St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1910-03-12

That covers the whole case.
In Westminster Abbey there are
| two tombs. which will serve to illus
| trate the matter in hand. One is that
Of John Wesley, who lived in his
country parish content on forty
| pounds year" His motto was: "Owe
no man anything, save to love one an
other He was buried without poml
or circumstance, and left only enough
to furnish 20 shillings each to the
bearers who carried him to his grave
The other is the tomb of William Pitt
earl of Chatham, who died with
honors thick upon him, but SO deep
~ in debt that parliament was con
strained to vote an appropriation OF
$4,000 to meet his outstanding OBJ
legations. We take our stand between
those tombs. and give our need OF
praise to the poor itinerant, who lived
and died an honest man, says Rev
David James Burrell, D. D., writing
in the Christian Herald.
It will be seen that the definition.
so simple apparently, is quite com
prehensive, and it cuts deeper than
we think. For when the matter OF
life's assets and liabilities is fully
canvassed, it will appear that it is
no easy matter to live and die with a
clean balance sheet.
Debtors to God.
The question at the outset touches
41oA rry0
debtors to God? Yes, by universal
consent. In the bill of particulars
there are three items. to-wit:
First: Creation. Is there any one
who does not rejoice in the fact that
he was made but a little lower than
the angels" and in the likeness OF
God? Is it nothing to stand erect,
sensible of q divine birthright and q
divine inheritance? Is there no occa-
sion for gratitude in the fact that
am able to dream dreams and see
visions, and, as Kepler said, think
Gods thoughts after him?" What do
we owe in return for these? The
least possible recognition of Cod
goodness, thus far, is in keeping our
selves on friendly terms with him.
The second item in the bill of par
ticulars is Providence. In God we
live and move and have our being.
We slept in his arms. last night cared
for as tenderly as children in their
mothers arms. He feeds us, clothes
us and continually cares for us.
oh him,
these loving kindnesses? Do they lay
no obligation upon us? The least that
we can do is to bend our knees in
thanksgiving. To the beggar who,
this morning, stretched out his hand
saying, Il am hungry" l gave enough
to buy himself a breakfast, and he
said, Il thank you.' Could he do less
and bear the semblance of man?
What then of the man who never
prays, who takes Gods gifts without
a word of recognition? Is he an
honest man? Not so did the pagan
Socrates think, who asked Euthyde-
mus, did you never reflect how much
care the gods have bestowed upon
us?" mo, never, / assure you go
then to the temple and, bordering on
their gifts, bow down and prove thy
self man."
The Debt We Owe to Society.
The third item in the bill of partic-
ulars is divine grace. 1t matters not,
SO far as the question at issue is con-
cerned, whether a man has accepted
the overtures of Gods mercy or not;
it still remains that provision has
been made for his deliverance from
sin. You may not have accepted
Christ, my friend; that does not affect
the fact that God gave his only be-
gotten son to die in your behalf that
you might be saved from sin. Here
is an Unreasonable obligation laid
upon every man. How shall we pay
1t? The answer is In the familiar
hymn which we have just sung.
Would that we might sing it but once
with heart and understanding! For it
contains the sum total of the philoso-
ply of due-ty; that is, of what we owe
to God. e
1t is a startling fact that men are
so prone to overlook their obligations
to God, for here is the very root of
honesty. will man rob God?"
Shall we withhold from God THAT
which is his honest due? Nay, that
is clearly impossible if one would be
an honest man.
But the question touches, secondly,
our relations with our fellow-men For
no man liveth unto himself and no
man dieth unto himself. 1t would
appear that the angels were created
one by one; but men are of one fam
lily, and blood is thicker than water"
We are mutually interdependent, as
lenders and borrowers; and each is
bound, in honesty, to balance his &C
count with his fellow-men.
There are two kinds OF people, con-
sumers and producers. The consum-
er says, 1.-THE world owes me liy-.
ing" and proceeds to exact it. An
idler, rich or poor, living in pursuance
of that dictum, is dishonest man.
The producer, on the other hand, is
one who adds to the common fund by
making something. He earns live
lihood and something more. He ex-
acts nothing which is not quid pro
quo. And when he makes his exit.
he leaves the community richer from
his having lived in it.
Our Debt to the Human Race.
What are you producing, my friend?
Make something, pray you. Make .
pillow or poem, make house or
history, dig a well or build a stable;
produce something that will remain as
your memorial, leaving the balance on
the right side when you have gone