The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-09-13


| or heat, or distance, show their appreciation
| OF divine ordinances, aud their example IL
| more likely 10 influence others than any inyi
tatIon they could speak with their own lips
Hopers, Not Mopers.
The man who looks on the bright side OF
| things, who is cheerful and hopeful has al
least one Of the elements of happy and uee
| ful life. Obstacles may confront him high az
! mountains. wide as oceans and numerous as
| fountains, but with definite aim and de-
| termined purpose, so long as hope remains
| the chances are favorable for his breaking
| down or rising above every one of them.
| e. But let hope depart end moping begin,
| and weakness and cowerdice and failure and
/ despair Will follow in spite of highest aims
| and hottest purposes.
Not long ago gentleman lost all OF his
| property. the accumulation Of years o. toll
| in a single speculation. A few days later, in
| an adjoining city. he took his own life. He
| lost his force when hope departed. One oil
| the best-known Senators in the United States
has twice lost bis entire fortune, and is now
| for the third time in fair way to become a
| millionaire. This man retained bis grip on
| lie because hope did not forsske him.
Not many years ago there lived IN New
lork city promising young artist. just
when friends were predicting for him a
brilliant career the young artist seemed 10
I
canvas and brushes. He went about his
work mechanically and in q half-hearted
| way. for his mind was elsewhere. But, in
spite Of criticisms and disappointments, he
kept on patiently and hopefully, as one
bu0yed up by an unseen hand. In good
time the object of his attention and hopeful
inspiration was discovered 20 the world IL
was put into action, aud grew IN popular
favor until a vast network OF wire had been
stretched over mountains, under lakes and
oceans, and continents we're bound together
as one through the invention OF Morse
Hope must have an object 20 stimulate il 70
the performance Of its best efforts and the
fulhlment Of its highest and truest mission.
The hope Of becoming a master OF a trade or
profession. the hope Of gaming an education,
political pre-ominence social distinction OF
public confidence has been the handspring OF
many useful life. The higher the object
that calls forth our energies of body, mind
and soul, tho higher will be the character Of
our life and work.
The Christian life places before all young
persons al object 80 high and noble and pure
as 10 call forth their best efforts, their deep
est affections and their finest talents. Jesus
Christ was permanently a hopeful man.
Not a single word of complaint or discourage
ment ever escaped his lips. The teachings
OF Christ are full of hope for the erring and
outcast, hope for the enslaved and down
trodden. hope for the weak hope for the igno-
rant, hope for the sad and sorrowing, hope
for the low and groyeling. His words and
life are good tidings to the poorest and weak
est and smallest Of eGrths creatures. Come
up higher is tho cry which they have sent
out in clarion tones TO every age. They have
done more than cry They have gone down
by living example TO show men the way up.
They have been more than q guide-b board
which points out the way but never goes it.
self. lie has put strong and loving arms IN
deI-nnd about the weak and Ignorant Of every
age and has helped them up
The story of Christ has had for the people
of every age and country an irresistible
charm. That one of such matchless intel
lect, such an incompatible character, should
have voluntarily chosen the life that he
lived is mystery. How he threw himself
into the very boiling caldron of human life
with its ignorance and cruelty greed and lust.
and by kindly words, encouraging looks, a
sweet disposition and noble actions, he ele-
waited and transformed those whom he
touched with the wand of hope for some
thing better.
Who can estimate the amount Of comfort
that the gospel of Christ has given 10 the
millions who have departed this life and the
host Of believers who are now in the midst of
life? How many are called upon to give up
their loved ones 10 the death angel. and
while everything is dark they will vet cover
the casket with beautiful flowers. emblems of
hope. and will repeat their expression of
trust in the resurrection and the life and the
hope of the world to como through Jesus
Christ ~ first perhaps mechanically. and
then joyOusly, with tears OF gladness and
hope.
Who has not felt the power Of hopeful
words q sunny smile or O cordial grasp of the
hand Over fifty years ago young man.
who was the chief executive officer in the
custom-house in Salem. Mass, received his
% a.t l.a1 ~.
the blow. He poured out his tale of disap-
pointment and humiliation to his noble wife.
who. instead Of Representing him In harsh Ian
cuage and thus adding TO his burden. left
the room and returned with wood, with which
she kindled cheerful fire in the CRATE. She
then brought paper and ink. and said. with
winning smile, Now you can write your
book" The result was THE Scarlet Letter"
and the discovery to the world of Americas
greatest novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne.
Hope is the sunshine Of God in the soul.
Hope. what O magic word What charm it
bears into palace and cottage alike. Into the
hoyel of the poor into the house of mourn
ing into the dungeon of the Siberian exile
consigned to hopeless and hcartless seryltude.
into the by-ways and alleys of great cities,
where drunkenness and filth aud cursing
abound hope goes. incsrnate in the pure and
unselfish lives Of Christian men and women.
The great men of every age have been hopers
and not mopers.
Hope is written on every morning sunrise
in letters 80 bright and clear the most be-
nighted minds and darkest souls can read
little. Hope Is written on every rainbow and
every springtlme.
The pitiful little vail Of the chronic moper
will soon be heard no more, but the great
world will move on Just the same with all its
mysteries and sorrOws and joys. And the
world Will continue u hope until heaven
comes down to earth, and
Jesus shall reign where'er the sun
Doth bis successive journeys run