Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-08-04


minister they find fault with that min
lister, and all the time they belong
to the great army OF religious tranps,
whom | call the "go-rounders. Dur
Ing these years of study their own
life is cbbing away. BY the time the
young man who pursues this course
graduates from a theological seminary
he is on the verge Of spiritual bank
ruptcy Why? Mainly because in the
three long years OF mental preparation
for the ministry he has neglected to
do personal work for Jesus Christ
1t is common subject for regret
that the religious life in our colleges
and universities Is at low cbb. The
spiritual energy of the students Is de-
plcted, and there is less real holiness
and growth In grace among them than
in young men outside. The reason for
this deplorable condition believe to be
that so many of them are devoting
themselves to study or to athletics and
doing no personal service for the Mas
ter They are making the same ex-
cuse for themselves that the young
disciple of my text made to Christ
when he said, Lord. suffer me first to
go and bury my father" That young
man who is now the leader of his class
in the law school was once the Sunday
school superintendent in the little vii
lage church where his father and
mother now live. The schoo, occu-
pied the first place in his thoughts.
and he would take any trouble to give
pleasure to the children and attach
them to the cause Of Christ Now he
never enters a Sunday school. He IS
preparing to he n lawyer. After he
once gets his diploma he intends to go
back to church work, but now he says
Lord, suffer me first to get an educa-
tion and then ! will follow thee
That young girl living IN Chicago
away from home. Is now studying in
n famous musical college to cultivate
her voice. She was once the leader Of
her fathers choir Her father Is minis
ter and IS spending the savings Of a life
time in giving his daughter musical
education that she may be the better
able to serve Christ But. though there
are hundreds of struggling little
churches within short distance OF
where she lives which would be bless
ed by her singing, she now never en-
tiers q prayer meeting. She rarely en-
tiers a church. She says, Wait Lord,
until l have acquired proficiency In
the art. and then Will sing for thee"
frtt 4
But these words Of my text not only
apply to the young people who are
sidetracking their gospel duties to make
way for their preparations for pro
fession. They also apply TO the busy
men and women who. in the prime
Of physical strength and mental power.
are like tired peasants staggering along
the highways under greater burdens
than 1t seems possible for them to bear.
When / speak thus | mean that this
text Is applicable to nearly all men and
women IN midlife. Why? Because
believe that most people are overworl
ed. They are physically tired. They
are tired in the same way that my
grandmother was tired. who, MS a
children. My father used to say: Il
never remember my mother except
with a tired look upon her face. AS
little boy / remember her coming TO
the table and, after all the children had
been served, turning to father and say
ing, David, | am too tired to eat "
How many other women have said the
worked In the struggle OF life Yet
this text, Q man, @ woman, IN the
prime Of your physical and mental
strength, applies to you. No right have
you to Sidetrack your duties 10 God.
NO right have you to say to Christ,
Lord, suffer me to do this or that,
and then l will follow thee" Christ
should be first, not last. Christs com
mand no matter how or when it comes.
should be needed or obeyed; then all
other duties Will fall into line in their
right places.
Christ's command, "Follow me"
comes to the tired merchant, the worn
out merchant. IL comes to you even in
the whirl and the hustle Of business
life ooh. no" YOU say, II have no
time for Christ My business absorbs
every atom Of my energy am so
tired from my week day tasks that |
nm too weary TO go to church on Sun
dry. Why, when ! go, | fall asleep
during the sermon. 1t makcs but little
difference TO me then who breaches the
sermon. Come down to my store any
time and you will see how am over
driven. There is steady stream of
men in my outer office all the time.
must see them. 1t is work. work,
work until ! am nearly dead" Yes,
my brother in one sense what you
say Is true You are an overworicd
man. but how much OF that labor that
20 fatigues you is voluntarily under
taken? Have you, as Christian man,
the right to give to your own concerns,
to your business and the world the
whole Of your time md energy! Have
You forgotten the claims that God has
upon you? Better leave undonc some
of the work you are now doing that
you may have strength to serve him.
Willy should you not be willing TO drop
som" Of that business drudgcry? DC
you not know that much Of that grind
Ing, useless, selfish toll is making a
failure Slt Of your life? The temporal
necessities Of life are very small yet