La Junta tribune., 1907-12-07

saw and heard. We believe but we
do not know. We are confident that
the grave is not the ending but \
continuing, the passing to higher
tiic aud that Our position there will
in measure be determined by our
lives here. III we are clean and man
~ here, ii in this world we are true
TO ourselves. our brothers, our home
and country, we may go to the land
OF mystery as fearlcssly. as screncly,
as gladly as a son returning from a
long voyage enters the house OF his
birth to receive the loving welcome
OF his waiting father and mother.
All history is proof that it was not
given that we should know the fu-
turc. only death can lift the veil.
Five thousand books have been writ
ten to prove or disprovc immortal
life. not i line has added to the
worlds knowledge. All the philos
ophcrs from Socrates to Ali Baba
were no more wise than the infant
III the cradle, The sensible thing for
us Ia do IS to give our mind and en-
crgic> to the good we can grasp and
do and neither worry or trouble over
the problems we cannot solve: death
like birth are for the living profound
mysteries. between the cradle and
the tomb lies our province: i'll this
domain man Is master. There his
work Is laid. However his dreams
may plant the celestial land with
glory II is not for him to hurry from
this world; he may mistake his des-
tinatlon. In any event his duty is
here until his sun sets. 1t is not an
Oklahoma rush where the first conner
gets the best quarter section. Our
mansion is rcscrvcd-"lf ii were not
SO would have told you'-it will
wait our coming: he who goes to-
morrow will fare as well as he who
went yesterday.
Some folks spend SO much time
meditating over the next world that
they neglect their duties and are
worthless i'll this. II we take care of
this world the next viii take care Of
MS. Do right here and we save both
worlds: be fool here and we lose
both Who gains not hi, Kingdom
here will not be King beyond
In India are thousands OF pious
iakirs who wander over the land
mumbling prayers. counting beads
and living upon the charity OF better
folks. They neither work nor spin.
never help others. yet they think
they hold the keys To- heavens gate
In this country they would be run
in tinder the vagrancy act. and it St
Peter opens the. gate to these loafcrs
then my theory Of Paradise is dc
lusion ;,
There is no need of more religions
but good one could be founded up
on the story of the prodigal son, the
good Samaritan and the widows mite
and the golden rule The principles
underlying these parallels have been
woven into the creed OF Elkdom.
They teach that no man can be indc-
pendent OF his fellows; each are tied
TO hi, brother by bonds Of forgive
ness. charity, kindness and equality
The roads through life. are highways
themselves who think they can trav-
el alone We cannot divorce our
selves from our brother; we are our
brothers keeper. Those WHO build
for self will find their fabric castle
in Spain whose foundations are cred
ulity and whose walls are moon
beams.
Solitude is good Tor slcepers and
penitents but our place during the
work hours OF life is where we can
hear the voice of misfortune and
where we can answer the. song of
cheer. The voluntary hermit is a
dodger and sneak. This is a good
world and the people in it are as
good as we are. Perhaps we. lose
more by keeping to ourselves than
those we avoid A great scientist in
criicising the world admitted that
had he been with the. creator at time
OF creation that he could have sug
gestcd some improvements. So any
of us might have made a more per-
feet world but as the duty was not
assigned TO US the next thing is to
make the best of this and see that it
is no worse for our being in it. None
OF us that do not have our sorrows
and misfortuncs. there are few fami-
lies that have not put away the little
tin soldiers covered with rust. but
in most lives there is more sun than
shade. Colorado has eighty per cent
OF sunshine, that is about the aver
age OF good and pleasure i'll our three
score and ten. We have more cause
to laugh than to weep. Continual
melancholy is an insult to the Crea-
tor. but an everlasting grin and ha ha
are equally offensive. In Ccylon i
saw laughing baboons and they
seemed to have the least sense OF
all monkey tribes. Yet man that
has no laugh in him should be sent
TO the undertaken. Good cheer is a
duty we owe to our neighbor as well
as ourselves. In good cheer there
is health, wealth, comradeship.
Checrfulness is good tonic, good
to take internally, externally and fra
tcrnalIy. The Elk lodge is the best
university of good nature; the
grumpy BROTHER is at discount; but
il is not good to exhaust your fund
of laugh ard good cheer in the lodge.
The most coltish man in lodge and
the freest at the bar is sometimes
the crosscst and stingicst brute at
home. Men should be genial and
courteous in the club and not less