Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1907-12-13

VIII tell You. lie Is trying to build n
tower OF Babel out OF gold. He thinks
IL he can only build his Midas TO one
high enough it will satisfy every want
OF earth and every want of heaven.
Gold, goldr' IS his cry. "Give me
gold and everything else will be add
ed unto me-"
Here In the same way is a man
working for fame or political prefer
ment or literary reputation. Why .?
He thinks either position is a stepping
stone to mighty throne which will
make him Independent OF his surround.
ings. A few years ago the Irish his
torian, Justin Mccarthy, wrote pow
erful novel entitled "Tf Were King
The plot is laid in the court OF the
French king. He imagines young
knight in place OF carousal becom-
ing embroiled I'm quarrel. During
the fight he exclaimed, "If were
king, then could right all wrongs and
see that no injustices took place"
These words were spoken in the pres.
ence of King Louis himself. "An
right" said the king II will let thee
be king for one week. But at the end
of that week thou must die" So
some men lon.s for position. They
think that portion Will get them any
thing. They seem to care not whether
the hangnan's moose bangles at the
end of Their days of earthly power if,
for time at least, In spite of all the
awful cost which they shall pay, they
can only say: Il am kingi am kingI"
So was Ii in the land of Shinar while
the walls of Babel were being built.
So IL Is In our time "ComparinC this
account OF the building of Babel with
our own method of life. II Is clear" rs
Parker said, "that from the beginning
OF time men have been doing pretty
much the same thing all the world
over" Yes, men IN the past have be-
lieved that by the material things Of
life they could defy God. And men
Mt the present day are believing the
same thing.
The Same Today as Then.
This incident teaches that. with
fash of the divine eye. God can demol-
ish our towers OF Babel on which we
have spent so many years of hard la
Dor. There is an old legend that many
years ago one of the kings of Greece
discovered a gold mine in his kingdom
and summoned all his subjects to dig
the treasures for him. Farmers left
their plows and herdsmen left their
sheep and horticulturists their gardens
and trees. The sowing and the reaping
OF the kingdom came TO a standstill.
for the king must have his gold. Time
passed on, and famine was threatening
the Kingdom. The wives OF the hus-
bandmen waited on the queen and pro-
tested because the king had called
their husbands and brothers from their
farms. So the queen made great
feast for the king. She called the gold.
smiths OF the royal capital TO her aid.
and they fashioned loaves OF bread
and lunches OF fruit aud fish and
meats and vegetables out of gold. So
wonderful were the designs that the
king was lost In admiration as course
after course came into the BANQUET
hall made mp Of solid gold. But after
awhile the king grew weary and said.
Il am hungry. BRING me something to
eat Nay answered the queen: how
can bring thee anything 10 eat but
gold when thou hast driven all thv
subjects from tie farms and the or.
chards AMI the Sanslens In order 10 cet
gold fo- ;1ccs- So the ancient king
'ear1ed his lesson. as many gold seek.
ers VIII yet learn theirs. Cod allows
men large lii,esty. lie tells the.n great
truths. bui II tbey do not believe them
be permits them 10 so and learn nv
experience r-ha; error IS. The Greek
king may =e- his gold. the Babel
bunoers may raise their tower. but
both learn that they have made n
gigantic bunder. Human nature has
needs that they have overlooked. and
after long ton they have to admit, like
King Saul. II have played the fool
and erred exceedingly"
But there Is another fact I want Won
10 bear well in mind about these mon
OF Shinar. They were men OF great
conceptions. They did not belong TO n
race OF pygmics. They were giants I'm
brain and In their conception of work
And this tower OF Babel demoustro tes
one tremendous fact-that men of bold
ness and daring are not always wise.
A great scheme compeIs the admIra-
tion OF the world. Men are dazzled
by II; II EATERS human pride. We
nave seen in the business world Ci-
ganuc combinations OF late years. Men
have planned FOR large things. They
have combined capital. have bought up
rival concerns. have formed huge
trusts; they have gchemed TO absorb
to themselves the worlds wealth, and
the world has stood amazed at the
boldness OF their schemes. But let us
have care Not In daring, not In
grandeur OF conception, but I'm right
is the strength OF an under
taking.
Higher Than the Hills.
Come with me ana look off upon
some or the famous mountains OF the
world. Do you see Mount Shasta loom
ing up there? Do you see Pixies peak
md the Matterhorn? Do you see those
Alpine heights? Do you see Mount
Ararat, where the old ark was strand
ID? Well, these men or Shinar looked
On upon the mighty mountains and
said: 1--WE will build our tower of
Babel higher than any Of these hills.
We viii build it up and up until It
reaches the skies. We will build It mn
Ind up until IT touches the throne OF
iod. We will build up so high and so
strong that we can defy God and defy
nan and defy everything" All, yes.
nose men OF Shinar were no pygmies!
Their scheme looked great; 1t seemed
easible. Those who have gazed ON