Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1904-12-03
UNDER THE LOAD.


Amos .: 10.
If you have spent many days in the |
country you know how the prophet |
happened to select this illustration. |
There is always a strong temptation |
for farmer to put one more sheaf on
his load. But after a while he discov-
ers that no one can do all he might
like to do. The wheels have been sink
ing into the soft ground, and his big,
splC ndid team may tug and do its best,
but with all that, and with all of his
pushing on the wheel, and useless
whipping of the horses. and senseless
irritation, he will end by recognizing
the fact that there is such a thing as
being too ambitious.
Now, this overloaded cart is like an
ovCrloaded life. We all cheer and hon-
or progress. The greatest thing in the
ST. Louis exposition is the evidence of
, marvellous improvement and advance
ment in the last ten years. The whole
world is not only wide awake. it is
hard Mt work, and we are all thankful.
We have no patience with people
who whine about "worldliness' We
believe the talk about this material
istc age" is greatly overworked. 1t is
species of unmanly drivel and cant
for preachers deacOns. and Sunday
school teachers to be forever harping
upon their false emphahiS of the text,
"How hardly shall they that have rich
es enter into the kingdom of God" AS
/ read my Bible, when God fed his
chosen people he gave them quail to
eat because it is the finest bird that
flies. And God helped Solomon make
silver as common. as stones in the
streets of Jerusalem But with all this
encouragement we are not to overload
In the city you have noticed how
the merchant. anxious to market his
goods. will put one box too many on
the truck. The load starts off easily.
The iron shoes of the team strike
sparks from the pavement. and ada
cent buildings jar under the tread of
the wheels, and the head of the firm
looks out through his gold spectacles
and exclaims. That's business" But
around the corner the pavement is
broken. There is a hole and the hind
wheel of the cart drops into it. The
horses are brought up with jerk that
almost throws the driver from his
seat. With red lantern tied to the
pole the load remains there all night.
The shipper missed his train, he miss
ed his market. he missed everything
that he aimed at. In the red light of
that danger signal there is a good OPP
portunity for us to read the lesson of
the text.
And it goes a great ways toward
proving there is nothing so much the
matter with government. or politics
or religion. The trouble is life is over
loaded. But if we thank God as we
do for load of prosperity, let us alsC
be thankful for the compliment intend
ed i'm giving us the load. 1t is in thi.
light we should think of such texts as
'Whom the Lord loveth he chasten
eth"
A load is always compliment Goo
never vet called a Judas to any grea
work because Judas is always weak
He does not want to be Il disciple FOL
the sake of filling the world with good
ness and gladness. but for the sake o
filing his bag. OF course, under an!
strain of self-denial, such man would
break down. The world has alwayi
turned to the busiest men in any com
munity to get things done. Their activ
ity Is one way God has of indicatin.
that they can be depended upon. 1t Il
a compliment, therefore. to have you
name linked with theirs. If you ar
asked TO carry a load, that is proc
enough that you are good for some
thing. You have strength, endurance
patience, ability. power, or you woul'
have no trials or responsibilities. ID
not fret then over a load of bushes
or the load of family care.
Which had you rather be like-a Gel
tain fig tree the Master saw, green an
promising on the hillside, but which h
approached and withered with the he
breath of his Indignation, because
had nothing but leaves, or like a ma
uOIlB lOul DtSA III a hdi NtSl lltlus lOdN
ed like a cart that is pressed, that
full of sheaves? Such load is
means of developing our strength.
Many of the brightest saints tn
world has known owe their canoniz:
tion not to the recognition of an
church but to the discipline of the loa
of life. Just as when a horse is pu
ting forth all his weight the drive
throws a load on his back and til
added weight gives him additions
pull, so a cross laid upon us at tin