The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-03

| tons. Now, away with all human phil
oSophy ut such time! What difference
| does il make to that father and mother
what disease their son died OFF He is
dead, and 1t makes no difference whether
the trouble was in the epigastric or hypo-
gastric region, II the philosopher be of
the stoical school he will come and say:
You ought TO control your feelings.
You must not cry so. You must cultivate
a cooler temperament. You must have
self-reliance, elf-government, self-control;"
an iceberg reproving a hyacinth for having
drop of dew in its eye. violnist has
his instrument, and he sweeps his fingers
across the strings, now evoking strains of
| JOY and now strains OF sadness lie can
not play all the tunes on one string The
human soul is an instrument of thousand
strings, and all sorts OF emotions were
made to play on it--now an anthem, now
dirge. II is no sign OF weakness when
| one is overcome OF sorrow. Edmund
Burke was found in the pasture-iield with
his arms around horses neck, caressing
him, and some one said: "Why, the great
man has lost his mind" 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 a good cry? David did well
when he bemoaned Sarah; Christ did well
when he wept for Lazarus, and the last
man want to see come anywhere near
worldly philosopher
Again / remark that those percons are
incompetent for the work Of comfort bear
ing who have nothing but cant to offer.
There are those who have the idea that
you must groan over the distr essed and
afflicted. There are times in grief when
one cheerful face dawning upon mans
soul is worth $1,000 20 him. DO not
whine over the afflicted. Take the prom
Uses of the gospel, and utter them in n
manly tone. Do not be afraid to smile IL
you feel like IL. DO not drive any more
hearses through that poor soul. DO not
tell him the trouble was forcordained it
will not be any comfort TO know il was a
million years coming. II you you want TO
| find splints for broken bone DO not take
cast iron. DO not tell them n is Gods
| justice that weighs our grief. They want
now to hear OF Gods tender mercy. In
other words, do not give them acqua-
FORTS when they need yalerian.
Again | remark, that those persons are
poor comforters who have never had any
| trouble themselves. A larkspur cannot
lecture on the nature OF n snowflake. IL
never saw a snowflake; and those people
who have always lived in the summer OF
prosperity cannot talk TO those who are
! frozen in disaster. God keeps aged people
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 soothcs. II
there are men and women here who have
old people in the house, or near at hand
30 that they can easily reach them, ! con-
| gratulatc 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 90 and tell them. Perhaps they
could not say much, but IL would have been
such comfort 90 have them around.
These aged ones whohayc been all through
the trials Of life know how TO give condo
lencc. Cherish them; let them lean on
your arm-these aged people. H. when
| you speak 10 them, they cannot hear Just
what you say the iirst time, and YOU have
10 say IL a second time, when you say IL
the second time, do not say IL sharply. II
| YOU do, you will bo sorry for IL ON the day
when you take the last look and brush
| back the silycry locks from the wrnkled
brow Just before they screw the lid on.
Blessed be God for the old peoplel They
may not have too much strength 10 20
around, but they are Gods appointed min
istcrs OF comfort to broken heart.
People who have not had trial them
selves cannot give comfort to others. They
may talk very beautifully, aud they may
| give you n great deal Of poetic sentiment;
but while poetry is perfume that smells
sweet, Il makes a very poor sllye. II you
have a grave in your pathway, and some
body comes and covers II all over with
flowers, Il Is grave yet Those who have
not had grief themselves know not the
mystery OF broken heart. They know
not the meaning Of childlcssncss, and the
having no one 20 put 10 bed nj night or
the standing In room where every book
and picture and door - full Of memories
the door mat whore she sat, the cup ont
Of which she drank the place where she
stood at the door and clappcd her hands
the old figures that she sctibled-tho
| blocks she built into house. All, no,
you must have trouble yourself before you
/ tAl NNlllNiA hNNUlN W. HlW'IHs buA tNlllf
al ye who have been bcrcit aud yc who
have been comiorted in your sorrows. and
stand around these afflicted souls, aud say
10 them, 81 had that very sorrow myself.
God comiorted me, and he will comfort
YOU" and that will 30 right TO the spot.
In other words, 10 comfort Others We must
have faith In God, practical experience,
and good, sound common sense.
But there are tire, " four consideru-
tons that / will bfng this morning 10
those who are sorrowfll and distressed,
aud that We can always bring 10 them,
knowing that they will effect n cure. And
tho first consideration h. that God sends
our troubles In love. | often hear people
In their troubles say, "Why, | wonder
what God has against me-" They seem
90 think God has some grudge against
them because trouble aud misfortune have
come oh, no. DO You not remember
that passage Of scripture, "Whom the
lord loyeth he chnsienthy' A child
comes wiih a very bad splinter Ia h. hand,
aud you try 90 extract H. II n very
painful operation. The child draws back
from you, but YOU persist You ARE going
10 take that splinter out, No YOU take the
child with n gentle but firm grasp for
although there may be- pain In H. the
splinter must come out And Il IL love
that dictates II, and makes YOU persist
My friends, ] really think that oil our
sorows In this world arr only the hand oi
our Father extracting some thorn. II
all these sorrOws were sent 10y cne-