Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1902-05-05


ownership. A few years ago the civil
courts rendered favorable decision
concerning the title deeds. Then the
masons and the carpenters came in
sNvarms. Jacksons hollow disappeared
forever from public view
A Life Interest In the World.
But" says some one, ito possess a
life interest in the world means a very
great deal. Think of owning all the
money stored away in the vaults of
the United States treasury! Think of
possessing the royal jewels of England
and Germany and Russia and Spain!
Think of having your wardrObes filled
with the cOstliest of dresses now being
made in the large establishments of
the Partisan modistes! Think of all
the new bonnets one could have, all
the horses one could drive, all the
steam yachts which would ride at an
Choir in front of ones summer home!
Indeed, it looks as though to have a
life interest in the world is not to be
despised even though we must surren-
der all at the brink of the grave"
But Satan's offer is not so liberal
after one begins to rightly estimate
the results. The other day 1 was talk
ing to the representative of a great life
insurance company. l said to him: 81
have a horror of old age, weak and
helpless. l do not want to be a worm
out minister, who has to preach to
earn his daily bread. When | grow so
old that the people would prefer
younger man to take my pulpit, 1
would like to be able to resign my
pastorate." After hearing me patient
ly this life insurance agent answered:
''There would be no danger of that if
you only had a little money. When
you become sixty or seventy years Of
age, you could go to a life insurance
company and purchase an annuity. For
very moderate sum you could at that
age secure an annual income that
would be sufficient to keep you from
want" But l answered: Suppose
could not pass a medical examina-
ton? What them? "Ah," replied the
life insurance agent, ''you do not have
to pass a medical examination. The
older you are and the poorer your
health the more anxious the company
would be to get you to invest. AS
soon as you die the company will pos
sess your principal"
Satan in a similar way comes to a
man who in all probability will not
live over five or ten or perhaps twenty
years, and he says: "My friend, you
give me a mortgage on your eternal
soul, to be foreclosed at your death,
and l will give you a life interest in
the world. l will give you more food
than you can eat, more clothing than
you can wear, more houses than you
/ can live in, more money than you can
spend, and at your earthly demise
will not care for your money or your
stocks, but l will only demand and
take your immortal SOUL" Come, now,
let us reason together. Are you. an
immortal man, with soul which shall
live en- through the coming ages, with
soul that shall stand by the cradle of
unborn millenniums, with a soul that
shall yet witness this earth gasp and
die of old age, to enter into such a con-
tract? Read the simple statement of
the proposed agreement. Ask yourself
this momentous question: what shall
it profit q man if he shall gain the
whole world and lose his own sou? ~
and exercise the common sense God
has given you.
Possibilities For Happiness.
Great worldly possessions do not nec-
essarily imply life interest in happi.
ness. Indeed we believe those in the
ordinary walks of life have better pos
sibilities for happiness than those in
the higher walks. The more infiuen.
tial one becomes the greater his respon
sibilities and anxieties.
What was the happiest time of your
life? You are now a great merchant OF
lawyer or physician or governor or sen
ator. Is this your supremely happy
moment? NO." you answer, "the hap
piest time of my life is not found il
the present, but in the past. Now
have riches, q city mansion and
country home. These results of finan
cial success do not bring to me peace o.
mind and cOntentment. The happies
time of my life was when poor youn,
man l lived on small salary. Thougl
my wages were not large, l yet hat
enough to marry on. | won a true
good, noble wife. We started out il
two small rooms. The babies came on
by one. The small salary was somehow
able to stretch enough to furnish foo,
and clothing for all. We always hat
enough to eat. Our garments coul,
defy any cold. Never were pair O
birds happier Matching out their egg
in a dovecot than my wife and l il
our little nest. But now. instead O
working as mechanic ten hours pc
day, l am planning most of the time.
am afraid the men will strike and tn
whole plant will stand idle. My poo
, brain, tired from overwork, will nc
let me sleep at night. | am worrie
because l fear that if should die m
: children could not straighten out tn
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