Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-10-06

rushing bnck into his little black dun
geon. lie should not sit upon IL small
mound OF dirt and look out over the
broad prairles and chatter. See how
biz ! am" But he should be like d
traveller. always with his vision focus
cd upon the distant hills. lie should
be continually striving to reach that
which he has not attained Egotism
for the most part Is nothing but
bubble Of self complacency filled with
air. one puncture aud II will burst
aud be gone forever.
But the saddest fact 10 me about
bankrupting egotism Is that IL drives
from our sides the very best friends
that we have. II drives away those
true men and women who want to be
our friends and who want 10 help US
II we VIII only let them. | mean those
friends who are thinking OF our inter
est rather than their own. We simply
turn to them aud say: Thank you.
gentlemen. | AIN perfectly able to take
care OF myself. II you will clean your
own front dourstcps | will look after
my own" la one sense we are In ex-
actly the same condition as was the
young Prince RchobOam. who had just
Inherited King Solomon's throne.
Rehoboam's Mistake.
You know the simple story No soon
or was the old king dead than dele.
CATION OF the Hebrew people came TO
the young prince and said: Your maj.
esty, II X simply an impossibllity for
the people 10 bear any longer the heavy
taxation which your father put upon
US. These nqreducts and public gar.
dens and temples and houses may be
very beautiful. but they are paid for
by the sweat and blood OF the common
people Now. therefore. make thou the
grievous service OF thy father and his
heavy yoke which he put upon us light
er, and we will serve thee" The young
prince answered: ~ Will consider your
petition. Come again after three days.
aud | will give you my answer" That
was we'll said. Rehoboam. No man has
right 10 decide Il great question OF
life hastily Now, what did the young
prince do In the meantime? First he
went TO the aged counselOrs OF his dead
father. That Is, he called In the tried
old prime minister and the secretary OF
the treasury and the minister OF the
interior These old statesmen had been
tested by many years Of service. They
knew the policy OF the past reign, and
they knew what was just what the
new king could do and what he could
not do. As honest and tried veterans
these gray haired, we'll trained states
men said: Your majesty, the men OF
this delegation are not meters OF re
belllon They are as loyal TO you az
they were 10 your father But the taxes
are too heavy. The people are grooming
under them. Make them lighter. Say a
few conciiatory words 10 these men
and your reign will he long and hap
py" Thus spakc the wise old men.
But the young prince was not salts
fed with the advice OF these old men
So he went to the companions OF his
youth. He called IN these sycophants.
who were accustomed 10 make sport
with him He said: Boys, what would
you do? This delegation waited upon
me this morning, and the old states
men told me had better knuckle down
to them" With that the young men
answered: "What-are you not king;
Are you going to sit upon throne and
not rule: would tell these men that
| should do as pleased and that my
word was law. | would say: My ia
thcr made your yoke heavy. and l will
add TO your yoke. My father also chas-
tiscd you with whips, but | will chas'
tlse you with scorpions \ smile OF
pleasure now lights up the face OF the
young prince. and his egotism Is beau
tifully ticklcd and battered. Then he
forsook the counsel Of the old men and
clavc 10 the counsel OF the young men
and thereby lost most OF his Kingdom.
oh. my brothers. are we like Reho'
bonn In our rulnous egOtism, driving
the best friends we have from our sidei
Are we going 10 turn our backs upon
the dear. good. noble Christian men
and women who have loved our parents
for fifty years. When these Christian
disciples come 10 us and say Young
man. love you for your fathers sake;
my boy, don't drink. shall We iiush up
and answer. Il Will do just as l
please?" When that dear good man
says 20 us. My son, you had better
curb that temper or II will ruin you.
shall We drive our fangs Into him with
their bitter venom: There II no need
OF my running through the long list OF
your weaknesses. You know what they
ars better than do. Your true friends.
your best friends, have warned You
against them Are you going % drive
those true friends from your side, as
did Rehohoam and refuse 20 heed the
warning signals they display over your
physical. mental and spiritual infrmi
ties;
And. oh. my friends, are We also 60
ing today on account Of your sinful
egotlsm 10 drive that best Of all friends
Jesus Christ, from your side lie Is
even now laying the hand of love upon
that shoulder. lie Is even now with
his eyes Of yearning. looking into thy
80. lie q aaxfuU. "kfv child I tgnut