The Alaska citizen., 1915-04-19
THE TREES OF GOD. Psalm
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like the Chaff which the wind driv- eth away" Where is the chaff driv- en away by the wind9 Whose is 1t? What good is it Who will gather it up2 Who wifi buy it Nevertheless. there are appearances that il has value The ungOdiy men are not like the righteous {: taey may have stocks and bonds. infiu- ence. renown; their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish. Such things are deCeiy!ng. Appearances are one thing, and reality Is quite another. Chaff has been mistaken for wheat, but not to the profit of the purchaser.
 The Bible recognizes, comments on, and explains these seeming re- alitles. There is a way that seem eth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death. Prov 14:12. Good men have ever noted the prosperity of the ungodly, and this apparent prosperity mas de ceyed many 10 their own destruc- tiOa. There is q vast difference between character and reputation. Character Is what man really Is at heart and thought; reputation Is what others think he is. "Charac- ter is what you have when you move 10 town; reputation is what you have when you move out"
 Character is what God knows you are: reputation is what men think you are Reputation will blow away. Character stands the test of all the winds
 You cant raise anything from chaf-only wheat grows. Chaff will make q big show and mighty dust for awhile, but its true worth won't make good fertilizer. Char acter must be put to the severest tests to be ascertained. You can't purify the public well by painting a town pump. A horse may look good on canvas but what is he worth before the blow? The continual rule Of criticism is not in looks but in power and service.
 Many men take wheat for chaff. Fill a man with rot-gut booze and what will he see? What is he cap able of seeing? "A man is known by the company he keeps" Birds of a feather flock together" The ungodly are like the chaff which the wind driyeth away-away where? The Bible everywhere treats the un- godly with moCking words and con tempt, and so does his fellowman, He is seen in great power, spreading himself like green bay-trce, but he shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.
 Fret not myself because of evil doers, the Lord will laugh at him, for he seeth his day coming The house of the ungodly is founded upon the sand and it's doom is fore told. No solidarity, real value. or true praise is connected with the names of the bad men of the Bible. How about that old adulterer Da- vid,' some one says, was nothing good said Of him?" After he re- pented and quit his meanness, yes.
 Who is employing the bad man known to be bad at heart? Who would rely upon him? Where does he stand as a world power? Who would consult him in perpleXity or bereavement? The ungodly man is used for small temporal purposes, to be sure. but even the men who use him despise him. The policy of such a man is, Do others as you expect others to do you, but be sure to do them first"
 The ungodly have no true friends: ungodliness and truth are opposite terms. They thrive together only on money basis, but let this love of money which is the root or all evil' get rooted up and it is so long, Tom, Dick and Harry, Though these men form truces. or sign contracts or strike hands, in the day of test ing they will play the part of the traitor Ungodliness cannot stand. IL is without virtue, strength. solid arity; it is a creation Of circum- stances; driven by the wind
 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous Here is ere character has it's final test. The farmer brings his eggs to town. A certain per cent are found to be bad. He gets a S25 fine. Who is to blame? The hens? He brings his wheat and chaff to market, and it is tested on the scales. He gets ten cents less per bushel than his neighbor. Who is to blame? His trusty team? Mark, there is a judgment, There is a congregation of the righteous.
 Judgment Of today is partial and ullCCll ldIlI Ill tHt IOLlpiCA ploDACii of mixed society. Where are the r'' @rQ Q.y - t4e past generation? What is the impression left on the mind by a recalling of their names? Echo answers, self-will self-indulg- ence, selfishness; We listen hard for such words as purity, honesty, wis dom, self-sacrificing service, Even the ungodly are proclaiming in their judgment that God created the world and governs all things. Such words as judgment" and "congre- gation" and righteous point to con ditions of relative kinds.
 The race is truly to the swift and the battle to the strong if man could successfully regard life with out law, order and things come by chance. What is your point of view? ? No God. no judgment life scram- ble and purity lie? You can be- lieve it if you insist: but has your own personal history justified such view? You show your good judg- lnent by remaining dumb. Thanks to your better self.
 Appearances may deceive but at the heart of things there is pur- pose, principle. direction, law judg- ment. a divine decree. Evil leads to disappointment, misery, discom- fiture and perdition; good leads to satisfaction. happiness. boldness and heaven. How well men have proved