The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1882-09-23
ssTHE BRIGHT SIDE OF THINGS


sTHE BRIGHT SIDE OF THINGS. y
The following extracts are from recent
lecture delivered by Rev. T. Dewitt Tai
mage, ID. d., l.. L. D., before the stu
dents of Coleman's Business College at
Newark, Nj. The celebrated Brooklyn
divine appeared in one of the regular
course of college lectures, before one of
the finest audiences ever assembled in
Newark. Mr.. Talmage, on his introduc-
ton by President Coleman, was greeted
with great applause, Among many
other good things, he said:
whether it rain or whether 1t shine,
this is very pleasant world to live in. If
/ had been consulted as to which of all
the stars would choose to have been
born on, then know of none that
would have preferred to this.
The human face is admirably adapted
for its work; it is sunshine in its smile,
tempest in its frown. Two eyes. one
more than is absolutely necessary, SO
when one is put out, we can still look
abroad upon the beautiful works of
nature; one nose, which is quite sufficient
for those who walk among so many nui-
sances. 1t may be inclined to be Roman,
or it may turn up toward the heavens
with celestial admiration. Orperhaps it
reaches out long way and Their sudden
~ SHES off, illustrating the old proverb
that it is long lane that has no turning.
One tongue and one mouth which are well
able to express our wants and commune
cate our thoughts to each other. Yet
no two of these features are alike nor
are any two persons alike. 1t is not in
tended that they should be. On stand
ing before any specimen of sculpture or
painting, dozen different men will have
dozen different sentiments. We can
not all think alike, but where is the BIAS
phemer of his God who would criticise
the arch of the sky or the crest of a
wave, or the flock of snow white fieecy
clouds driven by the shepherd of the
winds across the billy pastures of the
heavens, or the burning cities of the sun
set, or the fern-leaf pencilings of the
frost on the window-pane? Why, my
friends, where there is one discord in
nature, there are thousand harmonies.
1t will be well for us to work a little
harder when we are tempted to look at
the dark side of things, and keep our
thoughts occupied by paying closer at
tention to other things. BY always look
ing at the dark side, we get discouraged
and down-hearted, and by the natural
reaction of one soul on another. we may
get others into the same way of think
ing. Nv ideas of re.
ligion are little different from those of |
some people. Mine is a sunshiny re-
ligion, happy religion, full of love-
love is everlasting sunshine land have |
noticed that the more religion people |
have OF this sort, the happier they are.
Now, agreat many people seem to think
that to be religious one must wear a
long face; but when people come to me
with long face they don't impress me
at all. The world hasa great many de-
lighfful people init-so many real clever
people that have faculty worth any
sum OF money. They never vet came
away from a picture gallery but what
they saw one landscape, one face that
they admired. They are very like the
spring. for it seems so full of fragrance
and youth and bloom. Like priestess.
she stands swinging her censor of per-
tune before the Lord. The summer.
too, is the thing for them, for thew like
to hear the musical whirr of the machines
as they pillow through the shudderine
gram, the whetting of the scythe, the
lowing OF the cattle and the glad carol
ing OF the birds. And they like the
autumn, they like the forests that. with
their blood-red leaves fiecked with fire !
look like an army marching with ban
ners dipped in the sunsets glow. And {
they praise God for winter, that BRINGS
the shout OF children playing blind {
mans buff with handkerchiefs thew can
see through, getting up theatricals In the I
Kitchen and turning the wood-sbed into {
q royal dressing room. II Won ara . {
lawyer, they are the kind of people Won {
will like for clients; if YOU are a s
they are the people Won will {
like for customers; if a physician. the
people you win like for patients. lint 1
they can generally cure themselves {
by bottle of laughter-and the I
laughter, like medicine, is bet
Ter if well shaken up.
noticed that, when I was in the coal I
Instruct OF Pennsylvania, in the coal ,
MINES, every miner carried his own LIGHT ,
n ms hat. He takes his light with him 9
ne Is perfectly independent of his neigh
'or. ihat struck me as first-rate plan. c
OF u leaves every man free and teaches a
INN to depend on himself A blacksmith Q
VINO was in comfortable circumstance J
lad son in college, and after awhile he o
'ot letter from him. Now. neither the n
blacksmith or his wife could read. en- a
hey took the letter down to the VILLAGE v
utcher to get him to read it. But the r
utcher was very rough man, and be- :
'g very rough man he read it this
'ay: \
DEAR fATnER-Send me some money: I 81
70 very sick. Your son, Tohn.' :,