Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-11-14

Cuine 10 you rs II nus come 10 many nj
us. Under false pretenscs you were
persuaded to take certain position.
No sooner were you installed in that
position than you became involved IN n
fight over which you had no control.
You found that you were tie center of
two bitter factions. YoH dared not
run That would be cowardly. To
stand still made you the inheritor of
long years OF dlscord and disscusion.
What were you to do? Where were
you to go; Conditions seemed to grow
worse every minute. Then when all
seemed lost God sent forward his rear
guard. Then it was that the divine
aid manifested itself. Oh my brother,
can you not thank Cot that he has
come to your aid in the Great cxigcn-
cies of life? Have you NOT four or
five distinct remembrance of when
you have been saved Ivy lin. Ms il
were, by the breadth OF hair2
But there is another great fact about
this rear guard. It is always com
posed ~ the best soldiers I'm the army.
Its numbers may not bc very large.
1t may be comprised. as an old soldier
told me. Of only two brigades out Of
three whole divisions. But it is made
| up Of true and tried veterans. For
those who compose the rear guard
must have proved themselves able to
stand the test. SO | have always tclt
that God has for Ms rear guard made
up OF the best Christian forces VIC
have ever known. They are the good
men ana the women who have stood
behind us ever since we were born.
And during the great moral and spirit
ual struggles, in Gods name as we'll
as in the name OF infinite love they
have always come TO our rescue.
To the Rescue.
And the peculiar fact about this real
guard is: The older we grow the more
their spiritual help seems to be by our
side. For instance. take that rear
guard Of the old homestead. One
would naturally suppose those vet
Grams usefulness was ended. Why.
your father and mother have been
dead for at least twenty years Their
the last five years Of her life your
mother was helpless physical in.
valid. She spent most Of her time IN
bed She was so weak that she could
not even read. You now can heat
Your sister reading to her hour after
hour. Then as for walking that was
out Of the question. She had fallen
upon the ice and broken her hip. and
the bones never knitted again. ON
what a useless Christian warrior She
thought she was. And yet as tho
years roll on she is drawing nearer and
nearer to you. When the temptations OF
life come you can see her face. You car
feel her touch. You can hear the
words of advice she used to give.
Why, l.r' favoritc passages Of Scrip
i ture are today ringing in your memory.
God has made her love. her prayers. her
words of counsel. your rear guard. Do
not tell me she is dead. She is plead
ing with you now to sure nder your
heart to the Masters touch.
/ But there is another impressive e,tC
! about Gods reserves. As the Di' ne
Commander has detailed certain saint
ed spirits of the past and present to
aid us in the battle of life, 50 Gee
would detail US 10 be spiritual rear
guards for some of our dear ones.
/ What our Christian mothers and
fathers and sisters and brothers have
been TO US we shall he to our children
and our friends. There are spiritual
lives depending upon Us rs our spirlr-
ual welfare has depended upon he
!aithtulnesS Of others in the past. And,
oh. my friends. what an awful eternal
calamity is going to uriH!l some ~
those who are near and lear to us If
we Go not do our duty TO ;hem As their
spiritual rear guard
Tho iss+ Tbouobt
W., must hoor v.ol, -, mini hot
.,,o.,,' .,,,l. ,,.iii ..,,.l ,.,r,,, 49,, ,.,,i,
,nor+ ,oo+ ~ l,ris+ .,d .,il t.i,l. =,
no ND ,.tot r... l,,r, ,'...,....r .h,,t1
horo doro tor +har, .rba ,,,,, .,,.,r
x,.b.I,rin,, ,,,,,ra,,, % r,. -,,,,,,,,...,
oaroo,. r',. u.hon ,,,ts ,.'+ ,,.,,. i,.;,.,,,
IONA ,o ma &, shat, ..,,,..,,
oo. - ,,.,s r,,Ih,,i, o,.,..,t,.,, 1.I,. On
/ 1oo- vro 1,sr. .ossi,. .n..,t ,-,,o,, ,,o
poo,so ooon w. go .,,.t ,,,.,,,
$500 80 ,,,,a. en ,.,,.o
Ar the r.,,rast of tho r,.sergars
vos hoidirg csrvtco IN IN. cabin
Jus+ nc | rosa to snaol ladr co,,e