Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-12-06

quest to make.
Always Ont Of Work.
| Have you never noticed how many
men and women there are who seem
to be most Of the time out Of employ
ment? These unfortunates always
seem to be square pegs trying to be
fitted to round holes. They work, and
they work hard. They seem to have all
the mental and physical and spiritual
qualifications for positions of intiu
ence If they could only find their right
! positions. Poor old Samuel Johnsons
| life was n battle against adversely
Edmund Burkc's speeches are read by
posterity, but they were spoken to
empty benches when he was alive
Carlyle had such long, bitter fight
for success in life that when he did
acquire it he was an old man, pre-
maturely aged by troubles. with a dis
position soured and nature made
cynical by perpetual vexation. So 1t
Is with these unfortunates whom we
see around us and who are out of their
proper sphere in life. 1t Is all impor-
tant to have the right field of useful
ness open to man before he can
amount to much. SO at this Christmas
time l do not say to God: 20 Father
give me money! Give me rs Christ
mas present an easy slnecure." But l
do say: 30 Father, give me a place
in which | may labor for thee! Give
me blessed opportunity in which |
ma hn al, In to For Il i1,.
bread and support my dear ones and
accomplish something for my fellow
mem! This is one of my desires for
the coming Christmas. Is it yours ?
Is the opportunity for labor a Christ
mas request which is pressing upon
your heart and pleading from your
lipsp
1t is right and proper for every one
to have a healthy ambition. Every
man, woman and child. no matter how
humble their sphere, should strive to
make the most out of life. But, though
l should come TO God today and make
this prayer 20 God, give me posi-
ton of usefulness. where l may do
something for thy glory' | should NJ.
so circumscribe that prayer with an
other prayer l should say, 80 God,
do not give me position of earthly
influence greater than that which my
mental and physical and spiritual ca
pabilities are able to FILL" But where
there are fifty men who are ready con
scientiously to make the first prayer
there is hardly one ready to make the
4
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 fill too big Il
place in life? They are trying to do
more than God ever meant their brains
or their hearts to do.
Their Places Too Big.
One day mighty pinioned eagle
was winging his way through the
heavens. He flew on and on, going
with the speed of the winds Sudden
ly he heard mud turtle calling to him
to stop. Like a ship lacking into port,
the monster circled around and few
down to the mudhole and seated him.
self upon a rock near by. What is the
matter, o mud turtle?" asked the
eagle. 20 eagle" answered the mud
turtle, II am tired Of living down here
in the dirt. All that l can do is to
crawl out upon this bank of morning
or take sun bath upon some floating
log. l want to fill higher life. I want
to put mountains underfoot and build
an eyrie for my young upon the Hottest
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
with his feet And, mark me, mud
turtle, even an eagle has his dangers
to meet. l have to fee the sportsman's
gun, as you must guard against the
fishermans hook" Not so,' says the
mud turtle. Position and experience
make you what you are and not talent.
! would be just as smart as you If my
father and mother had tried to teach
me to fly as yours taught you. Take
me up in your claws. Lift me higher
and higher until the earth Is far be-
meath. Then let me go, and l will use
my webbed feet for wings. And as l
now can paddle through the waters so
will l soar through the air"
So the eagle, to please the turtle,
took him at his word. He clutched the
turtle in his claws. Then the mighty
wings began to vibrate. Higher and
higher they rose. Shall let you 60
now. mud turtle?" NAY. nay an
swered the mud turtle. Lift me high.
err The higher l go the easier it will
be for me to fly" Higher and higher
they went, higher and higher, until al
last the eagle loosened his hold. Al
once the mud turtle. though he tried
to flap his webbed feet like an eagles
wings, fell to the earth like lump OF
lead. His shell was crushed upon the
rocks below. How many are like the
poor mud turtle and think that IL We
can only be lifted far up into the heav
ems with our poor webbed feet we vii
be able to fly. Pray God today thai
when he gives to you position OF
influence he will give you, too, the
mental and physical and spiritual ca
pacity to fill it scceptably
The race is not always to the swift
nor the battle to the strong, neither ye
1.,,o, = 10 81, 10, -