How could he wish to marry again, when his wife was all the time by his
side--an ever-present, ever-abiding comfort and consolation?
I say, herein lay the charm and the glory of Joel's life. His influence
on his place, after it grew beyond the proportions of a village, and
became one of the largest towns in the State, was just as great as when
it had but a dozen buildings.
Joel did not permit the desire to accumulate to become a passion. On the
contrary, he diffused his wealth--not by direct gifts in charity, but by
affording everybody around him opportunity to get on and prosper, just
exactly as if the world was common to all, and as if all should be
allowed a fair chance to live in it!
You have no idea how the attempt to practise this principle enriched the
life and nature of Joel Burns.
[There are two Spirits--towering, gigantic Genii--who attend on man: one
the Absorbing, the other the Imparting, Spirit. Both are active,
energetic, untiring. The former, if it gains access to the soul,
commences at once to narrow and impoverish it; while the latter enlarges
and makes the soul rich. Herein is explained the old enigma which a
dying man is said to have uttered:
'What I kept, I've not;
What I gave, I've got.']
I have remarked that Burnsville was one of the largest towns in the
State.
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