Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-02-06

l could understand my friends att1-
tude. II is not the body Of my dear
mother whose memory I cherish.
love that soul which took wings and
few away from her poor suffering
body on Aug. s, 1898. II is that soul,
which for years impclled that poor suf-
fering pain racked body against its
will to labor for me, that I vcnerate
and love. when her body IN suffering
was crying: let me lie down! Let
me sleep! Let me restv her t,ul re-
minded her Of her children. When at
last my mothers body cried in sheer
WEAKNESS. Come. let me dier' the
soul answered: NAY. nay! You may
die, but I shall live! I shall live and
continue to live and never der Now,
II the body is so frail. so evanesccnt,
so transitory, so short lived, do you
not think 1t foolish to waste so much
time in trying TO crafty it? What Is
the good Of Michelangelo trying
to duplicate his statue Of David or
a Moses out Of snow bank? What
Is the good Of jewcler trying to make
diamond rings out of dewdrop? What
is the good Of trying to build a forti-
fication upon the shifting sands? rs
not the life more than meat and the
body than raiment?" Is not the soul
more important than the body, which
will be dead in a few years at the
most?
OF Infinite Importance.
Oh the infinite Importance Of the i'm
mortal soul oh, the never ending ex.
istence which Is stretching out before
all Of US after our bodies are dead!
Can you not catch faint glimpse Of
that apocalypse? In one Of our great
educational institutions some years
ago there was a student noted for his
mathematical genius. He loved to
challenge his fellow students to
friendly trial Of skill in figures. But
one day @ Christian student entered
his room and said, Tom here IL a
problem ] wish you would try to solve
for me-" The mathematician took it
and looked at II and then read the
words, What shall It profit man IL
he shall gain the whole world and lose
his own soul?" In anger he tore the
paper up and threw 1t upon the floor.
But after his Christian friend had left
he proceeded to study the problem. Tie
began to compute the value Of money
and fame and position and worldly
success. Then he commenced to weigh
the value Of his soul. what shall it
profit man If he shall gain the whole
world and lose his own soul?" At
last a revelation Of the souls value
above the combined value Of all other
things came to him. Then he dropped
upon the door and cried ont, God be
merciful to me and save my soul" 50
I put the question to you, Do you de.
sire to make the most out OF your life ?
What, o man, is to be your lfes work ?
How shall you get the maximum Of
return for your labors? Do you not
see how this text rises and spreads un-
til at last 1t girdles the earth and Cir
dies the heavens and girdcs the cterni-
ties? lie that winneth souls is wise. "
But these words Of my text are sig
nifcant for another reason. Soul win
ming is not only the greatest Of all
work. but it is also the most rational
Our Lord God is not unreasonable nor
does he require Of us more than we
can do, but he says: go forth in this
mighty work OF soul saving and I will
be with thee. | will give thee divine
power, and will work through thee
as I worked through the great soul
winners Of olden times" Paul express
es my meaning in words more power.
full than any living man could frame
He maps out great evnngclistic cam
paign for Christ lie maps out a great
religious campaign that from n human
standpoint appears that OF crank OF
a fool. From the human standpoint Pau
seems to be the widest Of fanatic.
but for one reason. He says: "In my
divine power I can do everything
can do all things through Christ. which
strenCtheneth me-" In other words. Ii,
believed that God would re-enforc'
him, rs he viii! us. with divine powe
in the great work Of saving soul.
In the Spirit Of Paul.
All, this is a blessed mighty Ell
enlargement. do not feel we have
right to speak the words Of my tex
unless at the same time we do 1t ii
the spirit and confidence Of Paul. Con
slider what it Is that We have to dc
We have to wrestle with Satan for hi
prey. l do not care whether you cal
the evil spirit sin or Satan or tn
devil; it is al! one and the same. n
sooner is a child born than the evi
spirit goes to that cradle and says: g
will hover over this child. | will 70
low him step by step. will study hi
ancestors to find out their moral weak
nesses. will offer him the form o
temptation which is best suited to hi
taste. Then I will say: Drink, frien(
Drink. Drink until your temporal lif
is imbittered and your soul is po
soned"
Have you ever had an enemy OF
your trail? Have you ever had mai
r or a woman with bitter malice folloy
you step by step, undermining you
life's work? Have you had foe mis-
! representing you and thwarting you
| efforts while you kept silence for th
: sake Of the work which you were try
ing to do? Or, what Is infinitely worse
. have you ever had n friend whom 20
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