Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-06-26


week seems rs long as the average
adults year.
But as we grow older the years seem
to have seven leagued boots. Thcv
grow so fast that they almost seem 10
be born with gray hairs. To the man
In active life January seems almost
to tread upon the heels of December,
and spring and autumn seem to lie
twin sisters. My young friends, though
you may hardly be out Of your teens,
yet in the sense in which speak you
have already lived half of your life.
During that first half you have had a
hard struggle to get an education. At
times you were almost in despair. But
In answer to your mothers and
fathers prayers, and also to your own,
God always came to your rescue. You
were able to get through somehow.
Here you are at graduation day. So,
In the latter part of your Nfe, If you
trust God and do your best he will
surely see you safely through. You
are going to have troubles, and hard
troubles. You are going to stumble
over the hillocks of new made graves.
You are going to have injustices prac-
ticed upon you. But If you will place
your hand in the Divine Fathers hand
lie will never let you go.
Story of Heroic Sacrifce,
lie is able to deliver as we'll as to
guide. To illustrate this truth DR.. New
ton, the noted English divine, used to
tell a wonderful story OF yicarious suf-
fering The scene was laid IN the little
German village Of RaGenbach. One
day number Of people were gathered
In the large room Of the village Inn.
AS the party was merrymaking, sud-
denly huge dog appeared at the open
door the only door which afforded
egress from the room. The monsters
eyes were bloodshot; his long red
tongue was protruding from the mouth;
his lips were covered with a mass of
white foam At glance every one
saw that the dog was mad. Some of
the guests were too frightened TO even
pray. From every lip went the cry:
Mad dog. Mad dog Ny God, what
shall we do;" With that the swarthy
blacksmith arose. His arms were a
mass of knotted muscles. Stand back
men," he cried. There Is need of only
one man dying here. If necessary, I
will be that man" SO, while the vii
lagc blacksmith lcaped forward and
cutched the mad dog by the throat
and bore the struggling beast to tie
floor, the assembled people made their
escape. The mad dog buried his teeth
/ To-, l, l.. ,g.N. 49,
would not let go until all his friends
were saved. Then he flung the mad
dog into the room, where the brute
was afterward shot. The brave black
smith then went to his shop and took a
long, strong chain. He riveted one oul
Of that chain about his body and the
other end about the anvil. Then he
turned to his friends and said: "Now
l am safe and can do no harm. Bring
me food and water while | live. Keep
out of my reach when l am mad. The
rest leave with Cod Soon the aw-
| full paroxysm of hydrophobia was
| clutching at his throat. In nine days
the brave blacksmith's agony was end
ed. God has made it possible for US all
to live right for time and for eternity
by sacrificing his only begotten Son for
US. AS the village blacksmith died in
| the chain which he had riveted to his
own body, so Christ died for US upon
the cross which be himself carried to
Calvary.
Now, my young friends, who are
about to graduate this June day, l COM
nit your earthly and heavenly life into
| the protecting care of your Divine
Father. And rs your days Of learning
! are not closed, but have Just COM
menced, is you so from college into
the great school Of life, l bid you per-
form your tasks well. II you will do
this by the power Of the Holy Spirit
there shall come a day when you shall
be participants in another graduation
scene Then you shall have a diploma
taken from the Lambs book of life.
That diploma shall be written in the
blood Of Jesus Christ. That diploma
shall allow you to graduate from ali
earthly preparatory school into the
great university of heaven, where
higher lessons and nobler service
await you and where you shall never
cease t. learn about the goodness Of
God and to sing the praises Of Christ
and his redeemng love.
copyright, 1902, Louis Kopsch, n. u