Arizona republican., 1910-06-06
TEMPE DEPARTMENT

| mary good in the advantage of mind, genius, talent, and superiority of in- tellect? At the first appearance these are not a little imposing. Reason seems to invest them with authority. For il is mind that distinguishes man from irrational creatures It is mind
 which effectually raises one man
 above his fellow men and gives him
 superiority before which they feel
 compelled to bend. The above named
 qualities of mind procure flattery.
 comand respect, enforce difference
 and attract attention. Power and
 greatness pay homage to genius. May
 we not rest here as in our primary good? Noi Try these by our rule
 and you will find them palpably de-
 ficient. Consider how great is the
 dependence of mind on the body and
 how often power in the former is
 counterbalanced by infirmities in the
 latter, how the highest mental endow-
 ment are interrupted or even taken
 away by accident, how they sink un-
 der the influence of age, and how
 often they leave the possessOr when
 he most need them, and you will req dily understand how palpably defici-
 ent they are as to permanency. Then
 are they adequate? Doubtless if ad-
 miration and applause. flattery and
 fame were happiness. the talented in-
 dlyidual might lay claim to it. But
 what is admiration at best but an ex-
 ternal gaze without an avenue to the
 heart; what is praise but breath.
 vapor which plays around the deluded
 senses for a moment, and then van
 ishes into nOthingness, serving to
 create an appetite which they can
 never satisfy. For nothing pains like
 praise expected and withheld Those
 who give them can take them away
 Another feature in these advantages
 is the fact that they lift the mind to a pitch inconsistent with happiness; they teach it to grasp at impOssibi- lities and thus prepare it for disap- pointment; they fill it with an un- bounded desire for superiority which must sooner or later be confounded and thwarted. If he finds not among contemporaries objects of humiliation, his restless ambition will search among the dead and will pain in comparison with the illustrations of past ages. We find these advantages both fragil and inadequate. Hence we will pass to something which this commercial age conceives to be more 
 Fourth-We should judge that riches is the object of our pursuit. if we should form our opinions by the general conduct of men whom we see after them with all the eagerness of settled convictions Yet the idea is refuted by every epithet which accompanies them. Riches are and hence can not cOnsti- i ute happiness. However, man presses 1 them to his heart with all the avidity | 1f desire, but the heart repells them 1 IS it is stung blythe unnatural union | But he hardens his heart as again I and again he tries to extOrt from them some secret pleasure But all he ; obtains is disappointment. They never l nave, and never will satisfy the | human heart. If they were satisfac- .Ory, we ought certainly to discover
 he most evident signs among those yhO are the most favored. Yet the opposite is found among their privi- eged class. They are impatient, fret ul and fastidiOus. These are they vho disclaim about the emptiness and of life. While the poor nan tolls through the weary day and |, hanks God for His loving kindness, he rich man riots in luxury and ease md still finds many motives to re- 'ine. Hence riches aer not adequate n their advantages to insure happi- esS. And even if they were, they | TOuld fail in the other characteristics that primary good for which We ave been searching. They are not ornament. The most sanguine in ursuit do not shut their eyes to this act. They are willing to acknowledge nat. Though acquired with toll. they re lost with ease, and that one mo- lent mischance may undo the labor years This fact alone destroys all ' leir pretentions to genuine happiness
 We have searched. but what have e found? The ambitions of hOnors secend the elevation. where he hoped ) rest hopes and desires, only to find
 step from which he must commence gain his painful toll. The rich man ] 'asps the long calculated sum at hich he promised to terminate his ishes, and immediately it takes . ings and flies away The man of easure drinks again at the unhal-
 wed fountain of enjoyment and finds
 s thirst as unquenched as ever
 Where. oh! where shall we find that I 'imary good? Is it not on earth? |, r did God give us this strong de- re for excellency in mockery. No; Dd does nothing in mockery. We all find that primary good lurking 1, lder an humble and unassuming N rb. No doubt you will be but little N rprised when I tell you we find N at good in the simple text" which U took for this sermon. That primary w cd is nothing else than the fear of W d. even if reason alone is to preside N