Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-03-15
C4EgRFULNESS.
WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS UNDER ALI
CIRCUMSTANCES.
as it is to be Honest or
Virtuous.


yirtuous.
The following address, delivered by W.
S. Hoskinson, of the First English Luth-
eran Church, at Pioneer Hall on Sunday
last will be found of interest;
''Be of good cheer"-Aets xvii 25.
This language was spoken by Paul to the
seamen of The little craft which was carry
| ing himself, as prisoner, TO Rome. The
ship was tossed about by the waves of the
Mediterranean as cat would toss a mouse,
and liable to be torn in twain at any mo-
ment. Then this strange prisoner stood
up in the midst of these hardy trembling
sailors and said, BE Of good cheer
But Paul himself is using the language
of another II was the night after the ex-
citing scene in the presence of the high
! priest Ananias, the person who COM
manded his men to smite Paul on the
| mouth for his bold language. God shall
smite thee, thou whited WALL was the an
swer which Paul gave TO this harsh treat
ment. Then Paul continued his defense,
and, by preaching the resurrection of the
dead, caused division among the Phari-
sees and Sadducees present, which nearly
amounted to riot, and Paul was likely to
be torn to pieces in the contest. Soldiers
had to be ordered up, and these, rescuing
Paul, rushed MIN off to the prison. 1t was
an awful experience, such as causes the
spirit of a man to droop. but such testi-
mony can never be lost. There had been
heavenly witnesses to the whole scene, as
there always are, and 'the night following
the Lord stood by him and said Be OF
good cheer, Paul, for as thou hast testi-
he'd OF me IN Jerusalem. so must thou
bear witness in Rome also.'
Some speak OF the religion which we
profess as gloomy, and say we have no
evidence that our leader was ever known
to laugh. The latter may be true, but this
does not of necessity make our religion
gloomy. Jesus was cheerful and tbs is
better than hilarity. Laughter would not
have brought the comfort to Paul this
night in prison that these words Of cheer
gave.
Then at another time Jesus was coming
into his own town, Capernaum, when
there confronted him man terribly
afflicted with the palsy. Here again those
words were spoken, ''sweeter than honey |
and the honeycomb," to this helpless, |
suffering man; Son, be of good cheer"
At another time a storm was raging on |
the sea of Galilee while the Master was off |
on the mountain alone in prayer A little |
fishing boat, carrying the disciples, was
struggling with the waves. 1t was fearful |
night, but during the storm the disciples |
saw form approaching, walking on the |
sea. This terrified them even more than |
the storm, but over the winds and the |
waves a voice was heard which stilled the |
tempest without and the trembling hearts |
within the little ship. Again it was the |
voice of Jesus: Be of good cheer
Just before the scenes of Calvary Jesus |
delivered most remarkable address to the |
disciples. He knew that soon all these |
would be like ships adrift at sea, without |
mast or compass or steerage or Captain. |
They would be recalled every man TO his |
own" Troubles, prosecutions, storms and |
tempests await them and none knew this |
SO well as Jesus. Many of them would |
have to suffer death for his sake. But in |
the face Of it all Jesus uttered these words |
which have been the strength of his peo- |
pie in all these centuries: In the world |
We shall have tribulations, but be of good |
cheer
care not whether the voice of Jesus was
ever heard in uproarious laughter. Give |
me the bright perpetual sunshine which |
we can get from his cheerfulness. This |
brings life and Joy and perpetual calm
lust what the world needs at all times and |
under all circumstances.
And now we want to make the assertion |
that it is just as much mans duty to be |
happy, as happy as his circumstances will |
allow, as it is to be honest and virtuous !
Making the best of whatever comes IN life !
is planning the plank in the proper way of |
the grain. Go about in this world saying |
and feeling that luck is against you, and |
you will be planning against the grain all |
the time. Just keep saying little while |
that luck is against you, and soon every |
body will believe it and help to make it So |
This is the kind of talk that does not need |
much advertising-it floats freely. No
man or woman should be scruple's |
weight less happy than his circumstances !
will permit. 1t shows weak mind or a !
want of faith in men and things and God |
or disposition which needs education.
Throughout the world the cheerful man
is the useful man. He sees that there is |
enough of misery without any addition |
from him bat that misery is not the rule |
of life. He sees that people may be cheer |
full in every condition; "the lambs skip !
the birds fly joyously, puppies play, kit
tens are full of joyance, the whole air is full |
of careering and rejoicing insects-tbat |
everywhere the good oUtbalances the bad |
and that every evil there is has its oompen- |
sating balm"
These cheerful souls are not soon for. |
gotten. They live long in memory. We |
remember Joy more readily than sorrow, |
and always look back gratefully upon the |
brave and the cheerful.
Doing nothing sitting at home in idle |
ness, will bring gloom to man; but work, |
honest toll, will cause the sun to shine. 1t |
is the reaction which comes over man |
from a sense of duty done. Thus
each day finds some task begun,
Each evening brings its close;
Something attempted something done,
Has earned nights repose."
Here is a prescription which banishes ali !
care and discomfort and leaves the mind to |
perpetual calm and cheerfulness.
THIS Is BETTER THAN MIRTH.
Leyity is not cheerfulness. The man |
most given to mirth is often stranger to |
eheerfulness The former is an act, the |
latter is habit. Mirth is short and tran
sient. Cheerfulness is fixed and perma- |
nent. Those are often raised to the high |
est transports of mirth who are subject to |
the greatest depressions of melancholy" |
Cheerfulness may not give US such ex-
quisite glsdness, but it prevents US from |
falling into any depths of sorrow. Addi- |
son says: "AIirth is like flash of light |
ming, that breaks through agloom of clouds |
and glitters for a moment; cheerfulness |
keeps up a kind of daylight in the mind |
and fills it with a steady and perpetual |
calm See how the ivy climbs and covers |
old castles and temples with its splendid |
robe making what was unsightly to appear |
beautiful and green; so we have ofttimes |
seen patience and cheerfulRess adorning the |