Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-09-21

upon the great cathedral called st.
Peters Of Rome. This cathedral was
supposed to have been begun by
Michael Angelo in 1884. Every gen.
GRAFTON since then has had a part In it,
construction. But, though st. Peters
of Rome was building for GOO years.
the seven hills upon which Rome was
originally built have been building
for q longer time than that. Away
back in the past millenniums God be.
gan to collect the materials for the
foundation Of the hills. He spoke the
word and manufactured a gaseous sub.
stance-poor stuff. some people might
think-out OF which to build the
strength Of the hills, yet that was the
first substance God created out of
which to make the mountains. In all
probability this earth in the beginning
was nothing but a nebulous gas. After
awhile God cooled this gas, transform
Ing it from gaseous to liquid form. As
q thousand years in his sight are but
as yesterday or a watch In the night,
God through long ages kept up the
cooling process. He cooled this liquid
substance until there was a thin crust
over its surface, as a floating film
might form on the surface Of the cof-
fee cooling on the breakfast table. He
kept on cooling the planet until wrin-
kles and creases began to appear, like
ridges on an orange skin after the
Juices have been squeezed out Of It.
Then the waters ran down into the val
legs or the ocean beds and the dry
land appeared. Then the strength Of
mountain ranges. which ran up and
down the continents, giving strength
to the land as the vertebra does to the
human frame.
The work went on for ages upon
ages The divine workman's tools
were fire and storm and hail and pencil
Of ice and volcanic eruption. A mighty
workman is God. Mighty are the ele-
ments and the times which he used as
the means for his creation Of the hills.
We must honor the divine strength Of
the Creator of the hills. That strength
terhorn and Mount Chimborazo and
Mount Gualtahera and Mount Nevada
de Sorata and Mount Everest. Om-
nipotent as well as eternal is our Lord.
He alone hath created the hills and
created u.s. Who is HE that formeth
the mountains and treadeth upon the
high places Of the earth? The Lord,
the God Of hosts, is his name"
The Beauty Of the Mountains.
But as so wandering over the east
ern valleys with this herdsman of my
text say to him: amos. why do you
praise the hils7 OF course 1t is right
and proper for one Of your poetic tenn
permanent TO admire the gigantic cliffs
and the rocks. In the evening hour 1t
is beautiful " see the white clouds
waving their garments in the faces of
these grim monsters, but, Amos, you
are not Nimrod nor an Esau. You do
not leave your flocks and as a mighty
hunter pursue the wild goats that leap
from crag to crag You care nothing
about staying the hungry lion. unless
he comes down to steal one OF your
lambs. Why do you not praise the val
leys and the green fields and harvests
and the orchards?" Then see the old
prophet turn and look Mt me with q
quiet smile as he answers: Friend,
am praising the green fields and the
vineyards and the orchards when l am
praising the mountains. Do you not
know that the beauty and fertility Of
the valleys are dependent upon the
strength Of the hills? The stork builds
her nest in the Or tree. the grass grows
for the cattle, the grapes hang heavy
upon the vines and the harvest fields
are filled with grain merely because
the mountains shed their waters into
the valleys" Then l say. Amos
when thou art praising the God Of the
hills thou art rendering thanks unto
the divine Creator, who feeds and
clothes and houses U.S." Then the old
prophet answers: Eyes, my son. The
Lord Of the hills is the God who is the
practical provider for the everyday
wants Of his children"
But though the God Of tho hills feeds
and clothes us in the valleys, as he
feeds the birds Of the air and the
lilies Of the field. how few Of us ever
stop to think Of his kindness and good.
ness and care. Indeed we have been
accustomed to be fed and clothed by
him SO long that few Of us ever stop
to give him thanks. We think the
blessings have come from the soil and
are the works Of our hands and moi
from his hills. We feel great dea
toward God as little boy felt toward
the care Of his father with whom
was talking some time ago. His
father was playing with him and teas
ing him. The boy turned quickly and
said, II don't like you" What"
said to the boy. you don't like your
papa? What would you do II your
papa should die? Where would YOU
get your clothes?" "Oh." answered
the boy. mamma makes me those
Papa has nothing to do with them
WELL" said, smiling. whose money
buys them. II not papa's?" NO.
no answered still more positively
mamma makes them; papa has moth
Ing to do with them" Then said
But II your papa should die or e
away where would you get your din
ner?" Again the little fellow said
THE groceryman would bring m,