe and feed and
educate the household they went through
tolls and self sacrifices that the world
knew but little about. Rest, aged man!
Let the boys do the shovelng and thrash
ing and cutting and sweating. You have
put the harness off, and do not try to put
| 1t on again.
There are old mechanics that can no
more shove the plane or pound with the
hammer or bore with the bit or run up
the ladder to the scaffolding. Master me.
| chanics they were or subordinates who
wrought faithfully in the work Of house
Or barn or ship building. You have right
to quit. You have finished your task. Be
thankful that your work is done.
| The Retired Physician.
Then there are aged physicians. What
tragedies Of pain and accident they have
Witnessed How much suffering they have
nssuaged. How many brave battles they
have fought with lancet and cataclysm!
How many fevers they cooled! How
many broken bones they set! How many
paroxysms they quieted! How many an1-
ious days they passed when they knew
that human lives depended upon their
skill and fidelity! They drove back death
from many cradle. Instead Of becom.
ing hardened at, the sight of suffering
their sympathies deepened, as with aged
DIR. Valentine Mott when, standing be-
fore bis students in clinical department
and child was about to be operated
upon in surgery. he said. Gentlemen,
here are surgeons who will do this work
as well as | Fan, and you will excuse me
if leave the room, for as l get older |
cannot composcdly witness pain as once I
could. especially the suffering of little
oh Ipato Id O., a "a
doctors, allopathic, homeopathic, hydro
pathic and eclectic, and make them will
ing to be out Of practice, Before long
they will hear the benediction of him who
said, IL was sick, and We visited me"
And there are the old ministers. Once
they were foremost in general assemblies
and conferences and associations. They
have preached in Pentecosts. They have
stood by Christian deathbeds and seen
Eljahs go up in flaming chariots of glory.
The gospel they preached for fifty or six
ty years illumines their every feature
They have stopped preaching. for their
breath is short, or their nerves are
a-jangle, or they lose their thread Of dis
course or suffer from confusion of ideas
Cheer up, aged dominies and doctors! The
Bible says God forgets our sins when we
repent Of them, but he never forgets
faithful services rendered. He remem-
bers that revival where you stood watch
ing the souls that came las clouds and as
doves to the windows" He has indicated
by your physical or mental condition that
it is time for you to stop. BE content to
stop. Your helmet bears the mark Of
many n battleax your sword is bent from
many holy struggle your shield is dent
ed with the thrust of many a spear Now
hang up the armor with gladness. "Let
not him that girdeth on his harness boast
himself as he that putteth it off" That
was suggestive and tender scene when
the aged Mr.. Finlay Of Edinburgh said to
a girl sinking in rapid decline: "Weel, my
dear, you're afore me. You're nineteen
and are almost across the river. I'm al
most seventy, and maybe I'll have some
hard steps afore | hear its ripple. Oh.
lassie, this is a sweet day for you. You'll
be home first
Again, / learn from Benhadad's beha-
vior the unwisdom of boasting Of what
one is going to do. Two messages had he
sent to the king Of Israel both messages
full of lnsolence and braggadocio. With
trimming beaker in hand he is talking
with the royal group about what he will
do with the spoils of the victory he is
going to achieve that afternoon. He
surrender. He gives command for the
capture of some of the inhabitants of Sa-
maria who are approaching. saying,
Whether they be come out for peace
take them alive, or whether they be come
ont for war take them alive" But behold
the fugitive king in frightened retreat be-
fore shutdown! Better not tell boastngly
what you are going to do. Wait until it is
done. You do well to lay out your plans,
but there are so many mistakes and dis
appointments in life that you may not be
able to carry out your plans, and there is
no need of invoking the worlds derision
and caricature. Napoleon was so sure Of
conquering England Scotland and Ire
land that he had a medal struck ceebrat-
ing the conquest, which he never made.
On that medal was represented his own
crowned head.
Courage In Face of Death.
DR.. Pendleton and Mr.. Saunders were
talking in the time of persecution under
Queen Mary. Saunders was trembling
and afraid, but Pendleton said: What.
Man, there is much more cause for me to
fear than you. You are small. and have
n large bodily frame. but you will see the
last piece of this flesh consumed to ashes
before | ever forsake Jesus Christ and his
truth, WHICH nave progressed. MOI long
after Saunders, the faint hearted, gave
up his life for Christ's sake. while Pen
dleton, who had talked so big, played
coward and gave up religion when the
test came. Wherefore did not tell what
he was going to do with the slave trade,
but how much he accomplished is sug-
gested by Lord Broughams remark con
corning Wilberforce after his deceaSe,
HE went to heaven with 100000 broken
letters in his hand" Some one. trying to
dissuade Napoleon from his invasion Of
Russia, said. Man proposes. but God
disposes." But you remember Moscow,
and $4,000 corpses in the snowbanks. The
only kind of boasting that prospers was
that of Paul, who cried out, Il glory in
the cross of Christ" and that of John
Newton, who declared, Il am not what |
ought to be; | am not what | wish TO be;
l am not what | hope to be, but by the
grace of God, am not what | was"
Do not boast of your moral strength.
One of the most brilliant men of the nine
teenth century, having temporarily re-
formed from inebriaCy, stood on the plat
form of Broadway tabernacle, New York,
and said, "Were this great globe one
crystallite and | were offered the possess
sion of it if | would drink one glass of
brandy | would refuse with scorn. and |
want no religion to help me-" But that
same man died at pouphkeeDsia 81 drink