Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1908-02-08

says. FOR when we were with you.
this we commanded you-that II any
would not work neither should he eat"
But no man ever learned 10 work
Alright unless he learned how 10 play
Alright. The best pleasure seekers have
often been the best workers. There Is
an old Persian legend which says that
one day n friend put into the hand of
the philosopher Saadl n beautiful piece
of scented clay. Saadi said Il took IL
into my hand and said. Art thou musk
or ambergrls. for | am charmed with
thy perfumeT The clay answered. I
was once despicable piece Of clay. but
was some time IN the company OF the
rose, and the sweet quality OF my com
panion was communicated to me; 9th
erwise should be a piece Of clay. MS
appear To be-" Like the clay we are
When We live little while among the
Wild roses. when we seek for little
while our JOY In the gardens OF pleas
ure then go back to our work. with
the sweet scent upon us. and we can
do our work better aud swifter than
again. the man never lived who can
work TO the best advantage II he does
not know how to play well
II makes great deal OF difference
whether we eat to live or live 10 eat.
II makes a great difference whether
we play to quicken the mind and rest
the body for the daily task OF life
| v,-tE L.
whether we prostitute the workings Of
our minds aud hearts In mere pleasure
seeking. We have no patience with
the epitaph which the dying wag wrote
and which is today found chiscled up
on his tombstone In one OF our eastern
cemeteries
Life is n Joke and all things show It:
thought SO once. and now | know IT,
Life is no joke. Life is not a play
ground. Life is great campaign
which God commands us to work out.
And whenever you find men and WON
en- living for mere pleasure you find
men and women whom God classes
among fools o man. what are your
associates trying to accomplish with
their opportunities? Are they winning
you away from the great purposes for
which you we're born? Are they say
Ing to you. Come. come. eat, drink
and he merry. for tomorrow we die"
For II they are they are companions
who are already dead to the higher
principles OF life. Furthermore. they
are companions who are leading you
10 your own temporal and eternal de
struction "A companion Of fools shall
he destroE ed" In Gods sight the per.
petual pleasure seeker is n fool.
Another Kind Of Fool
But. turning from the mere fun lover.
we enter into the busy. crowded marts
of trade. There. among the hardwork-
Ing merchants and III the offices Of
some of the most noted lawyers and
physicians and in the studies Of some
OF our greatest authors. scientists and
statesmen we may find another kind
OF folly against which King solomon
warns US IN the words of my text
The man who lives merely for what
he can accomplish IN this world IS a
fool. The same biting cutting with
erlng Technology of four letters
fool" which IS applied TO the one Is
also applied To the other
Here we have the characterization
from the lips OF the Lord himself
Turn TO the parable which Christ
spake TO his disciples in Luke xii,
1920 There IN his wonderful word
painting Christ takes us to the home
OF great eastern landowner. This
wealthy man takes us out upon the
veranda of his house ana begins To
point out the advantages Of his prop
erty His land not only seems 20 be
endless, but he has quality of soil as
well as quantity Then he seems TO
say 10 MS: II started a poor boy. but
by close application TO work made
all this property by my own lahors. |
have no thought or hope beyond the
money am amasslng Now. the great
question before me is. What shall ]
do? My incoming crops are larger
than my granaries can hold" Then
In Chrst's own words we have the
story: And he said: This wifi | do. |
will pull down my barns and build
greater aud there will bestow all my
fruits and my goods. And | will say
TO my soul: Soul. thou hast much
goods laid up for many years Take
thine ease; eat, drink aud be merry
But God said unto him, Thou fool,
this night thy soul shall be required
OF thee. Then whose shall those
things be which thou hast provided
Friend. are such men. OF whom this
rich man OF the parable is the symbol,
to be counted among your best friends 2
Brother. when Christ spake this para
BILE OF the fool who was giving up all
his life TO amass little silver and
gold was he abiding to your Are
you in Gods sight the covetous fool,
surrendering eternity in order 10 lit
your head little higher In the world?