The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1886-01-07

We turn again, for the moment, to the
history of Jacob, with all its varied eX-
periences. He had seen his favorite son
disappear, his brothers having sold him
into bondage, but had no idea of the
righteous plan that rested beneath the
seemingly heartless conduct of the broth
ers. But now we have come down to the
time when Joseph, as the benefactor of
Canaan made himself known to his peo-
pie. Jacob had possibly forgotten his
own somewhat doubtful experiences in
his younger days, and felt that he would
like to see and bless his son Joseph be-
fore being gathered to his fathers. Hence
he went down to Egypt, and met Joseph
who was clothed with great power. In
giving to his sons his blessing, he dwelt
upon the peculiarities surrounding and
characterizing the life of each, and of
Joseph he used the language quoted
above. Truly, Joseph had been shot at
by the archers. A goodly share of perse-
cution had been his, but he bore it all
and triumphed grandly, nobly.
1t has frequently been spoken, in the
way of consolation, that whom the Lord
loveth he chasteneth." Whether this be
so or not, it is certainly true that some of
the most thoroughly abused of Gods
child1-n have the greatest victories. 1t
is no~uncommon thing in this day, for
men to be pressed by the archers, and
shot at. Not infrequently, good man is
assailed and annoyed, but not injured by
the archers, mostly of that kind who
shoot the shafts of envy. And the more
quiet and unobtrusive the victim, the
more persistent and ungenerous the at
tack. Joseph is not the only man of his
tory who came up through tribulation to
the glory of greatness. For his sorrow
was as nothing compared with the bitter
experiences of thousands of men of these
times. The misfortune of being shot at
appears in different lights to different
men. Along back the dreary waste of
years-many of them already disappear
ing from view-we behold the picture of
young bride at the altar. Looking out
upon the uncertain sea of the future,
there seems to be not slightest ripple up
on the smooth surface; all so clear and
! beautiful Thus start all our lives. But
| d llGUl6 hGdIcI Ill UuC OcbOlI5
years, we may behold that same life, a
dim outline, scarcely discernible through
the flying missiles of the archer. A lit
tie speck has appeared upon the domestic
horizon-not so big, it may be. as mans
hand-but which rapidly grows and de-
velops into full-grown, deadly archer,
seeking to destroy the vitality of the so
cial and domestic life.
A young man starts in life with the
greatest promise Of success and fame
the archer attempts to c,lt him down ere
: : .y;at he is fairly started upon his way.
The fair character of lady, the helpless
innocence of irIancy, the effort of honest
poverty, all are made subjects OF attack
by the worlds archers. And the world
at last is sure to find it out, like Jacob,
and sigh over the fact that Gods Great
ures have been sore pressed by the arch
ers, and shot at.
Our great misfortune with regard to
the archers of history, is the fact that
generally they seem to strike the wrong
man. In fact the man who feels that he
is especially deserving of a thrust from
the arrows of popular Indignation, will
ever be the first to start in the archery
business 1t has not been an infrequent
spectacle to see professedly faultless men
SO richly deserving of punishment that
they seemed to be constantly lodging the
avenging shafts. Joseph repaid his
brothers treachery with merciful provis-
ion for their wants. In our day, we
would rather provide for the wants than
the needs of some of our fellow creatures.
They may want many things, when in
reality they need but vigorous punish
ment for their misdeeds. When the good
old deacon stood up in the public congre-
cation, with his high stand-up collar,
swallow-tailed coat, and other articles of
dress to match, the titterings of the boys
and girls were so many shafts shot at
him-for he thought he was looking pref
ty and singing well. The spinster who
wears an old-fashioned bonnet, and in
the hurry in making ready for going out
in public, chances to get that old bonnet
on wrong side foremost, must necessarily
at least it seems so-provoke mlrth
from those younger and more stylish
than herself. But in the great day when
the greatest ofcritics shall pass upon the
styles of men and women, the deacon and
the spinster may shine in grotesque glo-
ry, while some of the more pretensious
ones fail to see the fineness of earthly
beauty for the outer darkness. The aim
of the thoughtless archers will be OBJ
scured, and the sight dimmed.
There lived man who followed the
teachings of the Golden Rule as near as
it was possible for him to do so. Unto
all men he accorded courteous treatment,
and was ever willing to support any
measure for the public good. Yet there
arose against him two or three poor,
weak, witless creatures, who assumed the
burden of breaking down the good man.
These efforts were distressing to the dis
interested observer. They were tireless
and active. But after a fruitless on
slaught of many months, they discovered
that their weapons were defective, or
rather, Ineffective. They had fired the
shafts of envy. conceit, treachery, mean
ness, knavery, idiocy-but they lacked
that vital and fatal shaft fired by brains.
or common sense. They prosecuted their
supposed victim until the light finally
dawned upon them that their efforts were
misdirected. After many days they
went off into a nice, quiet, obscure re-
treat, and began to kick themselves yig
orously-and then reason and intelligence
began to assert themselves, and Justice
began to smile. The trouble all arose
from these miserable creatures overesti-
mating their own ability. The fellows
who essay to fire such shafts are like one