Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-10-01

| out in the woods from another direc-
ton. Well, these old paths which once
led I'D to the homes Of our childhood
may not have been used for a quarter
Of a century, but they can be easily
followed. Our parents "blazed" them
all the way along.
AS I follow these "blazings' I find
they were morally straight paths. They
were as straight as die. Your father
may not have had much money. In all
probability you, as farmers boy. re-
member him for the most part clothed
in overals and wooden shirt But
under that rough exterior there beat
heart as true as honesty Itself. Look
Ing back over the long years, you re-
member him travelling that straight
path" You cannot think Of one act
your father ever did which was dis.
honorable. People sometimes said "he
was close" in reference to money. He
had to be close in order to furnish
bread enough for his babies mouths.
You cannot remember your father once
losing his temper and uttering male
dictions unless perhaps 1t was on the
day when he found that neighbor,
who was left an executor by law, had
robbed poor widow of her all. All,
that old father Of yours may have
worn shabby clothes and may have
been poor in pocket, but he was rich
in character. The path he Travelled to
and from the old homestead was al
ways straight path" Though the
"last will and testament which he
signed made provision for a few trim
kets, a Bible and a gold headed cane,
and perhaps snuffbox, that father
left you the grandest legacy a boy
ever received. He left to you an I'M
furnished name, the example of n
fathers life well and honestly lived
Even rs | speak now and talk about
his past life blush nantes your
check. When you contrast his pure
life with yours and you remember
some OF the mean, sneaking things you
are accustomed to do in your dealings
with your fellow men. you say: II
wish had always followed in the foot
steps of my father. | wish | had al
ways followed in his straight path"
Why don't you, my brother? Why
don't you now? Are the thickets too
strong about you? Are the jungles of
sin too dense? God is telling you to-
day to seek the old paths. Ask for
the old path, the straight path. the
honest path. which your father once
trod Seek it now!
"Blnzing" Marks.
Then, again, further study the
blazing" marks along the paths which
led up to the home of our childhood.
find out that these paths We're Chris
tlan paths and always led toward the
throne of God. How do | know? Sim
pie enough. Let me illustrate: When
was in Europe | always. as far as
possible, got away from the beaten
tracks of tourists | never could see
what enjoyment there was for a sum-
mer tourist to go to Paris and live
with Americans in an American hotel,
and 80 to Rome and live with Ameri-
cans in hotel run there for Amer
leans. and go to Berlin and live with
Americans in Berlin When | 90 to
Europe as far as possible | live there
among the natives, and for the most
part among the common people. Now,
again and again. when l have turned
my back upon European cities and
climbed the unfrcquented paths which
lead over the mountains, ! have been
startled with finding here q cross and
there an altar. would find these
crosses and affairs far. far away from
any house or church. Then, as ! have
concealed myself among the trees and
waited, | have seen weary peasants
come along with great big packs strap
ped to their shoulders. Then ! have
seen them stop and look around to see
if any one was watching. Then | have
seen them unstrap their burdens and
lay them ut the feet of the image of
Christ and then and there kneel in
prayer. Well. my friend, in going
along the pathway which was "blazed'
by your mothers bread knife and knit
ting needle, l come upon affairs every
where. | find that there was hardly a
step that she took in life but she had a
place where she could stop and kneel
indentatons in the rocks where she
laid her burdens at the Saviours feet
And. OH, my friend, what a lot Of
burdens she had to lay upon her Sa-
viours breast in her journey of life!
There was that awful burden of phys
ical sickness. | do not know how you
may remember your mother, but most
of us think of mother when she was
| physically sick. She seemed to be so
long dying, Now it was the pain in
the head; now it was the disordered
nerves. Then it was that long, long
time, when we had trained nurse
How is mother today?" the younger
children would ask, and we would an
swer, Not very well, my dear; not
very wcll.' | think one of the sad
dest and yet the most beautiful pray
ers my mother used to make, in the
last year and half of her earthly ex-
s.Snce. was this: 80 God, may my
.n.k~en never have to physically suf-
fer as | nave suffered" Yet, for the
most part, our mothers lost their phys
ical health by living and doing for u.s.
A GIoriGed Roadway.
go little farther along this Chris
tan path Of your dead mother. | find
also the place where she laid at Christ's
feet the burden of her anxiety for the
salvation of her children. Some people
love to think of their mother, first by
picturing her sitting and sewing for
| Act . t. 10 fttl rf,.LA