Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-07-16
For Sunday Reading
Ill Sorts ofOpinions
Hard Questions.
George D. Perkins in Sioux City Jour

Can the Ethiopian change his skin
or the leopard his spots? then may ye
also do good, that are accustomed to
do evil"
It was frequently the case with
jeremiah that he justified his reputa-
ton in the line OF gloom. But he
continued to preach, and he did not
cease to prophesy in the Lords name.
But what hope could he have to serve
as sustaining power? He cried out IN
bitterness of soul: 20 Jerusalem! VIII
thou not be made cletan? when shall
it once be?" 1t was not to be in the
time of Jermiah; and as yet it is not
The Ethiopion has not changed hts
skin, nor the leopard his spots.
The evil Of the world fingers long.
and the hope of good men everywhere
is put to trial. What is there to cllng
to? Nothing, save the eternal right
eousness holding in divine possession
the destinies of the universe.
But shall men give over In their
struggle? At times they do. but some
way they are brought back and the
battle for life goes on. AT times the
light Is out. and there is cropping In
darkness: and, 10! the sun shines forth
again, respondent in glory. On the
whole, we say in moments OF calm
review, there Is gain: but We know
that the weary fall asleep.
Was Jeremiahs labor lost! Surely
not so. He is the type Of thousands
who have fought good fght-Who
have died on the field. Armies have
persisted, and armies have been re-
cruited: the star OF faith has set. and
1t has risen again,
What chance Is there? EVIL multi
plies itself, and there is more OF evh
than good. The black is not made
white, and the spotted are spotted
still. What chance, then? AS the
world revolves in its physical orbit,
does it not likewise revolve in It's NOR
al orbit Is It not all vexation OF spirit
to wrestle with these eternal things?
The good and the evil are thrown
together; they josie by the way; they
contend for the way. and each asserts
its right. The good is held to some
estimate Of justice, and there is no
restraint upon evil Therefore Is the
conflict unequal; therefore is 1t mis-
judged by men. There is strong temp
tatton all the time to go back TO the
old law of an eye for an eye and
tooth for tooth; fo- Of what erect
Is mercy, OF what benefit is loving
kindness, and what gain Is there from
tn power Of regeneration? 1t is easy
to be a jeremiah in part, but 1t Is not
50 easy to anchor IN the faith that an
things work together for good In the
slow sitting OF time; for we can not
well free ourselves in making meas
uremerts, Of the narrow span OF our
days.
There IS no glory in jerusalem to
this day-and yet can no one TELL
more than he can how many blades
Of grass there are upon the eaTtn, the
PRAYERS and tears in Jerusalem be-
half The question Is as old as the
human soul. It Is heard. and has al
WAYS been heard, In the midst OF desc
lation; and the desolate places are
everywhere, blighttng rich and poor.
and making habitation alike in paiace
and howell.
Men establish themselves in pride.
and they shelter themselves in desire,
high and low. It is the fate OF all
alike, as they have sensibility to feel,
to suffer disappointment. The nooler
the man the grander are the castles IN
the air he has bu.lded. The purer his
love the greater the fondness with
which he entwines it about the objects
Of his care and affection. AS he sees
his castles fade away; as he sees the
tender vines he has planted and nour-
ished with his hope blighted beyond
the possibility OF resurrection, the
blood of his heart Is chilled, and in
anguish OF spirit, IN the blackness OF
night and beneath the overhangins
cloud of day. he laments the cruelty
of fate. The beauty Of his pride is
turned to torment, and he hears al
ways the cry OF his soul: "Oh. my
God."
The Jerusalems made as waste
place are many-!nuumerable, every
where abounding. Is it any wonder
that men despair Is 1t any wonder
they let go OF themselves? The Won
der is that SO many arise in the morn
ing and grid themselves afresh for the
battle The wonder is that so many
find in the strength OF the spirit sus-
the life The fight they make they
know, and they make the fight that
they may not think meanly of them
selves They are too courageous to
surrender, and they are too proud to
stretch forth their hands in supplica-
ton among men. They bear their
cross alone. They are delivered over
to their enemies, Willingly such or
unwittingly. and again and again they
suffer crucifxion. What company have
they? They have the company of the
saints. They have the company OF the
soldier with mortal wound They have
the heroic company of their souls.
Yet men can not suppress their long
ing for the sympathy Of men, for the
congenial association OF men, for that
relationship which gives touch with
heaven-for that touch of hand that
has warmth in 1t. and which has lift
ing power defined as an inspiration.
Treading the winepress alone is Desc
late business.
1t is easy to make a bad situation
worse, and it is possible under faithful
endeayor TO make every situation bet
ter A trouble about 1t all is that
| men try TO reconcile themselves to
what they call their rights and to what
they may suppose the estimate OF other
people may be. They are disposed to
take counsel from without, rather than
from within; and therefore they are the
victims of squalls and of dead Gains.
| They think the sea should be different,
and they want sea made for them.
But it is SO ordered that they must
take the world as they find 1t, and they
must be the captain OF themselves If
they are to make a good fight.