Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-06-28


mammoth boilers and the heavy driv-
ing wheels. We say: "Thls Is the way
the steam is connected with that wheel.
This immense steel rod makes the
wheels work together" But, though
II Is important TO have our human boil
crs, II is Just rs important TO have our
human brakes. Tho engineer must be
able to start the engine, but he must
nlso be able TO stop it. Now. the enc
mics Of a man put him on his guard.
They keep him from running into need
less dangers. They, like the wild
beasts of the forests, make him keep
his eyes open and his ears alert.
Though enemies mix for us the bitter
waters of Mnrnh, thank God that these
waters can become sweet when we re-
alzc that on account of their bitter
ness we are able 70 do more valiant
service for our fellow men and for
Jesus Christ.
But there are still other bitter Marah
waters which many Of us are com
PEELED to drink. ones financial inabil-
itv 10 provide for the wants Of our
loved ones. You say: PERSONALLY I
could stand poverty. 1t does not affect
me much. My personal wants are very
few and easily satisfied. But 1t Is so
hard not to he able to give my dear
ones the necessities and few Of the
Injuries" Then you look mp Mt me
with sad smile as YOU say: "You
must not think that l have always
lived ns we are living now. Like many
people of this city for whom the wheel
of fortune has turned. / can say that
have seen better days" My brother,
] know it, There was day In your
life when you did not have to consider
whether it was best for you to ride In
street car because of the eXtrava-
gance in spending five cent piece.
And that fact makes your condition
doubly hard.
Like IA Thundcrboit.
Then, again. from talking with Il
member of your family | have found
out that your financial catastrophe
came like a tornado out of n clear sky.
1t came as quickly as the late San
Francisco tragedy came to thousands
Of families and left them penniless
by the Golden Gate. Only the night
before that awful earthquake young
student of the Hopkins Art institute
was writing home. This letter left the
city at ) o'clock n. m, or just thirteen
minutes before that great city was
wrecked This is what she said at
Is Il beautiful night The breeze from
the ocean is so pure and fresh. and the
air is heavy with perfume from the
hosts of flowers that are blooming
Tho heavens are full of bright stars.
God seems to he everywhere, and the
whole earth seems glad"
But hardly was the ink dry upon the
horrible upheava took place. the con-
| iiagration broke loose and the Hopkins
Institute of Art, like thousands of 9th
er buildings, was Il mass of charrcd
and kissing ruins. That is the way
your fortune went. In fash, with the
! speed of bullet-aye, with the vcloci-
| ty of the whirlwind-yo money took
wings and flew away. Now your sick
wife has to do the houSework and your
/ two daughters are compelled to go out
and earn their daily bread Bitter, bit
ter are the Marah waters of financial
inability out Of which you are com
PEELED TO drink daily. And vet. my
friends, I do not feel so sorry for you
as you think / ought. I want to tell
you that there will vet come day
when You shall thank God on your
knees that you have had to drink from
this bitter spring. Then the Marah
spring shall become the living fountain
of sweet love.
The best way for ne to press home
the truth which I would convey is to
tell you the simple story of a family
in one of my eastern churches. They
We're society people when first knew
them and lived simply for social enjoy
mcnt. Money then was no object with
them. The father was street ear mag
nate. Suddenly 'their money, like a
swift red breasted oriolc. flew away IN
! 4 night. Then the father, instead of
being n money lender, became u money
borrower. His mind gave way, and be
moved as a living corpse. His lungs
and heart were alive. but his mind was
dead. Then the mother discharged all
her servants and left the handsome
home and went into little four room
ed cottage. where she became her OWL
cook and drcssmaker. The two oldest
girls went to teaching. The third daugh
ter could do nothing, for she was AZ
invalid. The boy was too small &c
work, and he was kept AT school. Too
bad" every one said. Too bad
Think of what that family had anG
now what they have come to-
The blessing of Amiction,
But time passed on. The invalid
daughter died. The other two daugh
tiers grew stronger and stronger In
stead of being useless social butter
flies" they became noble self reliant
women. The boy grew up and went
to Princeton, and is now Il strong
brainy man. The family have moved
into Il larger house and now the aged
mother is again able to take life easier
Other hands do the family cooking
And what was the great moral and
spiritual results OF that family having
to drink the Marah waters? Some time
ago that mother said to mo: 1T was
lawfully hard for us when we lost
everything but honor. Many Of ouI
best friends then turned their backs
Ip,,X t.i1 tl,p,