Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-09-24
THEPOWER OF KINDNESS
LESSONS FROM PAUL's RECEPTION
ON THE ISLAND OF MELITA


ings of Nature Ruled Them-Kindness
Royal Flower of Gods Goodness
BROOKLYN, Sept l3.-Brooklyn Taber-
nacle today contained many strangers on
their way home from the watering places
and foreign lands. Many of the members
absent from the city during the summer
we're in their places. The church building
aud the organ, which have been almost
continually under brush and hammer
vi, e the dedication last spring, are now
aboat completed. The sermons today were
full. of congratulation and were attended
by the usual throngs DIR. Talmage's morn.
ing sermon was on kindness" from the
rext, Acts xviii, Q: 1.-THE barbarous people
showed us no little kindness"
My text puts US on the Island of Malta
another name for Melita. This island
which has always been an important com
mercial center, belonging at different times
TO Phnnicia, to Greece, to Rome, to Ara
bia, to Spain, to France, now belongs to
England. The area of the island is about
pne hundred square miles. 1t is in the
Mediterranean sea, and of such clarity OF
atmosphere that Mount Etna, one hundred
and thirty miles away, can be distinctly
seen The island is gloriously memorable,
because the Knights of Malta for long
while ruled there, but most famous be
cause of the apostolic shipwreck.
The bestormed vessel on which Paul
sailed had "laid to" on the starboard tack
and the wind was blowing east-northeast
and the vessel drifting probably mile
and half an hour ere she struck at what
Is now called St. Paul's bay. Practical
sailors have taken up the Bible account
and decided beyond controversy the place
of the shipwreck. But the island which
has 20 rough coast is for the most part a
garden Richest fruit and profusion of
honey characterized it in Pauls time as
well as now. The finest oranges, figs and
olives grow there. When Paul and his
comrades crawled up on the beach, satur
ated with salt water and hungry from long
abstinence from food and chilled to the
bone, the islanders, though called bar
barians because they could not speak
Greek, opened their doors to the ship
wrecked unfortunates
Everything had gone to the bottom of
the Deep and the barefooted, bareheaded
apostle and ships crew were in condition
to appreciate hospitality. About twenty
five such men few seasons ago found in
the life station near Easthampton, Long
Island. They had got ashore in the night
from the sea, and not hat nor shoe had
they left. They found out, as Paul and
his fellow voyagers found out, that the sea
is the toughest of all robbers. Ny text
finds the ships crew ashore on Malta, and
around hot fire drying themselves, and
with the best provision the islanders can
offer them.
And they go into government quarters
for three days to recuperate, Publius, the
ruler, inviting them, although he had Sc
we're sickness in the house at that time
his father down with dysentery and typhoid
fever. Yea, for three months they staid
on the island watching for ship and put
ting the hospitalities of the islanders to a
severe test. But they endured the test salts
factorily and it is recorded for all the ages
of time and eternity to read and hear in
regard to the inhabitants of Malta, 1.-The
barbarous people showed us no little kind
ness"
BIBLE EXAMPLES OF KINDNESS.
Kindnessl What great word that is. II
would take a reed as long as that which
the apocalyptic angel used to measure
heaven to tell the length, the breadth, the
height of that munificent word. 1t is 8
favorite Bible word, and it is early launched
In the book of Genesis, caught up In the
book of Joshua, embraced in the book OF
Ruth, sworn by in the book of Samuel
crowned in the book of Psalms, and en-
throned in many places in the New Testa
ment Kindnessl A word no more gentle
than mighty. | expect it will wrestle nt
down before get through with 1t. 1t ii
strong enough to throw an archangel. Bu
1t will be we'll for us to stand around it
and warm ourselves by its glow as Pau
and his fellow voyagers stood around tht
fire on the Island of Malta, where the Nal
tese made themselves immortal in my tex
by the way they treated these victims of tn
sea. "The barbarous people showed us nj
little kindness"
Kindnessl All definitions of that multi
potent word break down half way. Yo'
say 1t is clemency. benignity, generosity; |
IL made up Of good wishes, 1t Is an expires
sion of benefcence, it Is contribution t.
the happiness Of others. Some one els
says "Why, can give you definition o
kindness: 1t Is sunshine of the soul, 1t |
affection perennial, it is a crowning grace
1t is the combination of all graces, 1t l
compassion, it is the perfection of gentl
manliness and womanliness." Are yoV
all through You have made dead fall
ure in your definition. It cannot be de
fined. But we all know what 1t Is, for W
all felt its power. Some Of you may hav
felt 1t as Paul felt it, on some coast O
rock as the ship went to pieces, but NOR
of us have again and again in some awfu
stress of life had either from earth 0
heaven hands stretched out, whicl
Showed us no little kindness"
There is kindness of disposition, kinC
ness of word, kindness of act, and there i
Jesus Christ, the impersonation of all c
them. Kindnessl You cannot affect Il
you cannot play it as part, you cannC
enact it, you cannot dramatize It, By tn
grace of God you must have it inside yor
an everlasting summer, or rather con
bination of June and October, the genial
ty of the one and the tonic of the Other
It cannot dwell with arrogance or spite o
revenge or malevolence At its first al
pearance in the soul all these Amalekite
and Gergishites and Hittites and Jebusite
must quit, and quit forever.
Kindness wishes everybody we'll, ever
man we'll, every woman well, every chill
we'll, every bird well, every horse vel
every dog we'll, every cat well. Give tn
spirit full swing, and you would have 4
more need of societies for prevention {
cruelty to animals, no more need OF pr
tective sewing woman's association, and
would dull every sword until it would nj
cut skin deep, and unwheel every batter
till it could not roll, and make gunpowd