Gilpin observer., 1912-01-25

JOD Zo-o, Cl. lldt hiSW NIiSiS
/ might find Him.
The words Of the text are the
words of the Patriarch Job, but they
express the desire of the heart that
feels it's lost condition. There is no
question that has such interest for
the lost soul as the question of the
way to God. In this time in which
we live the minds of men are occu-
pied with many questions, chief
among which, with the multitudes, is
that of The way to acquire wealth.
If | were to come with some scheme
by which men could become wealthy
IN q day, witlou. my plan failing, |
would receive the patronage of a
world. Mems desire for wealth is
like that. They are ready to make
any sacrifice, or endure any priva-
ton that they may attain this end.
A few years ago, when it was learn
ed that our possessions in the frozen
North contained gold and that there
was a possibility of the one who
would go there securing in a few
months, wealth enough to supply his
needs for the remainder of his nat
ural life, multitude of people left
their business, and their friends, and
made the long journey to Alaska,
where they endured hardships of al
most every character, in the hope
that they might become rich. 1t is
true that many found gold. They
went, however, in answer to the
question, "Oh, that l knew where
might find. wealth"
We still hear occasionally of the
"49er" who made the long journey
around the Horn or across the plains
from the East to California, because
he had been saying OF the Goddess
of wealth all his life, Oh, that !
knew where l might fiEi her. He
was willing to separate himself from
his family, cross the trackless wilds,
labor and sacrifice and suffer that
the question, where may l find
wealth might be answered. l have no
inclination at this time to picture
to you weary months consumed in
crossing the plains and these mighty
mountains, when men in their desire !
for gold could not carry with them
provisions sufficient to permit of any
delay in the journey. They must
PRESS on or perish. 1t was such
aeek.ng as this that led men to Cal
ifornia in those early days.
The same things may be said of
the settling of Colorado only a little
later. There would have been TO Cen
trail City here in thesa mountain tops
If it had not been for this desire in
the hearts of these men for wealth. |
Even these who have had plenty to
supply their needs through 4 reason
able life time have put all they pos
sessed in jeopardy in the hope that
they might secure more wealth.
Now, the quest for liberty has been
little like that. Souls in oppres-
sion have cried out, Ch! that l knew |
where l might find liberty. They |
have wadcd through seas of blood. |
They have sacrificed their treasure
ard their lives for liberty. You have
not forgotten the stcry of the Aus
train Fhalanx and broke it, that his |
couI.rymen might enter the breach |
he had made. He made himself the |
opening wedge. by which the Swiss |
soldiers broke the Austrian lines and |
gained their liberty, away in 1856.
The Puritan fathers left their |
homes and everything else that was
Gear to them an1 came to the wild |
erness Of America, putting the seas
Between themselves and their native |
land, enduring hardshirs such tina:
to this day the whole story of their |
suffering has never been written, in
their quest for liberty The orators
dwell long upon the sterling qualities
o. those heroes who dared to brave
She perils of the seas and the wild |
crncss, that they might found on
I lese Western shores a new govern |
nlent. But ! am saying to you that
II WIS the crying out of their hearts
for liberty, that led them to make
the sacrifice and endure the suffcr
ings. They didn't know much about
governments except that they had
been made to feel the iron hand of
law, until they were willing to pay
any price for liberty.
Today the dowrtro1dcn and on
pressed of every land look with long
ing eyes toward Americans shores,
because they have come to believe
that this Is a land OF liberty, and
their hearts cry out. Oh! that l
knew where ! might find liberty.