Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-05-18
Calnnage
Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank De witt Talmaee, D. d.

Los Angeles, Cal, May. 14-That the
secret Of success and the causes of
failure, moral aud material, lie in the
foundations Of character is shown In
this sermon The text is Luke xiv. 80,
This man began 10 build and was not
able TO finish
What is the matter with yonder
block of houses" asked one of my
church officers some. time ago when
walking along the Chicago streets. II
came to this city ar least four years
ago. Then the walls were up. The
floors in many Of the houses were laid.
The buildings then seemed almost
ready for the, piasterers. Why this
vast amount OF money lying idle? 1t
must be worth at least SI0,0N year
as interest 1t would have been far
better to have laid. no foundation and
erected no walls and allowed the land
to be turned into vegetable garden
than to leave those buildings in that
stSte." II know it," answered my
friend. but the owner OF those build
ings overreached himself When the
buildings were half completed his mon
ey ran out. Then. on account Of his
debts, all his properties we're thrown
by litigation into the city courts Now
l do not know what Is to be the out
come. Anyway. he cannot 60 on unless
he gets out Of his present difacuities.
His property must still lie idle In this
incompleted form
What Is the purpose Of those two
mammoth sheds;' I asked a naval
friend some years ago while we were
walking through the Brooklyn navy
yard. Why said he. those are the
sheds erected over two immense hulls
Of half completed warships. During
the civil war the navy department was
building as many and as large ships
mattox peace agreement was signed
the work was stopped upon these two
vessels. The government had at that
time no use for them. Now they are
lying there. rotting away The wood
will be used for nothing but kindling
as the plans upon which those keels
were laid are already obsolete"
Incomplete beginnings" were bott
the Chicago houses and the navy YARD
ships. We do not have to 60 cleal
back to Bible times TO And illustration.
for my text We can see them every
where around us in our present day
and generation
We have right to draw new illus
trations and mp to date applications
for this sermonic theme. Indeed til,
fresher and more modern the applica
lions the better. The reason why thi.
smile Of my text made an Overwhelm
ng impression upon Christs nearer.
WINS that it was an object lesson neal
Ut hand. When Christ was seated il
The fishing smack upon the waters o
Lake Galilee and said Behold. there
went out a sower to SOW" he looked
off upon the hilisides overhanging tn
lake and pointed to farmer scatter
ing his seed upon the rich soil Of tn,
east. In the same way legend tell
that when Christ spake these words O.
my text he pointed TO the half con
structed wahs of tower which PLATE
the governor. had begun to build, over
looking one of the jerusalem aque
ducts, and had left in an Incomplete
state. There it stood, powerful oh
ject lesson, showing that what on,
commences In life one should carry oil
to it's full completion. SO today
would draw my illustrations from
every whittier. ! would find them IL
the home. the store. the factory. in I'll,
church and on the street. would ans
them in your life as well az in mine.
Half Built Towers Of Life.
The half built towers OF life have /,
modern application In the average
schoolroon education. They can b.
found in the preparations with which
many of MS were sent forth to tn
struggle of life. They can especial!
be found In the smattering of French
lessons and painting and music an.
aesthetic culture in which some sister
and daughters are being dipped for
few months year on the prlncipl
that the mere outward color of the dy
decides whether or 10 the garment /
closely woven and OF good wearing
quality. They are the "incompleted be
gnnings" of the schools and college,
which often send young man or
young woman forth into the worl,
knowing a little Of everything and no
any one STUDY perfectly. They max
their students know a little Of astrono
my. a little Of chemistry. q little o
Greek. a little OF mathematics. a iittl
Of mythology. a little of architecture,
little of mechanics. little Of electric
lty. a little Of this. that and the othe
thing and yet not we'll vcrsod In an
tine subject or along any one line o
work. What true education should d
Is to teach n man to do at least on
thing as well as any one else could q