The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-03-02
MEN AND talents.


Fer unto every one that hath shall be
given and ne shall have abundance; puJ
from nina that hath not. shall be taken
aWav. even that which he bath
TAKEN Away from its context and
L construed fl its literal sense, here
"a the orueIest as well as one OF the
most of.sn quoted verses OF the Bible.
To saw that the man who has wealth
or power OF. happiness or JOY or love,
or all OF them, shall be given more,
while the poor wretch who has none
shsH lose even that which ne hath.
is doctrine so barbaJous that the
soul revolts at It, Yet II was the Man
Of Sorrows who uttered the words, and
they mean no more and no less than
God helps him who helps himself
Read .the. parable Of the talents and
you'll md that the creed Of ell TO all
nothing 70 nothing, IS the law or ma
ture as well as OF man, a law older
than Christ older than the worlds
Oldest civilization. A man was travel
ing fnto = far country. He called his
servants together and to each he gave
according 10 the ability of the recipient
One received i've talents, another two
ard sho third, one. After q long time
the master returned and asked for an
accounting.
The servant who was given The FIVE
talents had showed himself diligent.
During all Of his waxing moments he
was wO4 king 70 give q good account
oe his stewardship. and on the return
OF his lerd he had gained five talents
mora. He who had two talents did not
sit down ana mourn because ne hadn't
five. Instead he improved his oppol-
tunities 70 such advantage that he dou-
bIed his capital also. And now we come
20 the recreant servant, a cowardly,
indolent fsllow, If ever there was one.
He had wrapped his talent in napkin
and had buried it. Then was his talent
taken away from him and given to the
man who lid ten, and 1t was right
that this should De so.
In ali the Bible no litter Illustration
Of werld life and world work can be
found. No human being was ever born
who did not have given 10 Rim divine
talents. no soul was ever ushered
from the Infinite into the finite without
a set Of God presented tools with which
TO carve out a glorious destiny. But
even as the chisel possesses no mi
tiative of its own, even as the clay
must always be merely clay until the
hands Of the potter has given it form,
so the tslent unused IS useless.
Men have a habit of saying: of I
had that fellows ability I would &C
cOmplish great things" Stop a min
utel Do men who spend their tims
worrying because they haven't as many
talents is the next man, always make
good use of that which they have?
ambition, said a wise man once, IS a
good servant, but hard master, Am
bition Is good when It spurs men to
great achievements within their proper
spheres Of activity, but men too often
lose sight % the fact that IN y can be
great without being prominent,
IL it is possible 10 believe the mess
sages of the Bible, heaven is fun af
men and WoFIen who were never heard
OF by he Wrrld. If this were not ga.
that country where We are told the
sun shines always, the air is ever sweet
With the fragrance OF flowers, viii
never be ovarcrowded. Ninety-niHs
people out Of every hundred, perhaps
s92 out of each I ,0u0. are never known
beyond the confines Of their places Of
residence. Oae-ta.ent individuals are
I'm the great majority. but. TO their in
extingUishsble credit they are not al
like tna servant in the parable
Too many Of US are like him how
ever Too many feel that it is useless
for them TO struggle against brighter
better workers. They find in their one
talent no Opportunity for improvins
themselves ard their neighbors. The
man who works With q shovel in q
ditch is Just as honorable I'm his sell
stained garments ss the man who
works with millions IN a SUMPTION.
office. Ills influence does not reach =,
far his power for good OF evil is mo-
So great. but in the last day he shall
be equal with his wealthy brother.
So T7uch must each one do with INF.
talent. or HE talents. for the limit OF
accountability VIII not exceed the 3ini
of The gifts. The servant with tw,
talents who had gained two talents
mere received just as mach praise a.
Ihe servant who aad doubled his orig
inaI Eve. There's the beauty of III.
parable It teaches the final equalR,
OF man: it holds out the same hone n
reward TO the humble as to the high
no more. no less.
The man who groans because h
hasn't five telents is overlooking an or
pertunity 70 do good with one. Tn
man does not live who cannot, through
his own efTorts, hear the words: wei
done. good and faithful servant" An,
as sv1ely as God helps him who helm
himself" so God VIII not help hin
who Goes not help himself.