MEN'S TALENTS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1092, 3 April 1911, Page 2

MEN'S TALENTS.

4 THE VALUE OF HAPPIN'ESS. An interesting address, based on the Parable of the Talents, was given before (ho lien's brotherhood yeslerclny afternoon' by Professor Eastern , eld. Alter discoursing on various points which occurred to one reading any of the Parables, Professor Easterfield remarked that none of those present might bo ovorendowed with this world's good?, but they had many things given them by the Master which were of infinite value. Each individual hnd certain talents, and it was one of the most painful experiences amongst mankind to sen how commonly ability was wasted. If one took tho people who rose, iu a country and boenino universally respected by rich and poor alike, ljy "those who had business with them, or caiuo into contact with them in any way, it wns not by any means the case, that these were (he peoplo who were born with tho greatest ability. In his experience as a scholar and teacher ho had noticed that those who began with the greatest promise frequently failed at their goal. The reason was that they would not be faithful in the small tilings. They would not perform the small everyday duties with satisfaction. If a big thing had to be at> tempted, they would wade into it willingly, but they did not think the small things worth while. In the end, added the Professor, life was made, up of small things rather than big things, and unless wo showed that wo could be faithful in small things wo could not be trusted with tho bigger things. If we accepted it that (his life was merely a training ground in which tha Master was training us to take charge of something else when wo reached the life beyond, it had an important bearing on the problem and mystery of life, if we wero faithful to tho few things, wo would bo considered worthy of something better in (he next life. There was one talent, said Prolessor Easteriield, which was too often lost sight of, a talent which it was possible for oven the most unintcllicent to makeuse of. This was (he talent of beine happy. Many of us were unhappy because wo did not try to be happy, and yet it was certainly a duly to be happy. No Act of Parliament, no action of (he Legislature could ever check the morose spirit. There was, he contended, more niisory brought int-i tho world by tlioso individuals who made thcni.selvcs unhappy, and who were not satisfied unless (hoy saw others unhappy, than by (lie murderer and the thief. Most peoplo had como across cases where (ho temper of (he husband had niado (h<> wife's and (ho children's livps a hell, yrt no law could touch the husbniid. In being unhappy we were not only discrediting our .Maker but wo wero doing a harm to our fellowmail. In (his connection (lie Professor referred to l the words of Kobert Louis Stevenson: "The very name and appearance of a happy man breathe of good tilings, and they help (ho rest of us to live." No man, concluded Professor Easterfield, could live unto himself. If he used his talents only for his own good no happiness would lx> brought. The meeting concluded with a hearty vole, of. thanks to (lie speaker.