Willmar tribune., 1915-06-02

1.-THE yearning for independence
runs thru all his poems, and we re-
gard it as the first and foremost of
his manly virtues. Yet-sad irony
i: must be confessed that poor Burns
was bound hand and foot by master
quite as cruel and despotic as a gold
en- one-the master of low passions
and appetites. But the case of Burns,
so far from being solitary, is univer-
sal. We may boast of our indepen-
dence, and in some particular lines we
have right to do so, still we are serv-
ants or slaves of some power. We
must live life of service, whether
we wish to or not. But herein lies
our ndependence-we have the priv
llege of choosing whom we will serve.
$50 let me hold out this thought
clearly-as you go out into the new
life opening up before you, now, when
your vision includes so many of the
bright views of life, so full of color
and happiness, the thought that life
has vast serious side, not necessar-
lily sorrowful-b serious, that is the
SIDE OF SERVICE. You are going TO
serve somebody or something, so
choose you this day, whom you will
serve.
''The Bible is full of the recognition
of the responsibility of each person
for his choice. We 60 back to the
very beginning of the Bible history and
we find that the Eden story revolves
around the ability of the individual to
choose for himself. By the choosing
Of the wrong master sin came into the
world. Then later we have the ten
commandments-a commandment inn
plies that it may be obeyed or discbey-
ed. From the very beginning of the
Old Testament to the end of the new
there is run Of invitation, beautiful
words, priceless words. The most
glowing words of the Bible are words
of invitation. But invitation implies
a possibility of resistance; if an invi-
tation cannot be resisted it cannot be
accepted.
"Not only in the great crises of the
world must choice be made but in
every little act of the daily life. Life
il a continual choosing. So the new
life opens before you, and the vision
is beautiful, a wonderful one full of
vast possibilities of achievement both
for good and for evil; and as you look,
remember, because it is so important
-God has given you the chance to
choose for yourself which master you
will serve. Evil, selfishness, wealth
for yourself, worldly ambition, is very
Turing and hard to resist, but even if
you attain greatness from this stand
point of what avail is it? You must
leave it behind, not for a benefit for
generations to come, but a drawback
and detriment.
ION the other hand if you choose to
live a life Of service for the good of
your fellow men, you will be laying up
treasures in heaven. You ask, Does
not such a master preclude ambition,
wealth, pleasure?' No. The serving
OF such a master will but be spur,
an incentive to attain higher ambition,
greater wealth and nobler pleasure.
Because a servant, Dy virtue of his
position must give his master the best
he has-must make the most out of
all the abilities God has given him, IN
order that he may serve more truly
to advance his masters interests.
There are only two masters to choose
between, and God will not accept a
divided allegiance, you cannot serve
two masters. You cannot stay on the
fence in regard to any important ques-
ton which requires choice. We may
engage in thousand pursuits, there