Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-07-19

equivalent to saying there IL no good
place for tho indolent anywhere in this
world @ara9@
There II nothing good apart from
the love OF God. The trouble abou:
understanding that Is that men treat
the love Of God ~ An abstraction.
They do not associate It with love of
themselves. and love Of family and
friendG They do not associate 1t with
love Of country and with desire for
community cleanliness and better
ment. II men are loyal to one an
other. II they do to others as they
would be done by. and act unselnshly.
the spirit of the Lord God Is upon
them.
It Is unnecessary to ny high TO
catch the divine power. Men set up
tho rule among themselves that those
who apply to them for favor must
have proof Of goodness. They must
show themselves qualified to main
tain their word. They must carry
samples Of what they can do. Some
times the credentials are forged, and
| sometimes they are heedlessly sup
piled. But whatever deception there
| is is on the side Of goodness, OF trust
worthiness and Of ability and DISPOSE
ton to act worthily and helpfully.
There is a call on all sides for help:
and people who can help are pretty
sure OF job. II people make them
! selves useful they are likely to hear
that they are indispensible-whic
| Of course, they are not. but the ex-
travagance. Of the word is not un-
! pleasant.
! All things are possible with God,
| but there are not many things possible
! with men-not many things relatively
! or in anything like completeness.
| Figures of speech are used to express
! degrees Of perfection, and sometimes
| they are highly colored and much be-
yond the truth. It is not uncommon
| to hear from the enthusiasm OF young
| life Of some one or some thing that is
| perfectly lovely" 1t Is hardly prob
! able that superlatively loneliness is
| there. though at times reference may
| be had to the beauty Of the sunset or
| to the divinity of the moonlight on the
water, when excuses may be offered.
The spirit has no audible voice.
| and when articulate sound is offered
| it is likely to be strained, unable
| to ascend far and pretty sure to
| come down to earth with a thud, au-
dible enough where the hearing Is
good. Many times when people are
| in their best moods. when their feet
are light, and when their movements
are most familiar with grace, they
| speak in jarson and show how lost
| their souls are for expression in words.
But they must speak tho their
| words trip them and they are subject
| ed to the cruelty Of the critic.
1t is doubtful whether the critic is
one Of the Lords angels. And yet the
schoolmaster appears to be a neces-
sary evil, Jus, as the best children In
| the world are influenced at times to-
| have no better opinion of their par
ents It is a splendid thing to be
| good schoolmaster, ana 50 it is to have
| the great faculty in parentage to train
! up the children in the way they should
go. But on general principles the crit
| ic is more or less a nuisance. He loses
! control OF himself In seeking to con-
| troll others. He becomes inflated with
| opinion. and he loses the substance OF
| things in the shuttlecock shadows of
| his mind. There is hardly anything
more difficult in human society than
! to give reproof and retain untarnished
| the most unselfish Of human love or
! friendship. Therefore the general
| tendency is to avoid that liability. and
| to take the chance OF finding favor by
| the distribution OF soft words Intended
to dissemble.. The temptations to lie
are many; and while the practice is
| well nigh general and in heat one
might say it has no exceptions, no one
has yet attained perfection in 1t. Per-
| haps this disproves very confident
assertion OF long standing that prac-
tice makes perfect.
| But it is always serious question
| just how far it is either prudent or
! wise to go in effort 10 speak the exact
truth. Men go on the witness stand
and swear they will tell the whole truth
and nothing but the truth, and commit
a mild form of perjury at the very best
I; may be set down as fact that doc
tors whose business 1t is to peddle pills
find it necessary at the same time TO
peddIe lies They say there is nothing
TO Christian Science, and yet they prac-
tice it to save their patients. Men VINO
become very much concerned lest they
tell or represent lie quickly develop
an Ill balanced mind. and if they are at
ten,ive they may hear themselves rude
ly defined as cranks
It is prudent TO avoid excuses. The
appearance of being too good is TO be
avoided as well as the appearance of
being TOO bad. But the lesson is not
obscure.
The everlasting demand is 70: DE-
cency Of life and the capability OF good
ness That is absolutely essential 10
hold job with God. 1t is essential to
the favor Of the boss on any job. There
is a bond Of unity that holds heaven
and earth together, and that bond is
within reach of every hand. 1t is to be
found in every station and In every
order of mind Thus 1t Is that God is IN
all and thru all, and that in Him men
live and move and have their being. II
a man digs good ditch he finds favor
witt, the Lord: he is Oh al tou-s in the
sight of God with the man who is re-
: ported in the newspapers every time
II he plays game OF golf.
Il An automatic device. which is from
everlasting to everlasting. stamps the
seal OF approval on the good and the
, seal Of condemnation upon the bad.
Il "a good man obtaineth favour Of
the Lord; but man of wicked device:
, will he condemn"