Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-03-31

liSherS threw DaCk SevCn.VcntIS OF the
first edition upon his hands. 1t was at
this time that 1horpau bitterly wrote,
IL have now library of 300 volumes,
700 of which | wrote myself" o..
ycs We have seen many and many
human birds with musical throats who
could sing if any one wanted TO hear
them sing. But the trouble IS that
thousands of men can sing who have
no opportunity TO sing. Thank God,
my brother. If you have not only tai.
cnts, but present opportunities for u.s.
ing those talents, in your Masters
service.
Our Opportunities.
In all probability there are few of
us here who have not our opportuni-
ties. When the American feet was
about to enter Manila harbor some one
proposed TO the American commodore
that the coal barges be sent ahead. IL
there were any hidden mines in the
harbor it was better to have pieces Of
coal blown skywnrd than human
bodies To that advice Commodore
Dewey said: mo; the Olympia shall
20 in first For two reasons do I make
this decision. First, we need the coal.
If defeated and the coal ships are do
stroycd we are lost. Second reason. I
have waited thirty years for this op-
portunity, and no man shall take IL
away from me-" Commodore Dewey
may have had to wait thirty years fol-
his opportunity. but we do not have 10
wait one month. one week or one day
or one hour to serve Christ. Today
our opportunity IS here. Like the song
birds we have musical Threats with
which to sing, and we also have the
open heaven under which TO sing. We
have the talent and also the opportu
nifty to use the talent.
Like the song birds. we have mag
nlticcnt subject for our songs. Every
truly great sculptor il inspired by his
Aheme. Artists have their models
Mere portrait painters strive to repro
! ducc face. but an immortal artist
studies more than Il mere face. He
/ tries by the aid OF his model to por-
! tray love or hate war or peace. fnme
| or disgrace. the crea ton or the nativ
| fly The grander the theme the great
or the opportunities OF the picture.
Choose n Mighty Theme.
what is true Of painting and sculp
turc is also true Of music. Beethoven
and Wagner and Mendclssohn an,
| Handel did not employ their genius il
street ditty. They trained their ear
tn catch the voices " the winds. Whlcl
can only be heard upon the heights o
Mount olympus They called thei
oratorios by the mighty names of "Th
Messiah" "The Delugc, The prodCa
son" The Light Of the World, sam
son" saul" Esther" Joshua" ''Eii
jah" and Paul" "Jephthuh." 'Israo
II Egypt" "rhe Creation, The Won
an Of Samaria.' SO our singing bird
in their oratorios have glorious theme
to sing about. Their song is the res
direction They sing of the BURSTING
seeds and the incense OF swinging flow
ers. They sing OF the winter which
gone and the harvests which are I
come They sing of the sheep whic
children may have warm clothing I
defy the December blasts and Of tn
sap giving ife to the trees that til
great logs may b" rolled into the oil
fashioned freplaces around which III
families can gather about its glow an
learn the lessons Of love. They sin
Of the open harbors and til" king
f-b ~ inn
laden with gold and silver and ivorle
and the wealth Of foreign cllmcs The
sing Of our rarth'I resurrection. whic
is emheMatiC Of a heavenly glory. OF
my friends. Tx" the song birds in tn
springtime. Will you not choose
mighty theme TO inspire and uplii
your life's music?
The theme. The theme, What is Ia
inspiring theme OF your lifes song
Are YOU ready TO surrender your If
10 the noble work Of the alienation &
physical pain; As cyrus ". Fielt
when "A young man, consecrated n
mental energies to compel the me
maids Of electric science with lightnin
rapidity to carry mcu's messages undo
the seas, and chung 10 that purpose fo
years and years against ohloluy nm
taunts and sneerS, will Won, in III
same persistent, enthusiastic way, ngl
TO alleviate physical suffering? w
you attune your life 10 the upliftneI
OF mankind. as John Howard sang b
sweet song in conyiCts' cells. or Flo
cnce Nightingale sang her song anon
the booming guns Of the Crimean wal
VIII you become Christ's apostle TO Il
Genties down In the slunls, as job
, Eliot was called the Apostle to II
Massachusetts Indiansf' In the o
country village meeting house the lea
or of the choir, before the age of O
, gan or piano. would arise and with
. little bar Of steel strike the keynote
the song. Every human being has
note by which 10 start his song. Upc
what keynote, o man, are you toda
! starting the music Of your life's sons
The theme, The thcme What is II
/ inspiring, uplifting theme of your life
! music?
l The Chorus of the woods,
. Again. God bids us, like the sol
/ birds, sing because he does not eXpc
- US to h" solosts. but TO take an essc
t tial part in great ifc's chorus. Ii
! true beauty Of the song birds singh
$ is that he carries Il part and not
whole days solitary musical recitntio
n Like the piccolo. or the clarinet. h
-, a hA ilft