By Dudley Marvin Canright
Thus wrote king Solomon. Who could judge better than he? With the wealth of a kingdom at his disposal; with wisdom, honor, and renown; with peace and prosperity on every hand; he tried all the pleasures that these abundant resources promised to give. After he had tasted of all of them, he turns away with disappointment, and exclaims, "All is vanity and vexation of spirit." How different is his conclusion, when he discourses of God, and the pleasure there is in obeying him. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." "Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace." All persons, in their sober moments, will agree with Solomon in his conclusions. The poet has well said, "How vain are all things here below!
How false, and yet how fair!" I was forcibly impressed with this fact by a few circumstances that came under my observation a short time since. Where we were, great preparations were made for celebrating the fourth of July. Great speeches were to be made, a great dinner was to be prepared, charming music was to be heard, &c., &c. The people, especially the young, were all animated by the anticipation of the pleasures to be enjoyed on the "Fourth." Persons who were "too poor" to take a paper or buy a few religious tracts, had dollars to give for "fun on the Fourth." At length, the long-wished-for day came, and with it hundreds of men, women, and children, to hear the speeches, eat the dinner, hear the music, &c. But alas for human hopes and promises! The speech was short and dry, and interested no one. As for the dinner, most of the people could have had as good a one at home. The music was poor; and all was over in two short hours. For the rest of the day, these crowds of people stood round gaping at each other. Occasionally one would ask the other, "How did you like it?" The uniform answer was, "I didn't like it at all." At length, night came, and all started for home, weary, disappointed, and dissatisfied with themselves and every one else. When they reached their homes that night, I think that they would have agreed with Solomon that "All is vanity and vexation of spirit." But did this lesson make them any wiser? No; for ten days afterward, a circus came along, promising great things as usual. There was to be a "golden chariot drawn by twenty magnificent chargers," mighty exploits were to be performed, such as the world had never seen, &c., &c. The people received all this as Bible truth, and concluded that they would now certainly have the pleasure which they had vainly sought on the Fourth. So, circus day saw the streets full of "lovers of pleasure," eagerly looking to see the promised wonders. The first sight must have dampened their hopes somewhat, for instead of the "golden chariot and twenty magnificent chargers," they saw only a painted wagon full of rowdies, drawn by some very common horses. Apparently not at all discouraged by this, they all flocked to the tent, paid their half-dollar each, and "saw the sights." Again they were deceived and disappointed. Their time and money were gone, and nothing gained or learned. Again they could say, "All is vanity and vexation of spirit." Their anticipated pleasure was only an ignis fatuus, ever just out of reach, alluring them into folly and disappointment. So it ever is with the vain pleasures of this world. They promise great things in advance, but when tasted, leave only bitterness and disappointment behind. The world is one grand game of deception. Great promises are made which are never fulfilled; glowing advertisements are published which are never met; and bright hopes are excited which are never realized. Thousands rise up every day to bear witness to these facts; yet the mass of the people, disregarding this testimony and the evidences of their own senses, blindly press on to seek pleasure and happiness where all have failed before them. Before they realize it, their days are past, and their life is a failure. As they close a useless life and sink into the grave, their last words are, "All is vanity and vexation of spirit." On the other hand, the Creator of the universe has promised glory, honor, and immortality, to all who will obey him. He has confirmed this promise with an oath, even swearing by his own life, that it shall never fail. He has proved his truthfulness by hundreds of trials. Thousands are ready to testify that he never fails to fulfill all that he promises. Those who have followed his advice through life, die rejoicing that they have chosen the good part, and served a faithful Master. Yet, how few believe his promises; how few care for his ways; how few heed his counsel! Solomon, after thoroughly investigating the facts on both sides of this question, gives in the following decision: "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Eccl. xii, 13, 14.