The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1889-03-07
Helping by Not Hindering.
TSunday School Times.

There are people who only hinder
others. Instead of Tightening their
burdens, they add to them. Instead of
being a comfort, they are g constant
trial to their friends. Instead Of giving
cheer, they give disheartenment. They
make life harder for others, rather
than easier. When such people would
heed the counsel, ''Bear ye one an
| others burdens" the first thing they
must learn to do is to help by not him
dering. If they will do this, even
though they give no positive help,
they will be of much service to those
who know them. They will at least
cease to be a burden to others, will
Fcease to impede and tax their friends.
There are great many hinderers.
There are those who are always seeing
the dark side. No matter how bright
a thing may be, they are sure to find a
| gloomy view of it. You may paint
your hope in most radiant colors, but
they will blotch it all with black
when they come to look at it. They
are always seeing difficulties in the
path, lions in the way. They do moth
ing but prophecy evil, and find out and
foretell difficulties and obstacles in the
way of others.
Such people are grievous hinderers.
They chill ardor and quench enthusi-
asm in all those whose lives they
touch. Nobody feels quite happy after
meeting them !; for they manage, even
in moments hurried greeting, to say
some cheerless word which leaves an
unpleasant impression that one cannot
shake off. You try to say some pleas
ant thing, but they spoil it by some
I. unfavorable comment. You speak of
some bright expectations, but they have
a doubt ready to darken your clear
sky with clouds. You refer to some
difficult task before you, which you
purpose to accomplish, not thinking of
failure; but your hindering friend is
prompt with suggestions that make you
feel that you are not competent to its
doing, and when you part from him
you have lost your courage and hope,
and perhaps you abandon the under
taking which you might otherwise
have achieved. .
So these people live to make life a
little harder for all whom they meet.
It is impossible to estimate the infu-
ence which they exert in retarding,
discouraging, and hindering their fel-
lows. This is a miserable and sinful use
to make Of ones power over others.
Life is hard enough, at best, for every
one and he who needlessly causes il
to be harder for any person is guilty o1
wrong to his fellow-man Instead Of
+ making life's load heavier, and the
:, spirit less brave for duty, we should
seek to tighten little every ones bur
den, and to put fresh hope and cour
, age into every ones heart. We ought
+ at least to cease to hinder.
Il We can never know what the fna.
result of discouraging influence may
f be. When the 'Israeites were on the
land Of promise, ten men came back
with disheartening story of ferc'
+ warriors and great giants, and by theil
I cowardly and unbelieving report they
o started wild panic of, terror among
the people. The end of it all was forty
q years wandering in the wilderness
, and the death there of a whole gene
ration. One diseourager may always
do immeasurable harm, turning cour
. age to fear, hope to despair, strength tx
, weakness, joyto sorrow, in many lives
!. One gloomy prophet of i'll ofttimes re
y tards the progress and hinders th'
: prosperity of a whole community.
These dishearteners will do a grea
service to those who know them, if they
o will simply cease hindering. Of course
this is only negative way of helping
, others; and if the same people woule
throw all their influence into the othe
side of the scale, becoming inspirer
+ and strengtheners of others, they woult
do incalculably more for the good o
the world. Yet even this negativ'
> helping by not hindering would prov
blessing to many lives, although NJ
positive help were thereby given.
: Another class of hinderers consist
!, of those who are unnecessarily layin,
r their burdens on others. They hav
y trained themselves into such, a condi
= ton of dependence that they cal
t scarcely take step alone. They wan
= to advise with all their friends, and ge
4 a symposium of counsel on everything
,, they do. At the first indication Q
? difficulty or trouble, they fly to som
i one for help. In cases of real trial the.
d break down altogether, and have to b
O carried through on the strong arms Q
:. unselfsh friends. They are constan
: burden to those upon whom they cal
b for sympathy and aid.
r. Of course, there are cases of rea
:. weakness which give one right t
!. lean on stronger arms, and to be helpe
d and borne along by those who are able
~ and wiser. No true father or mothe
ever blames little child for its help
less dependence, nor regards it as
hinderer of its parents in their life
y Nor does any one with right hear
. find fault with those who through dis
!, ease or misfortune are unable to toll fo
u themselves or to bear their own bul
= dens, and who must therefore depen
- on others for support. Nor, again, doe