Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1902-08-20
PROSPEROUS YEARS.
BY Rev Daniel n. Oyerton

uons lald down Tor prosperous days and
pleasant years, and we notice, first, why
conditions are necessary.
Nearly everything that is good is con-
ditioned. We fulfill the conditions and
we get the good The greatest and best
promises of God have an ''if' in them
that concerns us. W. take care Of the
''if' and God takes care of the fulhllment
of the promise.
There are so11a blessings that are for
all without d stiaotion. Gods rain falls
and his sun shineS upon the just mans
field and upon The unjust mans as We'll.
But there are other blessings that come
only to the just man, and which the
unjust man misses altogether because he
does not fulfill conditions. 1t is well for
US to learn this fact, and to have / so
firmly fixed that it shall not escape us.
Things do not go by chance and haphaz-
ard even in this old world, which seems
sometimes SO badly out of joint. Things
go and come bs law, and the law Of their
coming or going can be quite definitely
fixed. Effects argue causes and causes
produce effects. The seen leads US back
to the unseen, and the unseen becomes
real in seen results.
dame. as she so often is pictured to be,
who smiles on few and frowns on all
others. She has smiles for all II only
they knew it, and knew how to win them.
All seek her smiles, but they do not know
how to win them. and many turn smiles
into frowns because they do not know
how to use them.
Prosperity is product of firmly fixed
and movable laws and conditions. Those
laws known, those conditions fulfilled,
prosperity comes to man or ma Ion, and
it is for all who will know, follow, or full
fill laws and conditions. What makes
these years prosperous years IN our ma
ton? They are not by chance. They
can be traced to well-known causes, and
to fulfilled conditions. Fertile lieldsf
Yes. but to fertile fields well titled To
tariff laws fixed for the time at least, and
to confidence in all lines of business, born
of confidence in government. When for
any cause there is a lack of faith in the
honesty and permalency of government
or in our national policy, confidence de-
parts, and business becomes dull and for
tune frowns instead of smiles.
Happiness is not happenness. Happi-
ness does not happen. 1t is not a gaady
toy that we get by blind grasp from
the worlds grab bag. 1t is resultant of
fundamental forces and fXed functions.
1t is born of holiness, and it is not some
thing for the few, but for all those who
will seek it in the right way.
Holiness is a condition of happiness,
and if a person seeks to be holy he will
have all the happiness that is good for
him / know that it is true that all are
| seeking happiness and few are finding 1t,
but it is not because happiness is will
O. the wisp" or a false fire along life's
way. 1t is because the many are seek
| ing it where it cannot be found. and try
| ing to get it in ways that cannot produce
it. They are trying to be happy without
trying to be holy" and happiness does
not grow on that tree. The eternal law
| of happiness and the one great condition
is holiness. Who seeks holiness is hap
py.
SUGGESTIVE highest, best SUGGESTS
not the laurel wreath or crown for the one
winner. and won only by the genius, the
| ten-talented man. 1t is within the reach
of all who will fulfill the conditions of
| the race and run his best for the prize.
Every man cannot win what tb, world
calls success. but every man can win Sue
| cess if he will. What is success? What
| is the greatest. highest success? 1t is
| the making of this life the fittest begin
ming of the endless life. Who does this
succeeds. Who does not do this fails.
But | claim all can do this. 1t is in the
reach of all If they will fulfill tie condi
tons and carry out the law. ] say this,
too, well knowing that the many are
| failing and the few succeeding, but real
success is nevertheless within the reach
of all who are willing to have it and get
it in the right way.
With these thoughts in mind We are
not at all surprised to find our text start
ing out with an IF" We are n0t.sur-
prised to learn that prosperous and pleas
ant years are conditioned. They are re-
sultants of certain causes. They come by
fulfillment of certain onditions. l be-
lieve the years should lie prosperous and
happy as they pass. l believe God in
tends that they should be, but | -.Iow
that he has conditioned their prosperity
and happiness, and that we must fulfill
these conditions to get the prosperity and
pleasantness What, then, are the condi-
tons?
First-Attention to God. III they
hearken." We must hear and heed Gods
voice speaking to us day by day and year
by year. That year is most prosperous
which is most full Of God Time is most
| important and rich when it is most full of
eternity and of eternal things. The world
| is full of God. THE heavens declare
his glory" etc. 1.-The whole round year
is full of him" He is calling US IL the
common things and common tasks of life,
as he called Moses to do a great work
for him. We must hear and we must
heed if we would succeed-if we would
| succeed with the best success and be pros
porous with the best prosperity. Atten-
ton is the great condition of prosperity
and success in all walks Of life. No man
succeeds without attention to his task.
So no man can have success in Christian
| work without attention to God.
Service is the second condition Of pros
porous and pleasant years. IF they
viii hearken and serve him." First, the
| call of God to the task, then the task.
First, the call of God to service, then the
loving loyal service. We are here TO
serve. If any man would be great
among you let him serve"
Good works are important everywhere
They are nowhere more important than
in Gods kingdom. l believe prosperity.
happiness, success is conditioned on ser
vice more than on anything else. There
is no genius like the genius for work.
The men who are sue seeding are men
with the talent for toll. This is true in
the worlds work. This is true in God ;
Sork. Attention and work-these are the
conditions for prosperity and pleasant