The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-08-24
SUNDAY. AUGUST "a, 1890.
GOOD WORKS.

There's naugh, so vile that on the earth do'h
hut TO he earth some special good doth
Nor ansS Si so fair but strained from its fair
Rcvo,'s from true birth, stumbling on abuse.
X,rtue Itself turDs vice being missppled'
A vice sometl mes by actions dlgniiieu' .
And so it is over and over again ns
honest pluck we make the worst things use
fol. and our mere defects prove our CON-
modities. And we misuse the best things
and they become whips 10 scourge US
Even in this matter Of good works there i
nlenty Of misunderstanding and plenty o'
misdoinc. We have nothing 20 do with the
theology Of the thing; but we do know tha'
,hera are roany works that pass for good
that haven't any goodness about them' Anu
there are many works that are mol ciasseu
as good" that are yet the best III inc
world. The good deeds that make up the
catalogue are, feeding the hungry; cloth
ing the naked: visiting the sick ana I'M
prjsoned. and caring for the stranger 10
these other familiar duties have been added
And vet every one Of these may be done
after a style that makes them anything Dut
nrc,,v or acceptable. The orthodox
way of giving is-not as cohue-
,cension. and not Of the pile Whicn
our might and smartness have accumu-
lated: but modestly, thoughtluliy' kindly
from generous impulse, as out OF the uh-
deserved bounty Of heaven bestowed on US
ON the other hand gift may come near TO
be an insult. 1t may manifest only 'he
stinginess Of the giyer and his want Of re-
spect or affection for the object. IL may DC
So coarse and cold as almost TO choke the
starving or freeze the naked. Nisitations
Of the sick may be so formal, periunctory
and dutiful as 10 he not only bore, but de-
pressing and unwhOlesOme. Jobs COM
forters are still about, and more than
enough of them are Wiling 10
prove 10 their victims that he
is getting only what he desires. Ana So
all good works may be spoiled and turned
10 ofienses by THE way they are done
and the way man does thing shows
whether he is a gentleman or a brute, a
Kind man or a hypocrite.
1.-The hearts aye. the parts aye thatmahes
us right or wrong" And a. it was said Of
the foet. Nil tetigit quod non osnavlt,
she touched nothing that he did not grace
80 j, is Of the true and kind man; his
leas, and greatest deeds bespeak
their authorship. and manifest the
flavor, and sweetness of his heart
and shed better perfume. lie may have
done directly no one Of the good works '
named. His life may have been single.
His duties NAV have confined him to a dry
monotonous drudgery. and he may be ut
terly disabled from giving or helping. ac-
cording to the general course. He may be
a labOrious professional man or statesman,
and poor at that. or an unknown plodder.
And vet if just, kind heart burns
within MIN, if devotion TO JUS
tice and duty control him, and
humanity and the love Of God inspire
him, he may be only known as the merest
drudge, and yet all his works De warm
with the purest, kindliest motives, gloriiied
by the nOblest self-sacriice sustained by
heroic courage, and his life through and
through be most honorable. lie may be
counted almost dead-beat and n0nentity,
and yet he may have filled the requirement of
beaven-to do justice, love mercy and walk
humbly with God. The highest heroism
that any man can accomplish, and the best
good works he can perform Is to be faithful
and to do his duty in that state OF life and
in that place in which the Almighty is
pleased to place him, to let his light so
shine before men as to glorify the author of
his being, whether it be in keeping sheep
or ruling kingdom.