The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1908-05-28

4 ~ooO
degrees had been reached, and the gold
was shining, molten mass. asked if
1T would not destroy it but he said not.
1t came out purified, changed, but un-
harmed. So truth passes anywhere, and
endures all trials. Truth crushed to
earth will rise again, the eternal years
OF God are hers" View truth in con-
trast with a lie and see it's beauty. Let
US define lie. The little girl said, IA
lie is all abomination in the sight of the
Lord, and very present help in time Of
trouble" In society and politics fear
the last part of the definition is popu-
lar. The facts are lie is black The
devil is the father of it. The wrath of
God blazes against it. The first tragedy
in the early church was the Staying of
two liars. A lie is ever baneful no mat
Ter what the complexion. AS Ruskin
says, THAT which does the largest
amount of mischief is the gllstening,
softly spoken lie; the amiable fallacy,
the patriotic lie Of the historian, the
provident lie Of the politician, the zeal
GUS lie of the partizan, the merciful lie
OF the friend, and the careless lie of
each man to himself, that cast that
black mystery over humanity" There
fore he says, 'Do not let us lie at all
Speaking truth is like writing fair, and
comes only by practice, it is less mat
ter of will than Of habit" Lincoln and
Stonewall Jackson and Chinese Gordon
were lovers Of the truth. Build it into
your character. 1t puts God upon your
side. Gordon writing to his sister said:
"lf you speak the truth you have infinite
power supporting you, but if you speak
lie you have infinite power against you"
Silver speaks to us Of purity. That
whiteness of soul that adds great beauty
to it's possessor. Purity is the opposite
| OF all sin. Mr.. Speer, in "The Marks of
Man, says that there are just four
possible attitudes toward evil. The
first is Indulgence. | cannot think
of you young people as entering upon
career of willful indulgence. l warn
you against it. The next is Indifference.
Let me suggest that we preachers and
the church members of Leon have too
often taken this attitude aud the devil
laughs as he wins many victories, plac-
ing the mark of shame upon our sons
and daughters. You dare not remain
Indifferent. 1t is to become partisan of
sin. The next attitude is ignorance
Mr.. Speer makes wonderful plea for
ignorance of sin. Young people avoid
it, touch it not, let not its blight come.
upon you. Each sin leaves it's scar. Re-
member, "the bird with the broken
pinion never scared so high again"
The fourth is hatred. You will do we'll
to be good haters. You cannot be
good lover unless you area good .hater.
"Abhor that which is evil.'' Once more
the granite, the brass, the iron speak to
US of service. Service is God 8 plan for
humo nifty. You are a beautiful class.
Yon would do splendidl ~ for wall flowers,
but God does not need you for that. He
wants your service, such as you can
give. There ought to be preacher or
two from this class, deaconess, or
missionary, or teacher. Some one has
said that the preacher and teacher have
the largest opportunities for doing
good. | cherish and magnify my Office,
and the teacher who teaches youth and
fashions it, breathing into it love for
truth and purity, is doing noble service.
But whatever your calling heed the call
to service.
4th. In the actual work Of building
great courage will be needed. Many
battles are to be fought. Let Galliat
battling with the elements and over
coming them be an inspiration to you.
Patiently you must work. Remember it
took over seven years to build the tem-
pie. You may need ten times seven.
While the temple was building there
was heard neither sound of hammer nor
ak, nor any tool of iron. So your char
acter forged in the secret places of the
soul. Building when none but God
sees.
| In conclusion, you have but one op-
portunity. When your one arrow is
gone, it is gone forever. No chance
after this life. So let us hear Holmes
as he speaks to the Chambered nautilus
speaking for all of us: Build thee more
stately mansions, 0 my soul, as the
swift seasons roll. Leave thy low vaulted
past; let each new temple, nobler than
the last, shut thee from heaven with a
dome more vast, till thou at length art
free, leaving thine outgrown shell by