Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-03-12

IOu HHu i udINtl at tUe HODlo
self sacrifice of the Marquis de La
fayette Born of an arlstocratic fam
lily, heir to title and untold riches, the
affanced Of n beautiful young girl, yet
lie was willing to sacrifice all for a
poor, struggling people who had no
friends except the friendship and the
protection of God. At Partisan ban
quet table he heard Of what Washing
ton and his noble band of patriots were
trying to win. AT once he said, II will
20 and help them win their liberties"
At his own expense he fitted out
ship and filled it with what the Amer
lean troops most needed and in a fog
he ran past the British blockade which
was trying to intercept his passage. He
crossed the Atlantic and entered Wash
ington's headquarters and said: "IIere,
general-here are my sword and my life.
DO with them as you will. l volunteer
to fight under your flag for humanity's
sake" That was noble. self sacriiic-
ing act for the young French peer. The
reading of that heroic act should arouse
feeling of gratitude in every Amer
lean breast With quick beating heart
and flushing check we have read the
tragic sacrifices of "thc most impor-
tant citizen of New Orleans" Margaret
Haughey, whose name is known to ev-
cry one in Louisiana. She was not one
who could count her fortune by the
millions. She was not a Joan of Arc,
with physical frame knit as with
bands of steel. She was simply a poor,
frail, crippled girl who, in order to earn
her living, started out rs a schooteach-
er. She used to work during the day
for her own bread and butter Then
in the evenings she started to teach the
poor girls and boys who had TO work
during the day and who could not get
an education unless they were taught
in the evenings. Her night schools
grew. out of them grew a hospital for
crippled children. Her work grew I'M
til short time ago all New Orleans
turned ont in the public parks to honor
her memory. "Ah," you any, that was
nohlc life. That was Il noble pur-
pose for which TO live" It's nobility
consists In It's resemblance to the in
finitcly greater purpose for which Je-
to die. He came to save lost world. He
came to give up his life for the lives
of sinful outcasts. He came that you
and might be made one with him in
spirit and nature. O Lord, the book
OF books tells us that thou didst come
to save sinners and to offer up thy di-
vine life as a sacrifice for mans sins.
Does not that word skinner" mean me?
BY thy revealed word and thy tragic
crucitxon l know that thou hast come
TO save mc-yea, to save even me.
A Guide Of Life.
Salvation through the atoning blood
of Jesus Christ is an active as well as
a passive condition. 1t is placing our
selves in a yielding position. SO that
we are willing to let the great loving
arms of God encircle our hearts and
draw us unto himself, but salvation
through Christ must be supplemented
by the actions of a life consecrated to
him and his service after we have al
lowed Christ TO encircle us with his
love. The Bible is the code of conduct
which we should follow after we have
lection Of moral and spiritual rules.
which will not only teach us how to
live in harmony with God. but also
how we should deal with men. 1t is
not only collection of rules Of faith,
but Of rules Of practice. III other
words it is Il spiritual guidebook. 1t
tells us how we should talk, how we
should walk, how we should give, how
we should pray. 1t tells us how to be-
come like our great prototype, Jesus
Christ. And if we are true Christians
it would be willful blindness to shut
our eyes to its commandments.
In that sacred book there are no dead
letter laws, as there are in some Of the
statutes Of our earthly governments.
Some years ago q noted prize fight was
TO be fought in one of our eastern
cities where was at that time living.
A few days before the fistic battle a
party Of ministers, Of whom l was one,
entered the mayors Office to protest
against it as n defiance of law and
common decency. The mayor heard us
pa uently; then he said: ut Is true, gen.
tlemcn, the city laws forbid this com
ing exhibition. but that law in the eyes
of most people is dead letter. There
are scores and scores of laws upon our
statute books which the people do not
expect us to enforce. and believe this
is one Of them. | shall allow the prize
fight to go on" Whether the mayor Of
that eastern city was right or wrong
am not hero TO discuss. but one fact l
do KNOWN the Bible there are no
dead letter rules Of faith or practice
I When Christ speaks to us in the ser
mon on the mount he expects us to fol-
low out the commandments Of that
sermon When he tells us the story of
the good Samaritan he expects MS to be
good SamaritanS. There Is no use for
you and me to say: well, l am not
selfish and bad. After all, I am doing
only what other church members do"
That Is not the question. On the great
day of Judgment God will not ask us,
"Have you done as other people have
done?" but he will ask: Have you
done as commanded you to do? Have
you done as Christ would have done
had he been in your place." There Is
no getting away from this deduction Of
Bible study. The question here and
now Is, Are we willing to accept the
Bible as our rule of life?" If we do
not, then all we may profess to believe
rs to the divinity and omnipotence OF