Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-08-29

~ In this city, today discoursed on a power
which, il IL had been used ms extensively rs
Christ intended il to be used, would have
saved The church and the world from in
finite discor3 and slrrcw--the power Of
kindness. His text Was. "a soft tongue
broaketh the bone prov. ky, 49, Fol
lowing il the surmon
When Solomon said this he drove a
whole volume iu0o one phrase. You, Of
course, win not be 50 silly ~ to take the
words Of the text in a literal sense. They
simply meen to set forth the fact that there
is a tremendous power in kind word.
Although it may seem to be very insignid-
can't. III, force is indescribable and illimit-
able. Pungent and all conquering utter
ance: "a soft tongue breaketh the bone"
THE USES OF KINDNESS.
If the weother were not go hot and | had
time | would show you kindness as a means
of defense; kindness - a means of useful
ness; Kindness as q means of domestic har-
monr; kindness a. best employed 10y gov
ernmcns for the tanning and curing of
criminals, and kindness ~ best adapted
for the settling and adjusting Of inter
national QtlaFrois; but ! shall call your at
tentiou only 10 two OF these thoughts
And ilist / speak to vou of kindness as
mean, Of defense. Almost every man in
IIt GDNIHt Oh Ills lllt is SNt ulIOu iiliNl 'S-
raulted Xour motives are msinterpreted,
or lots religious or political principles are
bombarded. What to do under such cir
cumstauceg is the question. The first i'm
pulse of the natural heart Baysi Strike
back Give rs much rs ho sent Trip him
into the ditch which he dug tor your feet,
Cash him with as severe 4 wound as that
which he indicted on your soul. Shot for
shot. SarclSm for sarcasm. An eve for
an eye. A tooth for a tooth" But the
better spirit in the mans soul rises up and
eays, "Gou ought TO reconsider that mat
ter." You look up into the face of Christ
and say, "My Master, how ought / TO act
under these difficult circumstances" And
Christ instantly answers, Bless them that
curse you, and pray for them which de
spitefully use you
Then the old nature rises up again and
sars! you had better not forgive him I'm
Gil FIRST you have chastis4d him. You will
never get him in SO light a corner again
You will nev II have such an opportunity
Of in1ictiuc the right kind OF punishment
upon him again. First chastise him and
then let him 60" NO" says the better
nature; hush. thou foul heart. Try the
soft tongue that breaEeth the bone. F"
Have you ever in all your life known
occrbity aud acrimonious dispute to settle
a quarrcl2 Did they not always make
matters worse and worse and worse?
HOW a GREAT CHURCu QUARREL WAS SET
TIED.
Many years ago there was a great quarrel
In the PRESBYTERIAN family. Ministers Of
Christ were thought orthodox in proper
ton as they lad measured lances with
other clercymen of the same denomina-
tion. The most outrageous personalities
were ahroad. As in the autumn hunter
comes home with string Of game, part
ridges and wild ducks slunc over his
shoulder. SO there were many ministers
who came back from the ecclesiastical
c3uroS with long strings Of doctors Of di-
vinitv whom they had shot with their
own rifle. The division became wider. the
luminosity greater. until after q while some
good men resolved upon another tack.
They began to explain away the dbl
culties: thew began to forgive each oth.r's
faults. and 10, the great church quarrel
was settled. and the new school prc.by-
teriau church and the old school presbv-