The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-05-07
Murmurine.

4uC EOOu ana the D8Q are mlnHteQ IN
human life in proportions which ne but
lmperfectly measure. It is our igno-
rance which lays the foundation for the
optimism which makes evil the insight
hcant thing, and for the pessimism
which defes the world to show rs any
good. What shall the prudent man do
when the discouragements Of life press
on his attention and seem to be the sum
Of life? In religion, his refuge is faith
in earthly relations, he may brace his
heart by looking steadfastly at things
which are always true. It does not do
to let 20 our cables and anchors of con-
yietion. Some things have TO be settled
early in life and left settled to the end.
Among these Is the moral order Of the
world and the necessity of conforming
to.it. Another Is that each of us win
get, OF fail to get, the good of life ac-
cording to our conduct; that each of US
shall eat of the fruits of his own doings.
A large measure of human unhappiness
is directly traeeable to a habit of look
ing to things outside Of US as the causes
of our failures. A boy, trembling I'M
eyes and whimpers.: 81 want to do well;
but everything is against me-" The
teacher smiles; it is such a common
fallaeyl But the teacher replies: "On
the contrary, everything is in your
favor except only yourself" That is
the substance of what God says to all
human consciences. When a proper
cOntrition comes to US we echo that
voice: at Is my fault; l deserve it
all"
In the education of children we are
properly solicitous for their earthly
happiness, but we are apt to go the
wrong way about it. The best prepare
ton for happy life, the best human
culture for happiness, is that which fixes
in the young mind a habit of attribut-
ing failure to its own Incidence, neglect,
bad judgment or wilfullness. The OPP
posite habit easily grows fixed. A sin
full soul instinetiyely says: "The
woman whom thou gavest to be with me
gave me of the tree" Somebody else,
not ]" 1t was the stone, not our stumb-
ling. 1t was the snake, not our unshod
foot. 1t was the rain-storm, not the
holes in the roef- The season was bad,
| not I'VE failed to adjust ourselves to the
season" 1t is some thing outside, not
something inside, that we think of in
the day Of failure. To get rid of that
| habit is to go far on the road to happi-
ness; for the habit aecustoms us to
thinking and uttering lies, and leaves all
our faults ito grow and go on undoing
US. When we say that the fault is out
side of us, we may take little momen-
tary ease in the thought; but it can not
bring us any real happiness to believe
| that we are inevitably victims of fate,
or nature, or man, or God. It is dreary
consolation at best. On the.other hand,
il we feel that the fault is ours, we shall
know the keen pain of conscience, but
we shall also know the Joy of resolving
to be and to do better in future. 81
stumbled over the stone; I will be more
careful about my walking. 1t is not
Gods business nor my neighbours bust
ness to keep the stones out of the way
it is mine to avoid them. The fall has
hurt me a little, the shame of it has
hurt me more; but will look out sharp
| ly for such stones hereafter.
F How many homes there are in which
incessant murmuring at man or Prov
| dence gives the children a false view of
| life! What worse instruction can there
be for child? Nature in him repudi-
ates his responsibility and now paren-
tai teaching conspires with the inward
/ moral disorder to cast away the restraint
of duty. The atmosphere reeks with a
pollution which the child can not escape.
He is taught, ceremonially, not to lie,
steal and kill; but he is practically
taught to distrust the safety of true
/ i Aofsox,1 4Iok ho1 md low lie
reign on earth. Catechism is powerless
in such an environment. The childs
heart is corrupted by those who love it
corrupted unintentionally, but not the
less effectually. Happy the child who
gets firm hold on the royal belief that
| the decisive power over his life is with
/ in himselfl Better exaggerate here
than diminish one hairs breadth the
sense of personal responsibility. The
curse of life is Adams poltroonish an
swer to the Almighty: 'sThe woman
gave me-the woman whom Thou gavest
to be with me-" That cowardly plea in
one form or another forever goes up to
Heaven. 1t is our neighbor, our en-
vironment, the lot God has appointed
us. This everlasting murmuring para
Yves our hands, and hardens our hearts
but its worst evil is that it defiles our
children. From their fathers and
mothers they catch the murmurings and
unmanly spirit, and are half undone be-
fore they begin their own lives. These
words of ours will be read in many
households where there has been too
much complaining. Into such homes
we long to carry a better spirit. Dear
souls, what good does it do You to muir
mur7 Do you not proclaim that you
are growing more gloomy and less use
full Above all, do you not fear that
the poison of a concealed atheism may
drip off your bitter tongues into the
ears of your children? Is another more
prosperous than you? What good do
You get from the comparison, and what
evil may the children not get from
thinking that the evil of which you
accuse your neighbor is the way to pros.
perityY 1t is not true, that atheism OF
ours. When the bad mans grain is bet
| ter than yours, it is because he has bet
ter obeyed the agricultural statute-book
of the Lord? for God is altogether fair
and lust in the fields-and the instance
covers a large breadth of life. Teach
lsyour children to believe in the power
andsrewafd of honest industry and trust
full faith in God.--N w. Christian Adj
vocate.