Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-06-17
NEGLECTED LIVES.
The Great ThrOng of Needy Ones That
Wait for Helpin: Hands.

Wait for Helping Hands.
The story of the paralytic at the
Pool OF Bethesda is not at all antique,
though it comes to lis from an older
day. He WAS simply ono child of dis
appointment and pain, and broken
hopes. lying helpless in full sight of
help. incapable of reaching the mar
Vicious pool, while others, less needy
than himself, snatch the boon before
his very eyes. And there he lies through
thirty-eight Ecavy-footcd years of
disease and disappointment! Why?
Because he had no friend in the whole
world: 10 human heart really sympa-
thizeC!. with him; no soul of man really
thrilled and moved before his suffering.
Thirty-cight fricndlcss, uncared-for
years, in Il carc-fuil world. Would to
God he stood out solitary figure in
the field Of that experience! There be
many souls that stand before visions of
spicndor, and perish; many lives
blasted by vice. that might be blessed
into virtue by the warm breath of love:
characters shattered in hopeless ruin.
that the tender touch of some symp,-
the-!c hand might build again. But
the years come and go, and bad grows
worse, and yet there is 70 friend.
We gladiy throw ourselves back on
God. He Is the Friend Of the friend
less: the HELPER of the helpless Yes,
Sod is always sending His angels to
tro.;hle the pools of life. and calling his
sens 70 hcip The impO:cnt Ia. They
throng all the ways OF life-these help
less. dissatisfied, aspiring, needy ones;
neglected they wait st every pool OF
healing, and for want of a helping
hand. at the right iuncture-for want
of 4 tender: true word, when the heart
is open and the vision presant-they
faltcr and fail Souls must be helped
to God. Self-hclp is much-abuscd
term in these days OF cheek and COM
petition. \ great section of the race
have little power of sclf-help. They
may be cogmiZant of changes; of the
advantages of prompt action; they may
wisifullv watch events. but they are
constitutiona!ly incapable. One hight
aS well expect the stone to fly to the sun.
DO they not suffer from kind OF par
alysis that forbids them to move? And
is not the soul paralyzed by SIM And
who. under the guidance of the Holy
Spirit. shall be SO helpful as the man
whose soul has been made TO live by
the fountain of healing waters? Sup
pose the Bible be translated into the
ycrnacular and to fall into the hands
OF an il!itcrate person. Though Il Very
fountain OF all good. yet without as
S!Stancc it will remain sealed foun-
tain. Every true teacher must ask
Philips question: "Undcrstandctht thou
what thou readcSt?" And every SIM
cerc scholar must answer: Elbow can
J. except some man must guide me?'
Then the true teacher. Philip-like. sits
down by the dark soul. compassionate
ING lis ignorance. touching it with his
sympathy. until it wakes to life. The
only Saviour Of men is the Lord Jesus
Christ. the brother OF humanity. and
the only souls that DO not hurt. but
help. are made in the likeness of Him.
who. touched with the feeling OF our
iniirmities. said: Il have compassion
on the muit.taGn"
Alas for the rarity
OF Christian charity
1t is a very broad word. that ''char-
ity." True kindness, humanity, SYM
patty. love. 1t is very practical. stand
ing with fall heart and hands. and all
the pockets hold. before the bruised
and battered, the oppressed and out
cast. the laden and the lost, and cries,
with passion of cntreaty: wilt thou
be made wShie?" George Eliot SAYS
that Daniel Deronda had "a passion
for people that were pelted." Would
that more of our preachers and teach.
erS and members, that more of our
princes in the pulpit and forum were
animated by the same Christliness.
1t is said that Bishop Wilberforce af-
firmed 81 public meeting that she
had often heard of the milk of human
kindness. but till he had met DIR. Jacob
son he had never seen the cow"
think it was Turner who. when the
hanging committee could ind no place
for an obscure painters picture, took
down one Of his own magnificent pro.
auctions, and hung the stranger
there. in the very forefront of public
ity. That was compassion like man.
When we feel as We should. wei! dc
as we ought Out of the abundance o.
the heart the whole life speaketh AnC
Just here we find a partial solution o
the mystery of sorrow. When the life
is false. God touches the heart unit
the open door of the dark sorrow be
comes n luminous gate of life. Ant
SO to his own beloved God comes, tina
having passed through trial. they ma!
feel most tenderly for those similarl.
afflicted. This is SO true that it is salt
even OF Jesus: "In that He Himself hail