Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-10-31
Weekly Sermon
EXCESS BAGGAGE.

Barlow rarely travels without an as
sortment of luggage that makes his host
gasp when the expressman drives UP to
the door. 1t may be necessary for Bar
low to transport so formidable a com
misariat but most of us who can get
along with a dress suit case would hate
the bother those trunks involve.
II Is significant that the Roman word
for baggage was ''impedimenta." Bag
gage was OF course necessary to an army
but 1t was also a hindrancc because
marching olumns could not advance very
far beyond slow-moving wagon loads of
tents and supplies. 1t is a disadvantage
to be anchored to a pack train, as many
a commander has discovered.
Experienced tourists learn to travel
light. They reduce to a minimum the
baggage carried along. One or two serv-
iceablc suits arc preferred to a wardrobe.
Only essential equipment is included.
III the excellent practice helps when we
are on the road 1t would help likewise
when we are at home. Millions of the
sons OF men are carrying excess baggage,
to the profitless exhaustion Of mind and
body. To get rid of a lot OF this impede
menta" is both a duty and a privilege.
The very abundance of ones material
possessions may impose a burden grievous
to be borne. I think of a certain house
keeper who is fairly smothered under the
accumulation OF stuff that cutters up her
dwelling from attic to cellar. She would
appreciate the experience of the house,
holder in San Francisco who, after the
earthquake. was left with only her key
and the clothes she had on her back. II
have not felt so c~arefree in years" she
wrote. "All my life 1 have been hoard
Ing up ~things-clothes. carpets. bedding,
bric-a -brac-everything. just as my moth
er and grandmother did before me. l was
continually haunte by the fear tina a
servant would steal something, or that the
moths would get In and ruin everything.
l was always worrying, worrying. worry
Ing. And then the earthquake came and
swept everything away, and I was freed.
I have learned my lesson. No more slav-
cry for me-"
Worry In general is a piece of excess
baggage which should be left behind. 1t
represents naught but a heavy and un-
necessary weight. The old woman who,
looking back on her life, said iii it had
been full OF troubles, most of which
never came" ought to teach US something.
The real responsibilities which life lays
upon US are quite sufficient without a
whole pack train Of imaginary ills which
so many people are disposed to trail be-
hind them.
Sailors do not hesitate to jettison the
cargo OF a ship that is being worsted in
a rough sea. The keep her aloat by
A6AlcAiAlAS Snc DOIueu. we are not al.
ways equally wise hen it comes to man.
aging the frail craft in which each Of us
in sailing over the sea Of time. To elimi-
nate waste and poison and friction would
cause many OF us to bound into moral
health and physical vigor.
A grudge or a Jealousy Is a heavy load
to carry through life. An inveterate
prejudice Is often simply an inveterate
incumbrance. 1t is a drag upon progress.
Fears n hatreds. likewise. are to be
classed among ''Qur baggage OF cares" Of
which Emersone speaks. making heavy
work on the road. The Apostle Paul had
learned The secret of travelling light. 1t
was his counsel to posterity. Wherefore,
aying aside every weight. and the sin
that does so easily beset us, let us run
with patience the race that is set be-
fore U.S." The Parson.