Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-11-14
temperance.
The Arrn0r of Pa ience.

A quaint old proverb says, "When you
re a h mmrr strike; when you are an
,nvil, bear" The advice il sound. but il
-snmes hat The world o' effort is divided
" abrupt and definite boundaries into two
listinct territories. In one we strike the
flows of progress; In II e other we bear
he crush of its wheels az the individual is
4orne under in the rife of the race. II
n. sumcs that life is made up of TWO sets
frxperiencs =. cncH clnar. separate from
he o'her, one of doing and ano her of suf
t.ring; whereas the trnth is that the two
re so closely interviewer that even tb'
oo|est philosopher can badly distinguish
he dividing lines. The fact is, that th'
,mmers nre the anvil, always and al
he time; the strikers are he en'nrers
he doers are tho be ltrs in no 'Iepnr =
nent of hort is ibis more clearly shown
han in every wcik ut reform Oten il
Gems as if every blow etruck for freedom
md right by the hammers of the REFORM
,rs, fell back with II tol ce bat little spent,
IN their own devoted heads. The rr-
proaches of friends The curses of enemies
like measure out to each aggressive
movement its weight Of oppr brium and
,Orrow. The need Of some strong coat OF
mail, some dart proof armor, is never so
keenly felt As bv the honest soul all naked
0 the shafts of con;nr rely, which has dared
oppose itself to existing evils. the sense
,f righteousness 81 strong within the
Iauntless spirit is not in the nature OF
things sure protection agains, suffering
Us We y rigidit", which is its Glory aud
prophecy OF success, nevertheless prevents
ne necessary adaptation TO circumstance
md condition. Something more plant
nut no less firm, must be the mnterial of
which the coat Of mail must be formed
What so fit, so true 10 every varying al
ttude ana position, as patience? stand
ing under is the sense OF its original
Greek sy ynonvm-the Old anvil idea again
but its IRON wrought INTO the sc,es of AZ
NOR. Patience covers all. Patience sheI-
ters the impe, uouS RICHNESS which breaks
out in antagonsms to things rs they are.
ana when the impus've blows ate struck
1t shields from the rebound of our own
weapons Some one has written beantl-
fully OF the patience of hope, and St. Pau
philosophIses over the hope winch if Il
IN IN has, then dotn he wi paIierce w,lt
for it. But faith must ever be the in
spira,ion OF patience. Faith enables us to
put the amor on. Ii looks through th,
sheltered sockets of the helmet aud sees
'.lhe dawn of heaven in earth dim sky
1t nerves the arm to strike, and su>lain-
he weary march. Because we know
Gods day is marching on, we can iigh
on, enduring hardness us good soldiers OF
Jesus Ch,ist; and faith within and pa
tience W thout makes well armed soldier.
With this nrmor the pruhbltionist is
strong and steadiust He fights the battle
as well in Ono AS in Iowa--as faithful
IN the one with its curses as in the other
with its l;e,ns The everlasting right is
unchanged by latitude or longitude, and
his master he serves withou! regard 10
territory.
With all his mmobility he is no rug
ged Ir,nsides. HIS sympathies are as
sweet, his affections as tender. his friend
ships as true as if there were peace ana
not war. The plant armor that envelopes
him, while 1t renders him impervious to
shafts of ridlcule, contempt or hatred,
keeps him genial, courteous and happy
Blessed is he who has secured the full
.aulpn ent-who can meet wrong boldly
aud forcefully, and yet have heart of pity
and of grace for every body who is fight
ing against The right. He is the soldier
who must win, not only in our great bat
tie, but through al the ages OF reform yet
to be,