Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-12-08

! ana young man. ! have wealthy
father who is a great merchant. ] 10
20 that parent and say. Father. give
me- some money that | may live aud
support my wife aud children" Then
the father gives 10 Ine ten. hfty. a hun
bred thousand dollars You say that Is
That Is the request of the loafer. the
.dler. the good for nothing deadbeat.
But IL gO TO my father and say. ia.
Their do not give me money. but give
me u position whore ! can earn honest
wages aud give full return in labor
for the money that | receive" then
call that noble request The soldier
who returns from the war when he Is
disabled may feel grateful 10 the king
who gives him pension 10 support
him during his years Of helplessness,
but the soldier who is strong physical
ly ought not TO want pension. He
should he glad TO have had the oppor-
tunity 10 go forth TO fight the battles
OF his country and his king. So the
strong Christian should not desire from
his God place OF ease. but place OF
labor Today. for this coming Christ
mas. cannot we say to God: 20 God.
give to me n place OF active service.
Give to me place 10 labor in thy
kingdom" This IL not q foolish re-
quest 10 make
Always Out Of Work.
Have you never noticed how many
men ana women there are who seem
to he most of the time out of employ
ment: These unfortunates always
seem TO he square pegs trying TO be
fitted 10 round holes They work. and
they work hard They seem TO have all
the mental and physical and spiritual
qualifications for positions OF infu-
cncc if they could only find their right
positions Poor old Samuel Johnsons
Edmund Burkes speeches are read by
po>tcrity. but they We're spoken &c
empty benches when he was alive
Carlyle had such Il long. bitter fight
for success in life that when he did
acquire il he was an old man. pre-
maturely aged by troubles. with a dis
position soured aud nature made
cynical by perpetual vexation So II
Is with these unfOrtunates whom we
see around us and who are out of their
proper sphere in life II is all lmpor-
tant to have the right field of useful
ness open TO a man before he can
amount 20 much. So at this Christmas
time | do not say To God: 20 Father.
give me money. Give me as a Christ
mas present an easy sinecure." But
do say: 20 Father. give me a place
in which | may labor for thee, Give
me Il blessed opportunity in which !
may be able to work for my daily
bread and support my dear ones and
accomplish something for my fellow
men," This is one OF my desires for
the coming Christmas. Is ii yours
Is the opportunity for labor n Christ
mas request which is pressing upon
your heart and pleading from your
lips:
/, Is right and proper for every one
10 have healthy ambition. Every
man. woman and child. no matter how
humble their sphere. should strive TO
make the most out of life. But. though
| should come TO God today and make
this prayer. 20 God. give Inc posi-
ton of usefulness. where may do
something for thy glory" should a.
so circumscribe that prayer with an
other prayer. should say. 20 God,
do not give me a position or earthly
influence greater than that which my
mental and physical and spiritual ca
pabilities are aule 10 Ill.," But where
there are fifty men who are ready con-
scientiously TO make the first prayer
there is hardly one ready to make the
second prayer. When we come to God
to ask for Christmas gift we want
that gift Just as large as possible. And
yet my friends. do you not know there
are scores of men absolutely miserable
because they are trying TO ill too big n
place In life: They are trying 10 do
more than God ever meant their brains
or their hearts to do.
Their Places Too Zig.
one day a mighty pinioned eagle
was winging his way through the
heavens. lie flew on and on. going
with the speed of the winds. Sudden
ly he heard mud turtle calling to him
To stop. Like ship lacking into port,
the monster clrcled around and few
down 10 the mudhole and seated him
self upon rock near by. What is the
matter. o mud turtleY' asked the
eagle. 20 eagle" answered the mud
turtle, II am tired OF living down here
In the dirt. All that ! can do is 10
crawl out upon this bank OF a morning
or take II sun bath upon some floating
log | want 10 fill higher life. ] want
TO put mountains underfoot and build
an eyric for my young upon the loftiest
rocks and battle my shell in the cold
waters OF the mighty deep" "Ah. mud
turtle" said the eagle. you may want
to do all that. but you must have
wings To fly. An eagle does not climb
over the blue dome of the heavens