Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-09-14

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 anything for good cry?
David did we'll when he mourned for
Absalom, Abraham did we'll when he
bemoaned Sarah, Christ did we'll when
He wept for Lazarus; and the last man I
want to see come anywhere near me
when have any kind of trouble is
worldly philosopher.
Again 1 remark, that those persons are
incompetent for the work Of comfort
bearing who have nothing but can't to
offer. There are those who have the
idea that you must groan over the dis
tressed and afflicted. There are times in
grief when one cheerful face dawning
upon mans soul is worth thousand
dollars to him. Do not whine over the
afflicted. Take the promises of the Cos
pei, and utter them in manly tone. Do
not be afraid to smile if you feel like it.
that poor soul. Do not tell him the
trouble was foreordained; it will not be
any comfort to know it was a million
years coming. If you want to find splints
for broken bone do not take cast-iron.
Do not tell them it 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 when
they need valerian.
Again remark that those persons are
poor comforters who have never had any
trouble themselves. A larkspur cannot
lecture on the nature of o snowhake-it
never saw q snowflake; and those people
who have always lived in the summer of
nm ~ of koiL IN <boco ho oro
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 women
here who have old people in the house,
or near at hand so they can easily reach
them, I 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 o
comfort to have them around. These
aged ones who have been all through
the trials of life know how to give con-
on your arm-these aged people. If,
when you speak to them, they cannot
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 60 around, but they
are Gods appointed ministers of COM
fort to broken heart.
People who have not had trials them
selves cannot give comfort to others.
They may talk very beautifully, and
they may give you great deal of poetic
that smells sweet, it makes a very poor
salve. If you have grave in your path
way, and somebody comes and covers ii
all over with flowers, it is grave yet
Those who have not had grief them
selves know not the mystery of broken
heart. They know not the meaning OF
childlessness, and the having of 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 docr-ma,
where she sat, the cup out of which she
drank-the place where she stood at the
door and clapped her hands-the ode
figures that she scribbled-the blocks
she built into house. All, no, yor
must have trouble yourself before yor
can comfort trouble in others. But
come all We who have been bereft and "
who have been comforted in your sor-
! rows, and stand around these afflicted
j souls, and say to them, 4 had that very
: sorrow myself. God comforted me, and
He will comfort you;" and that will sc
right to the spot. In other words, tc
+ comfort others, we must have faith il
; God, practical experience, and good
sound common sense.
, But there are three or four considera
I lions that will bring this morning t.
, those who are sorrowful and distressed
and that we can always bring to them
t l.uowing that they will effect cure
And the first consideration is that Coz
3 sends our troubles in love. often hea
5 people in their troubles say, why,
wonder what God has against me!
e They seem to think God has some grudg
e against them because trouble and mis-
: not remember that passage of Scripture
;. Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth?
s A child comes in with very bad spin
e ter in its hand and you try to extract il
s 1t is very painful operation. The chill
: draws back from you, but you persist
e You are going to take that splinter out
:. SO you take the child with gentle bu
t firm grasp, for, although there may b
: pain in it, the splinter must come out
t And it is love that dictates it, and make
t you persist. My friends, I really thin
n that nearly all our sorrows in this worl
/, are only the hand of our Father extract
!: ing some thorn. If all these sorrow
e were sent by enemies, would say, arl
v yourself against them; and, as in tropi
!, cal chimes, when o tiger comes dow
IS from the mountains and carries off
e child from the village, the neighbo1
u band together and go into the forest an
& hunt the monster, SO I would have yo,
f if thought these misfortunes were ser
e by an enemy, go out and battle agains
n them. But no; they come from Fathe
), so kind. SO loving, SO gentle, that til
e prophet, speaking ofHis tenderness an
) mercy, drops the idea of a father, an
: says, LAS one whom his mother con
o forteth, SO will comfort you"
J. Again remark, there is comfort in til
is though that God, by all this process,
e going to make you useful. Do 20
!" know that those who accomplish th
= most for God and Heaven have all bee
NJ under the harrow? Show me a man tn.