Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1854-07-04
For the Times.
"KINDNESS.n

Mr.. EDITOR: noticed in your excellent paper
not long since, an article on s'Kindness,'' which
trust touched sympathetic cord in many hearts.
1t is cheering to the lonely wandcrer life's des
ert wastes, at a distance perhaps from the home
of his youth and all that the heart holds dear, to
meet with such choice spirits and be chcercd on
ward by their kind sympathy and counsel. As
the tempest-:ossed mariner in the gloom Of sur
rounding darkness, amid the fury of conten;ing
elements, is thankful for the g!immering light of
single star; so the voyager across ife's stormy
ocean is checred by every glimmer of friendship
and kindness which burst through the clouds of
selfshncss that everywhere obscure the horizon
For though we meet with many choice spirits and
many bright spots, yet cannot conceal the fact
that it is after all selfish world. All! there are
dark corners, and those not few, where no ray of
kindness ever enters, and there are hearts not
few, so thoroughly assimilated to the spirit of
Mammon which they serve, as to exclude the kind
Hest feelings Of our nature, and from whence no,
ray of kindness emanated to cheer the hearts
of their fellow men.
Wander where we will, our hearts are panied at
the sight of unre,ieved suffering which our eyes
are forced to behold, where those whose duty it
is to extend helping hand, ''pass by on the 9TH
er side" How often might single kind action.
an afectionate word, or sympathizng look even,
which costs the giver nothing, dispcl load of
sorrow from the stricken heart, yet how often
even these withheld by the giddy throng in its
heallong chase after the phantOms of this world.
How often do we see thepoor nebriate staggering
through our streets, once the Joy and hope of
happy family circle, now the laughing stock for
idle gazers, and by-word for the multitude, who
might have been arrested in his downward career
by timely admonition from kind friend. Now
he is Stunned by all, and many wonder why such
loathsome object is permitted to roam at large,
while he who is the cause of this and a thousand
other such scenes, and in truth the most guilty Of
the two, is courtcd by all and welcomed by e.
friendly shake of the hand, simply because bis.
Golfers are filed with gold, the price Of Innocent
blood. How often are innocence and purity SAG
rifced upon the altar Of mans selfish lust, and
It's injured victim driven from the pale of society
to exc out o miserable existence, and find an un-
timely grave, while the heartless wretch, l might
say murderer, goes forth unbranded and mingles
with the polished circles of life, merely to seek
another victim. The youth goes forth from tho
home of his childhood, of which he has ever been
the JOY and pride, with no other patrimony than
nobleintellect and a Christian education. As he
steps buoyantly upon the stage and mingles with
the multitude of actors, his warm affections arc
chilled by the cold and selfish atmosphere around
him. No mothers tender care watches over him,
no sisters gushing affection protects him, no
Christian counsel or friendly sympathy are ex-
tended to him, but everywhere he is repulsed with
a cold shoulder and short answer. Disheart-
ened and disguised he enters upon course Of
dissipation, or banishes himself from society to-
bury in oblivion that jewel which might have
been an ornament to the world, there to be de-
voured by its own rust. Such scenes are of daily
occurrence, and though thought but little Of BY
the servle mass, are sources Of pain to the heart
Of the moralist, the phianthropist and the Chris
tian, whose Office it should be to ameliorate the
condition of the suffering, and to endeavor by pre-
ccpt and example to win back to ways Of peace
and virtue the injured and the erring.