Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1904-01-14
"HlDDEN TALENTS"
A Brilliant Sunday Sermon By Rev. Dr.
Henry c. SwcntzeL
Draws New Lesson From the Parabic-A
Person Without a Grievance.

BROOKLYN, N. Y.-Dr, Henry G.. SWent-
gel, rector of St. Luke's Church, preached
Sunday morning on Hidden Talents" He
took lis text from st. Matthew yxv:lS:
"He that had received one talent went and
diggcd in the earth, and hid his lords
money" DIR. Sweptzel said:
Cod holds the cornucopio of infinite and
omnipotent love. With opep-handcd gem
erosity lie dispcnses the gifts of His
boundlcss wealth throughout the length
and breadth of the whole creation. From
myriad nulpits nature. breaches e,oulently
of the divine philanthropy The universe
is not only vast workshop. but a mag
nfcent pleasure house for enjoyment
Every field is designed for a harvest, all
the forests resound with symphonies and
oratories: everywhere are mines of riches
awaiting the toiler. Gods plan includes
all the best things for the multitude, and
he who serves his mission may well say,
Il have all and abound"
And yet how many are almost persuaded
to protest against the doctrine of the lib
erality of the heavenly Fathers provisions
They have more than a suspicion that our
Interpretation of His bounty does not
square with the facts and experiences of
human life. They are disposed TO intimate
that His ways are not equal that He has
fettered Himself by hard and fast doe
trine of foreordination, predestination and
election; that His counsels are marred by
what amounts practically to unjust dis
elimination and favor'tism: Without
pausing to emphasize the impiety of criti
cising Almighty God or to expose the fu
tility and vanity of passing judgment uDon
His program for humanity. we ought to be
persuaded even by our surroundings that
the Lord is prompted ever by masterfu
desire to promote the health and wealth.
the power and happiness, of His children
If we were qualified to appreciate His
plans for mankind, we would accept the
world with its beauties and harmonies, its
lights and shadows, its rcsplendent heav
ems and fragrant flowers, its overilowing
granares, its countless picture galleries
Its monumental giorlcs, as parallels OF dl
vine sovereignty.
But the man with one talent is likely to
present himself as an obiector to this at
tractive and inspiring view of the Fathers
rulershjp, He is dissatisfied, He has a
grievance. He is persuaded that he ought
to have better chance, larger privileges,
greater opportunities, a more encouraging
| outlook. 1t is perfectly true that there are
| INEQUALITIES. All are not endowed with
! the same gifts. Some seem to have more
| while Others have less: but there is un
| doubtediy law of compensation which
| opens the way for a high general average
| OF satisfaction in living, a satisfaction
| which Is not affected by what are called
| success and failure. riches and uenury
| God never gives everything to any one
person, but He does offer generous Gift
to every soul. and all will find life to be
worth a thousand times more than it cost s
| if they will but do their duty. If the many
would honestly do their best with what
they have. a large share of present inc
qualities would disappear. and it would be
! clearer To all that the Almighty is truly a
!
| best? If the complainer had but half filled
the measure of his possibilities, if he had
been willing to do what he easily could
! have done, # he had not hidden his talent
| the situation to him would be changed
and he would be more perfectIy in .har,
mony with the lfe.creed proclaimed bv
| revelation and by all the worlds
Inasmuch as our Lord is the author of
the parable of the talents the religions
story with it's moral Should be received
with the utmost thouchtfulness. Accord.
ing to His teaching, everybody receives
something. and the very smallest Gift is
one talent A talent is n roodlv sim of
money-eoual to a little less than 5000
| That amount wouId he n nromising start
ing capital to Young man of fair business
ability. MANY, it wifi be ALLEGED, must be.
gin life on much smaller basis, for which
there NAV he human reosons which are
both regrettable and ineyorab,c. and which
we cannot stay to discuss, Ordinarily,
however eacb Soul has - Cond,v st,rt oni
sets ont with a foir endnwment Genar.
ally sDeakinp. EVERYDAY has n rhance-he
can he SOMETHING Lc can do somethrng-he
can serve his mission II ia wholesome 10
be reminded betimes that many of the
! men Who have madn bisfnrv ba,. Snrnm,
form comnarativeIy low orig;n In 'p. everT Try
nation saints. heroes and leaders arc for
the most nart horn in bmmhlc cottaces
the moor bnvs Of NOT many vnsterdovs 400
To every soil God gives an ,dennots eom;n.
ment Work is the only roval road t9 Ser er.
cellence, There are neopie who exnect 70
be carried on angels wr"s tn The rool Of
their ambition. but angels and their wings
were made for M such nnrnnSa
The troubIe with thr cnmria;,ing man
of one talent is that bo has hidIe, b;s
mower in thp earth God maJe him 70 L~o
snIendid lie. thn MAN has fa;ol ,,o,a ,'o w,
less utterly He MAY La m;smndorotooJ o"oto
but Ear oftener ha misrrdorstanJs h,1'ooIf'
In taking stocl; of his ossats ha no,ioctS ~
rate them oven at +h";r faoa ae 'i,,n nG''S o 10
wonders why he is is where he a. is. ,,t he a,,eaes
nsunerabln ohst,cles a,d go. 1 .tat
has heen soreIv bnnd;nanrod. h .ins ,d' ae
himself as a victim. It nav he annsrent
that he is not so richly gifted as certain
others are, but that is no reason wbv he
should set up an inferior standard for
himself and expect nothing as tbe ontcoma
of his existence. Success ia NOT mattor
of talents. 1t is not true that tbev whosa
achievements have given them n 1lace in
the worlds legion of honor warn NOW ~,
whose shining talents. without industrv
and without DEVELOPMENT won for tbony,
immortal distinction, Xii Who horo veal reni
strength arc hard workers whose Tow towor;nn ,u,
object was not IN cot tbrorab tI,o ,,.aniS
with the least nossible outIsv of .norr,, mUd,'
who are willing to spend and and be ' snent emetsg, N