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row in the green pickle…jar！
Imagine Moses living today amidst the din of the high school orations on 〃The Age of the Young Man〃 and the Ostler idea that you are going down hill at fifty。 Imagine Moses living on 〃borrowed time〃 when he becomes the leader of the Israelite host。
I would see his scandalized friends gather around him。 〃Moses！ Moses！ what is this we hear？ You going to lead the Israelites to the Promised Land？ Why； Moses； you are an old man。 Why don't you act like an old man？ You are liable to drop off any minute。 Here is a pair of slippers。 And keep out of the night air。 It is so hard on old folks。〃
I think I would hear Moses say； 〃No； no； I am just beginning to see what to do。 Watch things happen from now on。 Children of Israel； forward； march！〃
I see Moses at eighty starting for the Wilderness so fast Aaron can hardly keep up。 Moses is eighty…five and busier and more enthusiastic than ever。 The people say； 〃Isn't Moses dead？〃 〃No。〃 〃Well； he ought to be dead； for he is old enough。〃
They appoint a committee to bury Moses。 You cannot do anything in America without a committee。 The committee gets out the invitations and makes all the arrangements for a gorgeous funeral next Thursday。 They get ready the resolutions of respect 〃Whereas；Whereas；Resolved；Resolved。〃
Then I see the committee waiting on Moses。 That is what a committee doesit 〃waits〃 on something or other。 And this committee goes up to General Moses' private office。 It is his busy day。 They have to stand in line and wait their turn。 When they get up to Moses' desk； the great prophet says； 〃Boys； what is it？ Cut it short； I'm busy。〃
The committee begins to weep。 〃General Moses； you are a very old man。 You are eighty…five years old and full of honors。 We are the committee duly authorized to give you gorgeous burial。 The funeral is to be next Thursday。 Kindly die。〃
I see Moses look over his appointments。 〃Next Thursday？ Why； boys； every hour is taken next Thursday。 I simply cannot attend my funeral next Thursday。〃
They cannot bury Moses。 He cannot attend。 You cannot bury anybody who is too busy to attend his own funeral！ You cannot bury anybody until he consents。 It is bad manners！ The committee is so mortified； for all the invitations are out。 It waits。
Moses is eighty…six and the committee 'phones over； 〃Moses； can you attend next Thursday？〃 And Moses says； 〃No； boys； you'll just have to hold that funeral until I get this work pushed off so I can attend it。 I haven't even time to think about getting old。〃
The committee waits。 Moses is ninety and rushed more than ever。 He is doing ten men's work and his friends all say he is killing himself。 But he makes the committee wait。
Moses is ninety…five and burning the candle at both ends。 He is a hundred。 And the committee dies！
Moses goes right on shouting； 〃Onward！〃 He is a hundred and ten。 He is a hundred and twenty。 Even then I read； 〃His eye was not dim； nor his natural force abated。〃 He had not time to stop and abate。
So God buried him。 The committee was dead。 O； friends； this is not irreverence。 It is joyful reverence。 It is the message to all of us； Go on south to the greater things； and get so enthused and absorbed in our going that we'll fool the 〃committee。〃
All the multitudes of the Children of Israel died in the Wilderness。 They were afraid to go on south。 Only two of them went on south Joshua and Caleb。 They put the giants out of business。
The Indians once owned America。 But they failed to go on south。 So another crop of Americans came into the limelight。 If we modern Americans do not go on south we will join the Indians； the auk and the dodo。
The 〃Sob Squad〃
I am so sorry for the folks who quit； retire； 〃get on the shelf〃 or live on 〃borrowed time。〃
They generally join the 〃sob squad。〃
They generally discover the world is 〃going to the dogs。〃 They cry on my shoulder； no matter how good clothes I wear。
They tell me nobody uses them right。 The person going on south has not time to look back and see how anybody uses him。
They say nobody loves them。 Which is often a fact。 Nobody loves the clock that runs down。
They say； 〃Only a few more days of trouble； only a few more tribulations； and I'll be in that bright and happy land。〃 What will they do with them when they get them there？ They would be dill pickles in the heavenly preserve…jar。
They say； 〃I wish I were a child again。 I was happy when I was a child and I'm not happy now。 Them was the best days of my life childhood's palmy days。〃
Wake up！ Your clock has run down。 Anybody who wants to be a child again is confessing he has lost his memory。 Anybody who can remember the horrors of childhood could not be hired to live it over again。
If there is anybody who does not have a good time； if there is anybody who gets shortchanged regularly； it is a child。 I am so sorry for a child。 Hurry up and go on south。 It is better on south。
Waiting till the 〃Second Table〃
I wish I could forget many of my childhood memories。 I remember the palmy days。 And the palm！
I often wonder how I ever lived thru my childhood。 I would not take my chances living it thru again。 I am not ungrateful to my parents。 I had advantages。 I was born in a parsonage and was reared in the nurture and admiration of the Lord。 I am not just sure I quoted that correctly； but I know I was reared in a parsonage。 About all I inherited was a Godly example and a large appetite。 That was about all there was to inherit。 I cannot remember when I was not hungry。 I used to go around feeling like the Mammoth Cave； never thoroly explored。
I never sit down as 〃company〃 at a dinner and see some little children going sadly into the next room to 〃wait till the second table〃 that my heart does not go out to them。 I remember when I did that。
I can only remember about four big meals in a year。 That was 〃quart'ly meeting day。〃 We always had a big dinner on 〃quart'ly meeting day。〃 Elder Berry would stay for dinner。 His name was Berry； but being 〃presiding elder；〃 we called him Elder Berry。
Elder Berry always stayed for dinner。 He was one of the easiest men to get to stay for dinner I ever saw。
Mother would stay home from 〃quart'ly meeting〃 to get the big dinner ready。 She would cook up about all the 〃brethren〃 brought in at the last donation。 We had one of those stretchable tables； and mother would stretch it clear across the room and put on two table…cloths。 She would lap them over in the middle； where the hole was。
I would watch her get the big dinner ready。 I would look over the long table and view the 〃promised land。〃 I would see her set on the jelly。 We had so much jellyred jelly； and white jelly； and blue jelly。 I don't just remember if they had blue jelly； but if they had it we had it on that table。 All the jelly that ever 〃jelled〃 was represented。 I didn't know we had so much jelly till 〃quart'ly meeting〃 day。 I would watch the jelly tremble。 Did you ever see jelly tremble？ I used to think it ought to tremble； for Elder Berry was coming for dinner。
I would see mother put on the tallest pile of mashed potatoes you ever saw。 She would make a hollow in the top and fill it with butter。 I would see