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

loon. A prominent minister arose and
spoke about as follows: Friends, we
must now part. I want to tell you how
much have enjoyed this trip. 1t Is
n solemn fact to know that most Of
us will never meet again until we as.
semble at the judgment seat Of Christ"
With that Mr.. Thackeray arose and
said: ut Is solemn to think that we
are all to assemble Mt the judgment
seat Of Christ, but II IL even more SOL
emn for me to think that every minute
Of every hour Of every day God Is hold
ing me in the hollow of his hand and is
feeding me and clothing me wherever
I may 60. So. instead Of thinking about
the judgment seat at this time. If my
fellow passengers are willing, would
like to have our ministerial brother
lead US In prayer and thank God for
the care he has taken Of US during the
last ten days when we have been on
shipboard together. No storm has
wrecked us. No harm has come to U.S.
We shall soon be at home with our
friends" Aye, William NJ Thackeray
was right. 1t Is our duty to think Of
| thC 1oA Va SdC JuN6hCAtt OuS IL 10
also our duty every day to thank the
God of the hills who feeds and clothes
US and cares for us each morning and
each noon and each night, whether we
are awake or whether we are asleep.
Shall we stop here? Was the east
ern herdsman only symbollzing the
strength of God and the care taking
providence Of God In the strength and
the power of the hills? Was he not
making allusion to the gold and the
silver buried In the depths Of the noun
tains, and to the diamonds hidden In
their subterranean vaults, and to their
many precious stones. some Of which
st. John In Apocalypse saw in the
walls Of the New Jerusalem? Was he
not using these stones as the symbol
of the JOY and the peace and the hap
pness Of this world which comes from
God to those who are living in close
communion with God? think he was.
Furthermore, believe Amos, the
herdsman not only found these SYM
bols of earthly happiness coming from
God by following the miners with their
little lights into the ground. but also
by following the call of the bird. sing
ing to him on the top Of some noun
tain rnvine or in some hidden glen.
Methinks can follow this sainted
herdsman as he some autumn day HES
away TO the hills. We will call it an
autumn day. for that is the time when
every tree becomes flaming torch.
Amos is longing to go off for awhile
and be alone with God. lie turns over
his sheep to the care of one of the
under shepherds. lie takes his staff
and climbs up the mountain side.
Higher and higher he goes until his
parched lips CALL Drink. drink; give
me drink" He reaches up and pulls
of a leaf from an overhanging branch
He twists it into a more beautiful
chalice than was ever handed forth by
the Egyptian cup bearers at Pharaohs
court. Then he stoops down and lifts
up the water out Of the gushing spring
The rocks seem to close in about him.
He seems to be in temple. and the
waters at his feet seem to be holy
waters" holy because they have been
touched by the finger Of God Then
he stretches his tired limbs upon a
couch of moss Then the same bird
that called him from his herd now
brings to him his companions. and they
begin to sing. A gentle eyed deer
pokes forth her head from the thicket
and seems to say: "Who art thou--a
friend or an enemy? Dare trust my
little fawn in thy sight while l quench
~ l.
sway and sigh. That peace Of the
woods comes over the happy prophet
as he says: Yes. God has made the
mountains. God has made the gold.
) God has made the silver and the
precious stones buried here. He has
made the woods Of the mountains, the
trees and the moss. the birds and the
flowers and the brightly colored leaves.
He has made the brooks to sing as well
as his feathered songsters. Truly God
is the God Of peace. the God of joy, the
God OF happiness. If man is unhappy.
then it Is because MS sinner he is out
Of touch with Cod" DO you feel that
in the symbols Of the gold. the silver.
the precious stones and the moist. fra
grant leaves of the woods Amos is
speaking today?
The God Of Forgiveness.
The God Of peace of the mountains
Is also the God of forgiveness and par
don. We see the strong limbed hunter
! start forth for the chase. There are
health and vigor in every swing. Or
we see the Alpine climber 60 forth not
to conquer beast, but glacier and cliff
and to win exhilaration from unscaled
heights. The prime Of manhood is
| there. The bravery that fiinches not
. when its eye looks into the open jaws
, Of death Is there also. Or l see the
! angler wading up and down the trout
streams. But, as see the sportsman
and the man Of health hunting or fish
ing or climbing in the mountains.
also see the poor invalid crawling there
or being carried there or lying bacl
; listlessly in an armchair. His eyes
have an unnatural luster; his cheeks
; are flushed; he coughs much; he ha!
the awful pain in his chest Then SCI
him under the powerful tonic Of tn
> ozone Of the Adirondacks or the Alps
n,