The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-23
a sATURDAY SERMON.

author that cannot De SalnSa1O-
A SATURDAY SERMON.
Let your conversation be without covet.
BUSINESS, and be content with such things
as ye have. Hebrews kills.
These words of thu great apostle
Paul, in his letter to the Hebrews pro-
nounce a doctrine the general realiza'
ton of which would go to inestimabl5
lengths in creating a most desirable
il condition of peace and happiness among
the people of the earth, and also among
the nations in it. But although this is
a most worthy principle it is mighty
difficult one for human beings to live
up to. Still, because thing, or con-
dition of life, is hard of attainment thai
is no good reason why people should
rot strive for it. In fact, the more per-
picking the task, the greater should be
the incentive to accomplish it, and the
greater should be the efforts made to
bring it about.
| 1t is a dogma of much complexity to
preach, also. Certainly nothing should
be said by anyone which would tend to
discourage another from trying to bet
ter ones circumstances in life in all
ways. There are few. indeed, whose
station in the world might not be bet
tered in more ways than one, or, al
! least, this is the prevailing opinion OF
most men and women, especially in this
age of the possibilities of great achieve
ments. It must be remembered, how
ever, that there are limitations to
the power of every individual. A man,
through his training, or lack of it,
through his environments AND his phys
zeal and mental attributes can go just
70 nd FIR
sents the greatest difficulty of all
that of a person coming to realize
when he has reached the limit of his
capabilities. Every man probably feels
that he would be able to do better
and greater things If he only had tho
opportunity. Most men. except those
who have made unusual successes in
divers pursuits-and even these seldom
seem to be satisfed-beleve that if
they were in some other kind of work
they would be able to do much better
by themselves and their families. Per
haps a good many of these ideas are
right.
Certainly abilities and energies of
many individuals are misdirected. Ev-
cry man, though, has had his own path
way to hew and if he has started to
cut out one that may not be best
suited to him, he is unfortunate. Some
times he finds out his error in this re-
gard before it is too late for him to
change his course. But those who get
on toward the middle age in a partieu
lar calling are apt to achieve less and
less success the oftener they change
their work from one thing to another.
1t is far better to keep pegging away
at one kind of labor that is fairly re-
munerative than. it is to change from
one thing to another for there are
higher rounds to every ladder in every
profession and in every kind of labor.
A rolling stone may acquire a lot of
excitement and experience but it Is
great truth that it gathers no moss.
The real trouble is that too many
people are prone to think that the
more, and the greater the amount of
the material things of the world that
they have in their possession, or that
they are seeking to acquire, is the
only spelling of success and the only
means of happiness. If they could only
disabuse themselves OF such thoughts
they would certainly experience more of
the joy of real happiness.
The possession of a sufficient number
of the essential things of life to ensure
q cOIhIOitaolS AN4HS Is III FShHIS All
that is needed. Yet there are scores
of thousands Of people. yes, millions
of them, in this world who are so
blessed but who are not satisfied. They
covet, perhaps not by word, though
many of them do, but with thoughts,
many other things that are held by their
friends and neighbors, who possibly
have been more fortunate but who
have probably been equipped with
larger abilities
Covetousness can only cause distress
in the long run. In the words of Paul
it is far better to be without covetous-
ness and be content with the things
that one has been able to gather
around him, be they ever so small and
humble as compared with the posses
sions of others.