The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-04-07

taken with the witty of
D~iogenes babe him ask what he would
and he should have It. The philoso-
pher demanded the least portion Of
immortality.
That is not my Gift said Alexan-
der.
NO" said Diogenes." then why
does Alexander take such pains TO
conquer the world when he cannot
insure himself of one moment to en-
Joy It," :
What this cynic said to Alexander
may be said to every mar who Is un-
wisely building for himself. How
much Wiser was Zuxeus the famous
painter of his day who let no paint
ing of his broad in the world to be
seen of men until he had tried it in
every light and given It long consid-
fault in il. The eason he gave for
this a
II am long in doing what / have in
hand, because what l paint l paint
for eternity
There are many lives that have
dead spots in them. They are like
Naaman who was n great man. a
great general, honored by his xirg
and beloved by his friends and serv-
ants.-but a ieper. Sailors toll us
that there Is a dead spot In the Carfb-
bean Sea. II lies midway between
Carthagena IN Columbia and Kings
ton, Jamaica. It is out OF the track
of steamers and the action of great
currents. going n way and another
has left a space of stagnant water
without any real movement at all.
Anything that gets into the Dead
Spot is apt to stay there unless
driven out by some big storm. So In
many a life there is a dead spot"
There was a dead spot IN Naaman's
life. There was IL dead spot in the
rich young rulers life. fine fellow he
was. moral, obedient to the Mosaic
law. He was what we would call a
tip-top fellow.-but he went away sad
and the reason he went away sad was
because he Wouldn't come all the way.
there was a dead spot" there.
There are withered lives here to-
night because they have neglected to
cultivate God. Perhaps our vision OF
God was once clearer than II is now.
The biggest opportunity that ever
comes to any man Is the opportunity
to cultivate his inner life and we have
let that slip.
Where Ia the Blessedness I knew.
when first ! saw the Lord" IL We
have no more blessedness than we
had then, and If we haven't even that
we are certainly In q tragic condition.
Ii God Is giving o another oppor-
tunity do not let that escape. do not
hin that another day Will be AS
good as his day. Plutarch tells us
of Archais. the Lacaedemaniam who
was rioting in gay company when q
friend delivered him a letter that told
him the important news, that there
were some enemies lying in wait to
take his life. His friend urged him to
read the letter at once as IL was a
matter of great concern. but Archaias
was f%rivilous' and thought the matter
of little importance and he pushed
the letter aside with laugh, saying.
"Oh, l will think of serious things To-
morrow"
But tomorrow never came. for he
was slain that night. He didn't have
time to ead the letter. he paid for his
neglect with his life.
The saddest tragedy that can come
into any mans life is to lose his
Spiritual vision, his divine oppor-
tunity to be a son of God. Robert
Robertson, a native Of Norfolk, Eng
land, was converted under Whitield's
powerful preaching and became a
minister Of the Gospel. One day
while he was riding along in a stage
coach with a lady. she began to sing
softly the hymn. Come Thou Fount
of Every blessing. Tune my Heart to
Sing Thy Praise"
1t seemed to awaken him to the
things he had ono been and he ex-
claimed Madam. I am the unhappy
man that wrote that hymn MANI
years ago, and I would give a thou
sand worlds II ] had them II I could
feel az I felt then"
If the song has gene out OF your
heart, let 1t come back again. II you
have let the opportunity slip before
do not let 1t slip again. Do not let
your profession, do no let your busi-
ness, do not let your social relation
ahips. do not let you family. do nat
let anything crowd out God. Don't
be too busy to live. for sometime o
will have to take time to die.
There's q stranger at the door,
Let Him I'M