Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-02-21
Caln1aQe
Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmscc. d. d.

way with the parable of the talents
the preacher shows how 1t applies to
men of means and influence In every
position in life today. The text Is Luke
viii, 10. "Whosoever hath not, from
him shall he taken away even that
which he seemeth to have"
1t is amazing how the addition of
one little word may change the whole
meaning of sentence. For long
time l could not understand the TWEEN
ty-ninth verse of the twenty fifth chap
ter of Matthew. Christ in his wonder
full way had been telling the parable of
the man who went into the far country
after he had delivered unto his serv-
ants his goods. The story is almost
identical with the history of your own
life.
For years and years you were q
slave to business. You kept up brave
front, but for nearly q quarter of a
century you were trembling upon the
brink OF bankruptcy. The children
We're young and had to be supported
and educated. Your business had not
vet been well established. The bust
ness world was eyeing YOU askance.
You had to buy your goods on long
credit and therefore pay higher for
them than il you had the ready cash.
The result: 1t was grind work. econo-
mi2e But after time the financial
condition made a turn for the better.
Two of your boys finished their school
ing and were able to support them
90, l., ;oj
With the lessening of expenses at
home there came a marvellous growth
ut the store. Instead of living upon the
marrow lane of difficulty" you moved
into Easy street. One night you came
home and after dinner you said to your
wife: MY dear. | have fought the bat
tie Of life and won il. 1t is time for lis
| TO take wedding trip. We did not go
very far when we were married. We
were too poor. Let us next spring start
upon a trip around the world" "Oh,
John" she said. "can you afford iti"
Yes" you answered. "And think we
can take our youngest daughter along.
She is all we have left ut home"
At once YOU began to make prepare
tons. Your wife planned for the care
of the house. You made the arrange
ments at the store. You called in one
employee and said, Harry, you will
take care of this department" You
called in another and said, Joe, you
take charge of that department" To
another man you gave one task and to
another different responsibility. Then
you set sail. With your wife and
daughter you were away from home
called your various employees to rem
der an account Of their stewardship
You rewarded each man according as
he had fulfilled the trust committed ia
his charge. Such is the modern par
allel of the parable Of the twenty-fifth
chapter Of Matthew.
| Now, when the good man of this
parable found out that there was one
who had failed to fulfill his trust he
says, TAKE therefore the talent from
him and give 1t unto him who hath
ten talents, for unto every one that hath
shall he given, and he shall have an
abundance. but from him that hath
not shall be taken away even that
which he hath" Strange" used tC
say when ! read these words. How
can anything be taken away from q
man who has nothing" Can nothing
come from nothing? Yet here in this
parable Of Matthew we read, From
him that hath not shall he taken away
even that which he hath" II cannot
understand these words" I used tC
say; II cannot understand them"
The Real Meaning.
But some time ago ! had strange
illumination of the meaning OF this
chapter Just as you enter a dark
room and 60 to the window and If,
the green shade and food of sunligh;
pours in, SO had Il windOwful Of Cos
pei light poured upon these words. One
day while reading the expression as
found in Luke | came upon the one
word "seemeth.' Then read the con
clusion of the parable in Matthew ir
conjunction with my text in Luke, an(
/ found that the two verses meant
practically the same. This is the way
/ read the two verses: Take heed
therefore how you hear, for whosoevel
hath to him shall he given and whose
ever hath not from him shall be takeI
away even that which he seemcth tC
have" Con" I exclaimed Il see it
When Il man is untrue to the trus
God has given to him. he may seem t
have wealth and happiness, he may
seem to be blessed with joys which
are denied the children of God, bu
there shall come a time when he shall
stand before all men stripped Of hi'
false assumptions" To pretend to hav,
does not prove that we have. Tha
word "seemeth" is the pivotal word Of
my sermonic theme. ! want to prov,
TO you that no man can eternally pos
, sess anything that is good and tru'
: and pure unless he possesses then
through his fidelity and conservation Il
Jesus Christ When man has gift
and talents given to him that there
, With he may do effective service To-
Christ and he uses them for his owl
a advantage or does not use them at all
O he will be called to account at tn,
q bar of God. Then God will say. "Tak,
, away even that which he seemeth t,
c have"
= The most absurd assumption, in TIN
q first place, of n worldly wise man i