by slow, short, laborious steps that he arrived at fame's dizzy mountain peak, while boys of more genius, perhaps more gifted, yet unwilling the drudgery to take, lived and died unintellectual skeletons, and all nature teaches us the same great lesson, yet men neglect to apply the rule to religion. And man continues to mind high things, looking over men of low estate. This ought not so to be. While the poor and oppressed all around us are needing our sympathy and our help we are looking away from home to perform some great event, that may be sounded on the trump of fame, and we forget How fast the feathered feet of time Their silent course pursue Nor swifter flies the bird sublime, Nor softer falls the dew. With outspread wings the eagle soars To his airy nest on high, But time seeks with fleeter wing Thy shore, unknown eternity. Oh! then, dear friends, the moments seize, Arrest them in their flight; Time, while we linger Vanishes, quick as the glancing light, th with the form teach script to the saying, neglect or punis neglect; t'. where any test of loy there is not obedience r about men's i man somethi understood thi i: inquire, "Are you saved?" They seem to think there is nothing special for man to do but plead with God, and in his good pleasure he will lasso the sinner and place something in his heart informing him that he is saved. I find no such teaching in the word of God. According to the scriptures, God universally has, from Adam down to the present time addressed man's intelligence, saying, "You do this and I will reward you; if you neglect to do it, I will punish you." And reward or punishment has always followed obedience or neglect; there is not an instance in the scriptures where anything but obedience was considered a test of loyalty, or obtained God's blessing, and there is not an instance where anything but disobedience received punishment. God asks not about men's feelings, but he has universally given man something for him to do. Saul of Tarsus understood this universal law when he inquired, |