Milford chronicle., 1906-10-05


broad prairies and chatter, See how
big / am" But he should be Ike a
traveller. always with his vision focus
ed upon the distant hills. He should
be continually striving to reach chat
which he has not attained. Egotism
for the most part is nothing but
bubble of self complacency filled with
air. One pancture and it will burst
and be gone forever.
But the saJdest fact to me about
banl5ruptiug egotism is that it drives
from our sides the very best friends
that we have. IL drives away those
true mon and women who want to be
our friends ana who ~ t to help us
if we will only let thAh mean those
friends who are thu5ing of orr inter-
est rather than their own. We simply
turn to them and say: "Thauk you.
gentlemen. I ana perfectly able TO take
care of rlyse!s If YOU viii clean your
own front doorsteps / viii look after
NV own" In one sense we are in eN-
actIv the same condition AIS was the
Young Prince RehoQoam who had just
Inherited King Solom0u's throne.
Rehoboam's Mistake.
You know the simple story. No soon
er was the old king dead than dele
CATION of the Hebrew people came to
the young prince and said: Your maj
esty. # is simply an impossibility fer
tBe peoDle to bear any longer the heavy
taxation which your father put upon
Us. These aqreducts and public gar
dans and temples and houses may be
very beautiful. but they are paid for
Inv the sweat and blood of the common
neople Now. therefore, make thou the
prievous service of thy lather and his
heavy woke which he put upon us light
err. and we will serve thee. The young
prince answered: Il viii consider your
petition. Come again after three days,
and | will give you my answer" mat
was well said. Rehoboam. No man has
right to decide a great question OF
life hastily Now, what did the young
nrince do in the meantime: First he
went to the aged cOuuselors of his dead
father. That is. he called in the tried
ola prtme minister and the secretary of
the treasury and the minister OF the
interior. These old statesmen had been
tested by many years of service. Ihey
knew the policy Of the past reign. ana
they knew what was juSt-what the
new king could do and what he could
pat do As honest and tried Veterans
These gray haired. well trained states
men said: Your majesty, the men OF
this delegation are not meters OF re-
bcIH1n. They are as loyal to you MS
tbpv were To vour father. But the taxes
are foo heavy. The people are groanng
under fncm Make tham lighter say Il
few conriliatory words TO these men.
and your reign viii be long and hap
nv" Thus suake 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 i'm these sycophants'
who were accustomed to make sport
with him. He said: Boys, what would
vou doq This delegation waited upon
me this morning and the old states
mon told me / had better knuckle down
ia Them" With that the young men
answered: "What-ar5 sou not king:
Are Won going to sit upon throne and
not rule? / would tell these men thG5
sbould do as / pleased and that my
word was law. I would say: My fa-
ther made your yoke heavy, and Will
add to your yoke My father also chaS-
tised YOU with whips, but l will chas-
tise Won with scorpions. y smile OF
pleasure now lights up the face of the
Young prince. and his egotism IS beau
tifullv tickled and fattered. Then ne
forsooIy the counsel Of the old men ana
clave TO the counsel of the young men
and thereby lost most Of his kingdom.
Oh nv brothers. are we like Reno
boam i'm our ruinous egotism. driving
tbe hest friends we have from our sidef
Are we going to turn our backs upon
tbe dear. good. noble Christian men
and women who have loved our parents
for fifty wears? When these Christian
disciples come to us and say: Young
man. I love you for your fathers sake;
my bov. don't drink" shall we flush up
and answer. 4 will do just as /
please?" When that dear good man
saws to us. My son. you had better
curb that temper or it will ruin YOU
shall we drive our fangs into him with
their bitter venom? There is no need
of my running through the long list Of
your weaknesses. You know what they
are better than l do Your true friends,
vour best friends. have warned you
against them. Are You going to drive
those true friends from your side, as
did Rehoboam. and refuse to heed the
warning signals they display over your
physical. mental and spiritual infrIni-
ties?
And. oh. my friends. are we also 60
ing today on account of your sinful
egotism to drive that best Of all friends,
Jesus Christ, from your side? He is
even now laying the hand of love upon
that shoulder. He is even now, with
his eyes Of yearning, looking into thy
ewes. He is saying: My child, l want
TO be thy friend and stay by thy side
o - Ill, +t,o,, ~, 4ha n y-fr11 etisT1 o0ln Of