When Ben set his foot in Orangeville on his return from the Klondike,
the news flew all over the locality, as if the wind had made it its
mission to carry the intelligence all over the country into every home.
Those who knew him least were just as anxious to see him as those who
had always known him. They did want to see, to talk to and shake hands
with the lion of the day, the hero of the hour, the man whose name was
in every one's mouth. If a man had arrived in Orangeville who had saved
twenty persons from drowning, there would not have been half the desire
to see him or hear him talk on how the persons were saved. Why, Ben West
received nothing but one continued round of hearty hand-shaking and
warm greetings, and his ears heard nothing but eulogies and encomiums
and general admiration for the man who had made himself the owner of the
two great idols that are worshipped by the Western world.
Ben West had got what most men are seeking but few finding. If you were
in Orangeville you would be told that it was a Christian community; but
if you squared them by the command given by Jesus, "Seek ye first the
Kingdom of Heaven and its righteousness, and all these shall be added
unto you," you would find them sadly wanting, for the Kingdom of Heaven
is the last thing they want. It is, "These things which shall be added
unto you" is what they want. For they want their heaven to be in the
possession of things outside of themselves.
A great dance was given in honor of Orangeville's coming man.
Predictions were heard that it would not be long before he would be
Governor of California, with a good show for a seat in the United States
Senate.
Most of the people of Orangeville were great on dances. If they had a
sociable it had to close with a dance; if a political meeting was held,
they had a dance afterwards; a spelling bee wound up with a dance. If
you would let them, they would dance after Sabbath School and preaching.
If you want a big crowd at a meeting, just give out there will be a
dance at the close, and teams will come for miles from all over the
country. Dance; why they want to dance all the time. They simply become
intoxicated with dancing. There is no moderation about it. They leave
the dance hall about four or five o'clock in the morning. Does that kind
of recreation help them physically? How do they feel during the next
day? Does it help them intellectually? Does it help them spiritually?
Then why pursue a course of recreation _so immoderately_ as to be
detrimental to their highest interests?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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