Norwich bulletin., 1915-04-29
LAST ONE OF SEASON
 IN SHOP TALKS At Richmond Radiator Go. PIant-Rev C. H. Rieketts Spoke Upon The Forked Roads.

On Wednesday at noon the '. M. c.
 A. held the final talk this season at
 the Richmond Radiator company plant.
 Joseph Burton, one of the employees,
 has had. the splendid record of at
 tending every shop talk. there for the
 past four years. Rev. c. H. Ricketts
 was the speaker and his subject was
 The F'orled Roads.
 Rev. MT. Ricketts said the human family finds itself on a travelled high
 way. For miles there are neither cross
 roads or turnings. But no turnpike is
 so long but that sooner or later there
 are branches or forked roads between
 which we have to choose.
 There are many characteristics of
 an ordinary highway. from which we
 might derive valuable lessons, but as
 we close this seasons shop talks today
 1t has seemed to me to be appropriate
 to say something about the parting of
 the way, or our coming to the forked
 roads.
 The forked road is not built to con
 fuse the stranger, but to accommodate those who inhabit that locality.
 The forked road finds its counter
 part in the trend of human life. You
 cannot group all the trades, profes-
 sions, institutions, occupations and cal1ings of men together into few centers. Men are travelling in all di-
 rections to meet their objective points,
 and those objective points are as di- verse as humanity itself.
 In the pursuing of our mission in
 life we find ourselves, for the time be- ing, side by side with our fellows. For
 while we are headed the same way, we follow the same path, our work lies along parallel lines. And while we are thus thrown together we ought to make the most of 1t. God wants us to be helpers of one another. While we are together l can help the man who walks with me, and he can help me.
 Long ago I made up my mind that
 if chanced to be walking the same way with somebody else and if he stumbled and fell would help him up; if he was in some great trouble, I
 would comfort him; if he was sad, would show him the value of a smile; if he was hungry, I would feed him; if he was in sin, I would point him to the Redeemer. I have tried to make my manhood so count that the other fel-
 low would feel that life was worth while. have done this in full view of the fact that, sooner or later, the way will divide when we must sep arate. We ought to do our work con- scious that the forked road is ahead 1 of us when he must go his way and I mine.
 Just how far this service for the last four year has been helpful to you I cannot say, but it has given me a better understanding of the condi- ] tions of the workshop than I had be-
 fore. Perhaps the best thing can say of my own attitude toward, this
 work is that I have put my whole
 heart into it and it has become to me
 a matter of love.
 We have now come to the forked roads. For while, at least, our ways divide. Sometimes these forked roads, after running their separate way for a | while, come together again, miles ahead Perhaps it may be after an in- termission of some months these meet l ings will be resumed. But of this I | cannot speak with certainty as far as l am personally concerned. But, after, this parting-what? l think you will reserve a small place in shop and mine may be on different
 forks of this road, they will not be far apart; perhaps the two roads will be parallel. The main thing is that both l of us will be in workshop. It is not l so important where our workshops are i-whether they are near or remote-as l it is that you and are. in the work
 engaged in legitimate trade contributes something to the worlds well-being We cannot be far apart as long as our | work supplements one anOther's. As the world is now constituted it needs steam radiators and also moral in- l struction. Though we may be sep- I arated, yet our mutual work binds us l together in all the essentials of unity
 feel sure, men, that you will not look \ upon 1t as mere cant when I say as 8 l parting word that 1t is not only my | hope but earnest prayer that our com mon Heavenly Father will keep you from. all harm and preserve you ir health and strength during the coming
 months. .-