Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-03-14

1nee1. :: 10
Is, & 8: 10
Mcb. ss-Ghriettan D%iligence.: 2 Thess: 3: lie
or ether lesson effected by the
WINNING AND EFFECTIVE.
The apostle Paul was a gentleman
| and a scholar. His speeches and letters
| show that. While he was at Athens
''his spirit vas provoked within HIM, as
he beheld the city full of IDOLS" But
when, in response to the citizens invi-
tation. he spoke to them on Mars Hill,
he did not suffer the natural irritation
| of a theist against idolaters to dictate
| his words. On the contrary, re put
himself for the time in sympathy with
them, and began, as it reads in the
original:
aye men of Athens. in all things 1
perceive that We are somewhat relig-
ious."
| The apostle was as wise as he was
! courteous. His knowledge of human
nature had taught him that he who
would convince a man should begin by
finding some ground, common to both,
on which they could stand. His sense
of the fitness of things, that is, his
courtesy, forbade him to begin ar argu-
ment by denouncing the faith and wor-
ship of the man he would lead to a
! higher life. He is anxious to win him
for a friend, therefore he will not make
him an antagonist.
In reading an English magazine, we
met with an anecdote about a mission
airy in India, who seems to have been
pervades the 'ns ap posis;e'' address sad[re sn'e at
Athens. The anecdote is given in an
English Judges account Of a converse
ton he once held with a Brahmin, the
clerk of his court. The Judge, while
travelling on an elephant with his clerk,
ventured to talk with him on religion:
Il began by asking him what he
thought of Christianity-did he know
its doctrine and had he considered it's
claimsp The ordinary reply was given:
1t is a good religion for Europeans,
Just as Hinduism is a good religion for
myself
II asked: Have you ever heard a
padre preach?' oh, yes, but l was only
once impressed by what l heard. Gen
orally the padres who come here do not
sufficiently know the language, and
speak to us through an interpreter.
How little do they imagine what the
man says! Often he Just issues short
orders. as if repeating messages from
master to his servants such as THE
padre says you must pray every NORM
ing and every evening"" 1.-THE padre
says you must not tell lies" ".But,
sahib, one day there came a very differ
ent padre. He was pale, and had a
broad black hat and u beard, and wore
q long a which came down to his
knees. and he stood in our bazaar and
spoke to us in our own language. Ishall
never forget what he preached. He
began: Il was yesterday at R.
How very different the people there are
from you! The temples Hound in good
order, and there were many doing Du-
.iaA (worship), and every one had bis re-
llglous marks on his forehead, and
seemed to think of his god and lead a
religious life. But here! Look at the
temples they are out of repair and the
floors dirty, and the shrines neglected.
There are no worshipers, and YOU
seem to live as if there were no God and
no life but the present one. Can this be
right? l come to remind you that
there is q God, and that He requires
from you worship, and l bring you from
Him books that you may know what
you are to do to be good and happy and
have happiness in the life to come"
1--WE all wondered as he spoke to us.
He said nothing against Vishnu, or
silva, or Luchmee, or any of the gods.
and nothing against the Brahmins, but
only that we must worship God and be
good and holy men and women.
land ne went on: '.Now you who
do pray? l expect you Just kneel down
and say, Ram! Ram! RAM and 90 on
saying this and nothing more. Is that
prayingP
''.Suppose you had a poor crop.
Or a a wedding, and spent all YOU
had saved, and wanted the zemindar
Qandlord) to take off some of the rent.
would you. 60 to him and lust saw:
'babu! Babu! Babu! and nothing
else. No! you would say: .Babu?
the crop has failed,' or Babu! T
have just married nv daughter and
spent all my money! or .Babu! T am
SO heavily in debt with the money-lend.
erthat | can not Just now paw my rent.
You are rich and generous and noble.
AVE pity. on me and forgive me nv
rent this time, anil will bless vou.'
""So when you kneel to God. saw
not just Ram! Ram! RAM but tell
God of your sins. and say: oh, forgive
me- or tell Him of your wants. and
say: oh, grant me what Ineed;' or tell
hin OF your troubles, and say: oh.
help and comfort me-"
And then. looking seriously and
tear1uliy the Brahmin added: Yes.
sanib' l shall never forget that padre
lao not know his name, or where he
came from, or where he went, but
should you ever find him tell him 7
thank him. and that T no1y