Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-03-04
4eadina fur the $abbath.
CONDUCTED BY
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
EVIL FOR GOOD.


Ineratitude has been abhorred by all nations.
The poet calls it, "The marble-head fiend."
1t is said OF the converts from heathenism
that they seldom fail in expressions of graft
tude. One, only recently, gave gift of $500
to missionary as an expression of his regard
for having taught him the way of life.
We have a right to expect esteem and regard
and love from those to whom we have shown
kindness It was set down to the discredlt
of Charles VII, of France, that he did nothing
to show that he remembered Joan of Arc,
through whose efforts he was elevated to the
throne. Dean Stanley says that the judgments
that fell on Joash were ''because he had bro
ken one of the eternal laws of natural affec-
tion-'he remembered not the kindness which
.Jehoida, his father, had done to him, but slew
his son."
When the enemies of David had broken the
law of "natural Affection" he felt it most
keenly, as is shown in the seventh and thirty
fifth Psalms. He says, ''They reward me evil
for good, to the spelling Of my soul. But as
for me, when they were SICK my clothing was
sackcloth. humbled my soul with fasting !;
and my prayer returned unto mine own bosom.
l behaved myself as though he had been my
friend or brother. Ibowed down heavily, as one
mourneth for his mother. But in mine adver-
sty they rejoiced, and gathered themselves
together yea the objects gathered themselves
together against me, and l knew it not; they
did tear me, and ceased not. With hypocriti-
cal Knockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me
with their teeth"
How keenly must Christ have felt indignity
when his matchless, infinite kindness was neg
lected or returned with unkindness. He had
cleansed ten lepers, and only one returned
| to thank him. We can fancy the sorrow of
his heart when he asked, "Were there not ten
cleansed but where are the nine?" So natu-
raj and spontaneous did Christ esteem these
expressions of esteem and regard for the bles-
sings lie brings, that to those desiring to pre-
vent these expressions he replied, 81 tell you
that if these should hold theirpeaee, the stones
would Immediately cry out"
To return evil for good is contrary to the
teachings of our holy religion, and contrary,
too, to the nobler prOmptings of our nature,
as seen among the heathen. Yet how often
do we return evil for good to our fellow men .
How often this return is made to our kind heav-
enly Father and his dear Son, from whom we
receive 'every good and perfect gift" God
bears the indignity, and continues to bless.
And because he does not show that he is pro-
voked at our return, we 60 Oh returning evil
for good through whole lifetime Of sin.
OPPOSITES. ..
1t is true, and largely confirmed by our con-
sciousness, that number Of things, in both
nature and morals, have their opposites.
These opposites seem to be necessities as we'll
as facts. The existence of the one demands
the existence of it's opposite, as certainly in
the region of thought as of sense. Without
attempting to account for these facts, let us
note some things that every reader can see,
and, to some extent, comprehend.
There is darkness; necessarily it has al Op-
posite, which is light.
There is cold; it's opposite is heat.
There is weariness it's opposite is rest.
There is pain it's opposite is freedom from
pain.
There is evil it's opposite is good.
There is hatred its opposite is love.
There is unbelief; it's opposite is faith.
Finding that the above named things have
opposites undeniably, let us note three things,
the opposites of which, if they exist, are with
out the grasp of our senses
/. There is life to man on earth-it is short
it's opposite must be life somewhere that is
long g..
2 Existence, life to man, to all men, goes
out, ends here in this world; the opposite to
this must be an existence, life to man, to all
men, somewhere that will not end rgo out.
g. There is said to be a place to which all
good people will 60 at the close of their earth
ly existence, where the inhabitants will be
eternally happy. The "saint, the savage and
the sage" believe this; the opposite to this
must be a place to which all the wicked will 60
at the close of their earthly existence, where
the inhabitants will be eternally miserable.
Let the sceptical reader remember that
things in the region of thought may be as real
rs those in the region of sense.
Spr.E CIIEEpEIrr WORD ibid Won never
60 out in the morning with heart so depressed
and saddened that pail seemed spread over
all the world But on meeting some friend
who spoke cheerily for minute or two, if
only upon Indifferent matters, you have felt
uonr snirits mondarfnllu linhtenad Even q