Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-02-13

nave n broken column or mowers Stanu-
ing at the head Of the casket, symbolic
Of the fact that they were snatched
away in their prime. Their lives for
the most part we're we'll rounded lives.
When they died you chiseled the same
passage Of Scripture on both their
tombstones: blessed are the dead
which die in the Lord from hence
forth--yea, saith the Spirit. that they
may rest from their labors. and their
works do follow them" But were
those labors of your father and mother
completed? If they were upon earth,
would they not find something which
they would like YOU to do?
You were mature. educated man
when your father died. Why? You
were one of the oldest children. and
your father was able to do for you
what he could not do for your young
est brother. 1t was hard struggle,
but he sent you through school and
college and educated you as lawyer.
a physician or civil engineer. You
have been getting on splendidly But
how about that Younger brother? OBJ
you answer, John is not earning his
salt. He IS no good" No good? |
think John has the making of just rs
good man as you. What he needs Is
an education. What he needs is a de-
veopcd and n disciplined brain. lie is
only twenty years of age. What would
you have amounted to if YOU were
thrown upon Your own resources at
twenty and allowed TO make your own
way IN the perhaps sent into
store as clerk instead of being sent
TO collogef You had hotter put your
shoulder under that brothers load.
You had better economics and save
and give your youngest brother an Cd
ucation. That is what your father
would do if he were alive. That is
what he did for you. Is it square and
right for the older children to have
all the education of the family and
the younger children have nothing:
Another Duty Left.
But that is not the only duty left to
you by your father and mother. There
is n moral az well as n financial duty
for YOU to perform. There is the bind
ing duty which you have to your
brothers and sisters souls as well as
to their minds and bodies. You know
that your parents always had a favor
tie in the family That favoritsm
was mi gratory. 1t would continually
change. There was one child that
your mother seemed to love more than
any other. That was the sick child or
the wayward child. You remember
years ago when you had typhoid fever?
Then you had the bed OF honor in the
home. You slept for weeks by your
mothers side, Then when you We're
convalesccnt your sister came down
with the Group, and she for time be-
came the farorite. You were sent into
another bed. and your sister slept be-
side your mother. Next your brother
had trouble with his spine. Your moth
or was always talking and worrying
and thinking about John. Then YOU
became wild and dissipated. Your col
lege life was not uniformly irreproach-
able. You did things you had no right
to do What happened? Don't you re-
member the pleading letters she used
to write? Don't you remember how
she prayed and talked with you: Don't
you remember how her love brought
you back to your better self?
There is a story told Of young man
who was dying He had led Wild
sinful life in his youth. but the last
few years he had surrendered himself
entirely to Christian service. He was
dying triumphant Christian death
Just short time before he passed
away sweet smile ovorspread his
face. and h. threw an arm about the
neck of the broken hearted woman
who was bending over him ana said:
ooh, mother, thank God for such a
mother. You have loved me into be.
ing good" Yes. when You We're way
ward and sinful your parents loved
you into being good. But that is not
what l want to impress upon your
mind. Your mother and father are
dead. Who have taken their positions
in your brothers life? God knows he
is hayward God knows he is doing
what he ought not to do. God knows
he is drifting further and further away
into sin Who is loving him into bein.
good and loving him back to the cross d:
Is not that an unfinished labor of the
old homestead which your father and
mother have left for you 10 complete;
Another Unfinished Labor.
But there are other unfinished labors
for US in the home. We have inherit.
cd from our ancestors work in political
as well as in domestic life. When we
| think Of the trainers Of the constltu.
ton Of the United States we must not
think of men who were satisfied with
what they accomplished. The constitu-
! ton. though one of the most wonder.
| full documents ever written by the pen
OF man, was far from satisfactory to
contained therein were the best that
could he agreed upon at the time. IT
was Il constitution of expcdiency. not
Of perfection. Many were the laws
some men wanted to embody there,
but could not; otherwise the thirteen
colonies would never have become the
United States.
Study the developments or the amend.
ments to this constitution. Those
amendments were the best that at that
time could he framed. But those
amendments could and should be i'm
proved upon. The work of a constitu.
4i,,, a i 4