Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-12-14


main a hircling. Il slave and an out.
cast? Was Daniel always a despicable
youth? Was David n perpetual refugee
In King Achish's court? Did MordecaI
always have to bend the knee to tho
wicked Hannah? Were only the bad
men Of the Bible garmented I'm silks
and the good men clothed In rags!
Nay. King Solomon once wrote, "Seest
thou man dlligent in his business, he
shall stand before kings, he shall not
stand before obscure men," That state
ment applies just as much to Gods dis
ciples as to any one else. II man IL a
true follower of God. as was Joseph.
and. like him, faithful and dligent, he
will not be kept from success by his
religion. There are cases I'm which
God, caring for the best interests of
his child. sends adversely upon him. as
he permitted it to fall upon Job. that
his faith may he increased; but. taken
as a rule we may rely upon II that the
godly business man enjoys the blessing
Of God OH his enterprises.
How He was Paid.
Religion, curing men of disspatio
and improvidcncc, promotes their pros.
perity. Many years ago l heard this
fact illustra ted in powerful way. The
head of the famous Waldensian church
Of Italy was speaking in the Philadcl-
phia church of which l was then as.
sistant pastor. The Waldensian church
Of Italy Is really the Protestant church
Of Victors kingdom. 1t mostly repre-
scnts the peasant classes. One day Il
humble Italian heard that II he would
attend a Waldensian church he would
be paid for doing so. He went. ex-
pccting to get money, but he found
something better than silver and gold.
He found Jesus Christ. He accented
him as his saviour Though he had
never been good Catholic. he nom.
inally had given his allegiance to the
church of Rome. No sooner. did the
priest of his town hear what the man
was doing than he went TO the mans
wife. He told the woman her husband
must leave the Waldensian church or
he would he spiritually destroyed. The
wife said. "F'athcr. ] have something
l would like TO tell thee" The priest
answered. Say on" Father, you say
my husband will go to hell IL he con.
tinues to go to the Waldensian church.
! want to tell you what our home was
before he went there and found Christ.
My husband was a drunkard. He used
to work long enough to make Il little
money. Then it would all go for drink.
We had no home. except howell. Then
he would come TO that hovel when he
was drunk and beat me and knock
me down. Often both by night and
by day. / have heard my children cry
ing with hunger. and | had no bread.
But since my husband found Christ in
the Waldensian church we do not live
in hOvel, hut in house. We have
carpet upon the floor. We have
enough food TO cat. Instead Of my chill.
dren running around half naked they
now have clothes and can 20 to school.
Every morning lie kisses me gOodby
before he goes to work. When the twi-
light sets in he always comes home to
greet me with a smile and to pct the
children. When Saturday night comes
he brings me home his wages and
throws the money into my lap as he
says, There. wife. are enough funds for
rent and clothing and meat for the
coming week." Then the wife. with
tears streaming down her cheeks. said,
"Now. father. il finding Christ in the
Waldensian church means all that to
our home do you not believe had bet.
ter let my dear husband go and find
Christ there little longer:"
Emancipation From Sin.
"Ah. yes" | said to myself when
heard that story. true gospel consecra.
ton means more than spiritual saliva
ton beyond the grave. True gospel
conservation means emancipation from
sin. and emancipation from sin means
dresses for our babies and food for our
dining rooms and hooks for our library
shelves and carpets for our floors and
beds in which to sleep When Joseph
gave himself in loyal service to God he
got all these. And, my friends, if YOU
consecrate your life to Jesus Christ you
will get all these also. DO not talk to
me about Christianity being financial
failure. The most expensive altar at
which man ever worshiped is the altar
of sin. May God help us. in Christ's
name. to be his true and faithful serv.
ants. sincerely DESTROYS of doing his
will in all circumstances. and then we
shall be blessed. whether we are in adj
vcr>ity or financially prosperous. as
was Joseph.
A step further in the analysis OF "a
prosperous life" we find Joseph not
only rich enough to meet his financial
obligations. but We also find him enor-
friends. He never seems to come near
to any one but at once he binds him
to him with links Of steel. His employ
or loves him. His fellow servants love
him. His old father dotes on him.
Even his jealous brothers. who Mt first
did everything to destroy him. are led
to reverence him. And, though you to.
day may praise Joseph, the Interpreter
Of dreams: Joseph. tho farsighted
statesman: Joseph. the wonderful man.
ager of Potiphar's household, / praise
Joseph. the lovable friend. for without
the love Of the associates with whom
we are surrounded every worldly sue
cess is las sounding brass or q tinkling
cymbal."
Love Ia the center. the circumference,
fho nodip md TIM zorith ~ MI <v,,o