The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-03-10
FISHING FOR HAPPINESS.
Failure to Secure 1t Due to Refusal to
Follow Experienced Instructor.

Prof. Carl V. Woodbury. of Norwicl
university, who occupied the pulpit o
Hedding NJ. 4. church yesterday morn
ing, took as the subject of his address
"FisherInan's Luck" with the text, "Cas
the net on the right side of the ship ant
ye shall find"
lie spoke in part as follows:
The two incidents recorded in the gos
pels, in which Jesus aided in securing
enormous numbers Of fish have many
points in common. but are undoubtedly
distinct. Whatever may be our ndivid
ual opinions about miracles, the fact
remains that the teaching regarding
obedience to Christ's commands is the
same, whether the story be that OF
supernatural power exercised. very great
natural knowledge of laws beyond 9th
ers of his time or merely the magniti-
cation due to the passage OF time and
repeated telling of an event much less
marvellous in its occurrence. The dis
ciples in the first story gave up all
and followed him. In the second story
we find them having lost all and being
the disappointed followers of man
crucified. and cause apparently hope.
less. There was one thing to do and
Peter saw ito go back to the old life,
to go a-fshing."
This trade is typical of our lives, for
as in the case of the fisherman, ''timc
and chance happeneth to us ALL" We are
all fishing for something-money, hon.
or, education, amusement, mere living
perhaps, but all for something and
when summed up, all our efforts are
toward happiness. satisfaction.
According to John Stewart Mill, the
proof that an object is visible is that
people see it, and in like manner the
proof that anything is desirable is that
people desire it. Undoubtedly this hap
piness is desirable. Why do we not at
tain more of il? | fear we are not fish
ing according to rule. If one is fishing
for trout, he follows the instruction of
an experienced trout fisherman. Who
is our instructor in fishing for happi-
ness? Forgetting for the moment any
tendency toward Christianity, which
might make us prejudiced. let us look
at few of the great names Of his
tory and see who is nearest our ideal.
Solomon with his wisdom and brok-
an home; Croesus with his riches and
defeat; Judas with his silver and re-
morse; Alexander weeping over the
emptiness of conquest; Nero destroying
ives and property for excitement;
Rockefeller with his wealth and bad di-
yestion; Nathan Hale, who regretted
laving only one life to give; Paul. who
wrote from dungeon, Il have finished
ny course, | have kept the faith; Je-
nus, who said to the dying thief. "To-
lay shalt thou be with Me in Paradise"
Who in that list has found happiness?
| apprehend there can be only one an
wer-Jesus--and those who follow close /
V his rules A short statement of some |
i his more fundamental principles is I
ontained in the beatitudes: LAY up
or yourselves treasures in heaven; /
Love one another as ] have loved YOU; I
Whosoever will be chiefest among YOU.
ct him be servant Of alP'; the golden /
ule; all these are specific instructions /
n the places to go and the manner OF /
shing to attain the greatest amount of
appiness.
How is il with us when we are blne
nd unhappy? Have we followed the
ulesg Is il not in large measure our
wn fault when we utter our modern
ersion of the disciples plant, eve have
piled all night and taken nothing"
ut listen, across the rush Of waters, in
ne new gray mist Of early morning
,mes the calm, quiet voice of one who
ought for the same object as ourselves,
ut in way hitherto unknown in the
orld. Do you get it? Then obey and
Itch net full of great fishes. Cast
lie net on the right side of the ship and
3 shall find"