The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1884-03-22
A Soft Answer.

Wrath is cruel and anger is outrage
Gus, but soft answer turneth away
wrath, while grievous words stir up an.
ger. Wrath disturbs the soul and hides
the beautiful face of Truth, which is
perfectly reflect d only in still waters
1t clouds the eye of reason and makes
the ght in the soul da kness. Hence
he that is slow to WI ath is of great I'M
derstanding, and he that by soft an
swer turneth away wrath confers upon
him whose wrath is rned away an in
estimable benefit. One would think
that when so graf a good could be so
easily done, doe of such good would
never be wanting, b t soft answe are
costly: they come from hearts that have
learned lessons of sorrow and pain and
conquest over self 1t is easy to "mass
the elements of discomfort, to raise re-
bellions, revolutions, strikes, wars and
tumul.s, but few are the voices that can
with authority rebuke the winds of pas
sion, command the waves of feeling to
be still, and turn away the wrath of the
multitude. Such voices we need in the
FIRMLY, in society, in the Church, in the
State.
The small trials of life are hardest to
bear. There is something in the grand
eur of gseat tragedy that lifts the soul
above the reach of petty trials, but a
grain of sand in the eye, a pebblein the
shoe, fly, a mosquito, teasing child,
sometimes vanquishes the stoutest heart.
Life is full of these little frets. How
does a soft answer, kindly tone, a
sympathizing manner. smooth these
rough places and lubricate the creaking
machinery of daily Ii
The human heart is wondrous mix
ture of diverse elements. Blind instinct
and binder appeti clamo' for salts
faction; the fires of passion flame up
at a b cath, and how often by usurping
wrath and pride is Reason driven rom
her throne But soft answer,
like oil on the troubled waters.
assuages the tumult and place
again in the hands of Reason her
seepter. Under many calm terror
what sufferings are concealed, what
Dotted sorrows dwell in the reaesses of
the soul, sorrows shared with no one
Few a"e the hearts that have not some
secret sorrow: it NAV be congenital
faint, an inherited tendency, sense of
forfeited self-respect, a neglected OPP
portun ty, an irreparable loss. To all
such hearts row grateful, how healin~,
are soft answers, gentle words, kindly
mini trations. We of en- call those
cross who are only sad; and, it NAV be,
because there are none to spea to them
words of peace and love. words of hope
and cheer. A word fifty spoken is like
apples of gold in pictures of silver. To
many hireling words of kindness are
more pre- ious than the wages he rms,
necessary as these are to keep soul and
body together. J he kindl words Keep
the soul itself from disintegration and
despair.
There are times when noble wo DIS OF
Indignation and rebuke are call d for;
there may be times when scorn and con-
tempt are deserved. But whe erring
men and We men sit in Judgment on
their fellows, let them who VII ed
mercy forget not to show mercy
There is forgiveness with thee that
thou MA est be feared"
L ose VIII have DE- nix deepest of tn
cup of sorrow, who have had the largest
experience of life, who have obse we'd
most widely nd stud ed mo t deeply
the mysteries of human nature and hui
man life. are most patient, most p tiful,
most long-sutfeting an forb a Dg.
They hesitate to pronounce Judgment,
they are most ready to pardon the err
ring, to give hope to the penitent, to
trust that somehow good will lie the
fina end of it.' Their knowledge and
experience produce in them a constant
disposition to be lenent, patient, and
to We a soft answer to every suffering
felloW-bein0.-N Y Tribune