Daily Yellowstone journal., 1888-09-09

expected. The laws of nature must have
their way;" and then they get eloquent
over something they have seen in post
mortem examinations. Now, away
with all human philosophy at such a
time! What difference does it make to
that father and mother what disease
their son died of He is dead, and it
makes no difference whether the trouble
was in the epigastric or hyDogastric re-
gion. II the philosopher be Of the sto-
ical 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, self government, self con-
troll" an iceberg reproving hyacinth
for having drop Of dew in its eye. A
yiolinist has his instrument, and he
sweeps his fingers across the strings, now
evoking strains of joy, and now
strains Of sadness. He can not
play all the tunes on one string.
The human soul is an instrument Of a
thousand strings, and all sorts of emotions
were made 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 a
horses neck, caressing him, and some
one said, "Why, the great man has lost
his mindH' 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 over
come 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 q
good cryl David did well when he
mourned for Absalom, Abraham did well
when he benoaned Sarah, Christ did well
when he wept for Lazarus; and the last
man want to see come anywhere near
me when / have any kind Of trouble is a
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 a
mans soul is worth thousand dollars to
him. Do not whine over the afflicted.
Take the promises of the Gospel, and
utter them in 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 foreordained; it will not be any CON-
fort to know 1t was million years COM
ing. If you want to find splints for a
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. Alarkspur cannot
lecture on the nature Of snowhake-it
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 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. II there are men and women
here who have old people in the house,
or near at hand SO 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 il would have
been such a comfort to have them around.
These 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 cannot
hear just what you say the first time, and
you have TO say il a second time, when
you say it the second time. do not say il
sharply. If you do, you will be sorry for
ii 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 peo
plel They may not have so much strength
to 60 around, but they are Gods ap
pointed ministers Of comfort 10 broker
heart.
People who have not had trial them
selves cannot give comfort 10 others
They may talk very beautifully, and
they may give you great deal of poetic
sentiment; but while poetry is perfume
that smells sweet, il makes a very pool
salve. II you have grave in your path
way, and somebody comes and covers il
all over with flowers, it Is a grave yet,
Those who have not had grief them.
selves know not the mystery Of broker
heart They know not the meaning ol
childlessness, and the having Of no ono
TO put 10 bed at night, or the standing in
room where every book and picture ant
door is full Of memories-the door ma
where she sat, the cup out Of which sh,
drank-the place where she stood at IN,
door and clapped her hands-the odd fig
ures that she scribbled-the blocks sh,
built into house. All no, you must hay,
trouble yourself before you can comfor
trouble in others. But come all We VIII,
have been bereft and ye who have beer
comforted In your sorrows, and stang
around these afflicted souls and say y
them, IL had that very sorrow myself
God comforted me, and he viii comfort
you;' and that will 20 right 10 the spot