The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-08-26
.srHE BRIGHT SIDE OF THINGS. "

1.-THE BRIGHT SIDE OF THINGS"
The following extracts are from recent
lecture delivered by Rev. L. Dewitt Tai
mage, ID. D., L. l.. D., before the stu
dents of Coleman's Business College at
Newark, N. j. 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 introduce
ton by President Coleman, was greeted
with great applause, Among many
other good things, he said:
whether it rain or whether it 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
ly SHES off, illustrating the old proverb
that it is a 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
81. Il
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 fleecy
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. NY ideas of re-
Hgion are little different from those of
some people. Mine is sunshiny re-
hgion, happy religion, full of love-
love is everlasting sunshine and l have
noticed that the more religion people
have of this sort, the happier they are
Now, great 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 has a great many de-
hghtful people init-so many real clever
people that have faculty worth any
sum of money. They nevery yet came
away from 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-
fume before the Lord. The summer,
too, is the thing for them, for they like
to hear the musical whirr of the machines
as they pillow through the shuddering
grain, 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 iecked 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 they can
see through, getting up theatricals in the
kitchen and turning the wood-shed into
royal dressing room. If you are a
lawyer, they are the kind of people you
will like for clients if you are
merchant, they are the people you will
like for customers; if physician the
people you will like for patients, but
they can generally cure themselves
by bottle of laughter-and the
laughter, like medicine, is bet
ter if well shaken up.
| noticed that, when | was in the coal
district of Pennsylvania, in the coal
mines, every miner carried his own light
in his hat. He takes his light with him
he is perfectly Independent of his neigh
Dor. That struck me as first-rate plan,
for it leaves every man free and teaches
him to depend on himself. A blacksmith
who was in comfortable circumstance
had son in college, and after awhile he
got a letter from him. Now, neither the
blacksmith or his wife could read. so
they took the letter down to the village
butcher to get him to read it. But the
butcher was a very rough man, and be-
ing very rough man he read it this
way:
"DEAR FATHER-Send me some money;
am very sick Your son, John"
"Hum! Write that way to his father!