Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-06-13

who were the descendants Of Joseph
and his brethren were like small
tribe Of Indians called the Aztecs,
which settled in Mexico. They multi
piled rapidly in numbers until they
overrsn and captured the whole land of
what is now called modern Mexico So
was It with the children Of Israel In
Egypt They were multiplying so fast
that they Threatened to overturn the
throne of the pharaohs.
Joseph? Who was JosephT' hear
some of the Egyptians ask. "Oh.
know" some one answers. "He Is that
Hebrew who was captured by a band
Of rowing Ishmaelites and brought into
this country and sold MS q slave about
200 years ago, under one Of the shep-
herd kings called Aphobis. Then the
story goes that he interpreted some
crazy dream Of the king and was ap-
pointed prime minister. Then he sent
to his old home in Canaan and brought
down all his brothers and their wives
aud children And their descendants
multiplied until they have become as
numerous rs the Hebrews we have
with us today" What! Did all those
Hebrews come from Joseph's family?'
Eyes. all, all" Then hear the Egyp-
tians mutter: Course him. Curse him
Curse him" Then the Egyptians for
got all about the days Of famine. They
forgot how Joseph had saved their an
cestors from starvation. They only
remem bered the fact that the multi
tudes Of threatening slaves at their
feet were the descendants Of this an
cient prime minister and his relations.
Alas, my friend, is it not a fact tina t
the evil we do will live longer in mems
minds than the good we dor And the
sad fact is. though we may have spent
a whole lifetime in good works. yet II
be chiseled by man in the solid rock OF
memory, while the good we do will be
forgotten in a day.
The Evil Remembered.
Who was Solomon Spsulding7
"Spaulding, SpauldingT' you say.
WAS it not Solomon Spaulding who
once lived in Pittsburg? Was he not
the man who in 1910 wrote a book to
prove that the North American Indians
were the descendants of the lost ten
tribes Of Israel? And was it not this
book that Joseph rmith took and after
ward called the Book Of Mormon,
upon which he afterward founded the
Mormon church," Yes. Solomon Spaul-
ding was that man. Is that all you
know about him? Well, as far as
can make out, Solomon Spaulding lived
just such a life as you and are try
ing TO live. He was an honest man.
lie was good to his family. He tried
to be of help to mankind. But In his
old age, to pass the tedious hours OF
fnvalidism, he wrote this book which
the charlatan. Joseph Smith, got hold
Of And today all the good that Solo
mon Spaulding ever did has been for
gotten. But the one mistake he made
will live through the centuries. And
SO. my friends, If you and I are !iv-
ing simply for the fame which we
shall have among those who come aft
er us there are q thousand chances to
one that we then shall be best remem-
bered by the mistakes we have made
rather than praised for the good we
have done. Joseph the prime minis
ter who saved Egypt from starvation,
was forgotten. but Joseph the ances-
tor Of the Hebrew slaves was remem-
bered. And there arose up a new
king over Egypt which knew not Jo-
seph."
But there was still another reason
why the Egyptians ceased to honor the
name Of Joseph. AS a dishonest peo-
pie ruled by dishonest officials, they
did not want to revere the memory of
one whose public and private life was
pure and spotless and who through
long premiership, demanded that the
Egyptian people should be honest and
pure as he was honest and pure. Why,
you might as well expect band of
highwaymen or pirates to elect Paul
or Jesus for their captain as to expect
the dissolute, .rerciless Egyptians to
like Joseph. What he stood for they
did not What he preached was against
every desire Of their corrupt hearts.
Joseph Was Pure.
In the first place, Joseph was pure
man in his moral life. He believed
that marriage was more than mere
name or q cloak behind which q man
or woman could hide a multitude Of
sins. He did not believe that as soon
as married men or married women be-
came tired Of their marital partners
they had a right to turn their backs
upon each other as one might throw
away bouquet of withered flowers in
order to seek some new wild flowers.
Neither did he believe in the pernicious,
immoral and dcmning doctrine that
young man, because he was man.
had right to SOW his wild oats wher-
ever he would before his marriage and
then on his wedding day swear fidelity
to pure girl and let the filthy buzzard
and the spotless dove set up housekeep-
fng IN the same nest. If you do not
believe that what say is true, read
the Bible account Of Joscph's life in
the house Of Potlphar. His master
trusted him. He gave into the young
Hebrews care all that he had. He
said to the young man: Joseph. there
Is my money, my family and my honor.
Protect them. trust you" And rath-
er than betray that trust. Joseph. with
sealed lips. went to poverty and to