The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1888-10-04

and all sorts Of emotions were m ade to
play on it-now an anthem, now dirge.
1t is no evidence of weakness when one
is overcome of sorrow.
Edmund Burke was found in the pasture
field with his arms around horses neck,
caressing him, and some one said:
"Why, the great man has lost his
mindw No; that horse belonged to his
son, who had recently died. and his great
heart broke over the grief. 1t is no sign
of weakness that men are overcome of
their sorrows. Thank God for the relief
OF tears. Have you never been in trouble
when you could not weep, and you would
have given any thing for good cry?
David did we'll when he mourned for
Absalom; Abraham did we'll when he be-
moaned Sarah; Christ did well when He
wept for Lazarus, and the last man 1
want to see come anywhere near me when
I have any kind of trouble is worldly
philosopher.
Again remark, that those persons are
incompetent for the work of comfort
bearing who have nothing but cant to
offer. There are those who have the idea
that you must groan over the distressed
and afflicted. There are times in grief
when one cheerful face dawning upon
mans soul is worth one thousand dollars
to him. Do not whine over the afflicted.
Take the promises of the Gospel, and ut
ter them in a manly tone Do not be
afraid to smile If you feel like it. Do not
drive any more hearses through that poor
soul. Do not tell him the trouble was
fore-ordained; 1t will not be any comfort
to know it was one million years coming.
If you want to find splints for broken
bone, do not take cast iron. Do not tell
them 1t is Gods justice that weighs out
grief. They want now to hear of Gods
tender mercy. In other words, do not
give them aqua FORTS W hen they need
valerian.
Again remark that those pers ons are
poor comforters who have never ha any
trouble themselves. A larkspur can not
lecture on the nature of snowfake-it
never saw snowflake; and those people
who have always lived in the summer of
prosperity can not talk to those who are
frozen in disaster. God keeps aged peo-
pie in the world, think. for this very
work Of sympathy. They have been
through all these trials. They know all
that which irritates and all that which
soothes. If there are men and WON en-
here who have old people in their house,
or near at hand SO that they can easily
reach them. congratulate them. Some
Of us have had trials in life, and although
we have had many friends around about
us, we have wished that father and
mother were still alive that we might go
and tell them. Perhaps they could not
say much, but it would have been such a
comfort to have them around. The aged
ones who have been all through the trials
of life know how to give coincidence.
Cherish them; let them lean on your arm
these aged people. If, when you speak
TO them, they can not hear just what you
say the first time, and you have to say it
| second time, when you say it the second
time, do not say it sharply. If you do.
you will be sorry for it on the day when
you take the last look and brush back the
silvery locks from the wrinkled brow just
before they screw the lid on. Blessed be
God for the old people! They may not
| have so much strength to go around, but
| they are Gods appointed ministers of
| comfort to a broken heart
| People who have not Lad trials them
| selves can not give comfort to others.
They may talk very beautifully, and they
may give you great deal of poetic senti-
ment, but while poetry is perfume that
smells sweet, 1t makes very poor salve.
Ii you have grave in your pathway, and
| some body comes and covers it all over
with flowers, it Is a grave yet. Those
who have not had grief themselves know
not the mystery of broken heart. They
know not the meaning of childlessness,
i and the having no one to put to bed at
night, or the standing in room where
every book and picture and door is full
/ OF memories-the door-mat where she
| sat, the cup out of which she drank-the
place where she stood at the door and
| clapped her hands-the odd figures that
she scrubbed, the blocks she built into a
house. All, no, you must have trouble
| yourself before you can comfort trouble
in others. But come all We who have
been bereft, and ye who have been com
rorted in your sorrows, and stand around
these afflicted souls, and say to them: 81
had that very sorrow myself. God COM
forted me, and He will comfort you," and
that will go right to the spot. In other
words, to comfort others we must have
faith in God, practical experience, and
good, sound common sense.
But there are three or four considera-
tions that I will bring this morning to
those who are sorrowful and distres sed,
ana that we can always bring to them
knowing that they will effect cure. And
the first consideration is, that God sends
our trouble in love. ] often hear people
in their troubles say: "Why, wonder
what God has against mei'' They seem to
think God has some grudge against them
because trouble and misfortune have
come. Oh, no. Do you not remember
that passage of Scripture, ''Whom the
Lord loveth He chasteneth?" A child
comes in with very bad splinter In its
hand, and you try to extract 1t. 1t is a
very painful operation. The child draws
back from you, but you persist. You are
going to take that splinter out, so you
take the child with a gentle but firm
grasp; for although there may be pain in
1t, the splinter must come out. And it is
love that dictates it and makes you per
sist My friends, IrealIy think that all
our sorrows in this world are only the
hand of our Father extracting some
thorn. If all these sorrows were sent by
enemies, I would say, arm yourselves
against them; and, as in tropical chimes,
when tiger comes down Z. nsl, mount
aims and carries off CHI rom the vii
lage, the neighbors band iog tlsr and go
| into the forest and hunt tlla .,anstar CO