The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-02-26


diseased state of the nerves. than
from the mind or heart. But. even in these
cases, thereiis good deal that we may &C
com plish for ourselves by voluntary effort
The mind may exert almost "a great an In.
fluence upon the body as the body exerts
upon the mind. A temperament which is
naturally inclined to melancholy may. by
voluntary effort. be considerably modified.
if not, indeed, made altogether sangulne.
We should persistently cultivate the habit
unless we have it by nature-Of forcing
ourselves to dwell on the agreeable side of
things rather than on the diaagreeabie.
of forcing ourselves TO think rather
of the pleasures which We have,
than OF those which we have not. There
Is so much pleassntness in life which the
most OF Us lose through want OF thought.
Ii is ple8sant to exist. to breathe, TO move.
to talk. TO think. TO read. But pleasure
must be attended to in order to be felt.
And, therefore. it often happens that pleas
ures OF WHOM we are actually In posses
sion. and which we might be enjoying. are
practically lost to US because our atten-
tiOn IS fixed on other pleasures of which
we are not In possession. and OF which.
are like the dog who dropped the
large piece of meat IN order to seize
upon its shadow which seemed larger.
Happiness so often lies close to our feet
that we overlook it, and discern its exist
ence only when it has banished and cannot
he recalled. There Is scarcely a faculty
more worthy of being cultivated. and thore
Ia no faculty so much neglected by most of
Ds, as the faculty Tor enjoyment. the facul-
ty for securing and making the most of the
pleasures W n: oh are actually ours.
There is another reason why we are much
less happy, and therefore much less con-
tented, than we might be. 1t Is this. we
have not learnt TO take enough pleasure In
the pleasure of other people. would IN
sist upon the Importance OF cultivating the
faculty OF enjoyment with a view to max
ing the most of our own pleasures but
would also urge it's cultivation with view
TO making the most of the pleasures of
others. The heart says Japanese
the world will depend very much on what
the world finds u.s. Learning to
live in the lives of others is one of the
surest means towards living happy life of
our own. But there Is an
other side to the question. Though
it is very undesirable to fret
and grumble over circumstances that
cannot be changed. yet 1t is most desir-
able. In 80 far as our condition is capable
of being improved, that we should be suf-
ficiently disconnected with it to effect this
improvement. The morbid discontent
enervates and psralyzes; the healthy dis
content stimulates and encourages. In.
stead of lamentiDg that our circumstances
are not made better for us by accident, or
by Providence, We should set about en-.
deavoring to make them better for our
selves. For one and ali of us that
amount of dlscontent is necessarv-neither
more nor less-which will incite US. nay
compel US. to make continual progress,
physic mental. moral, spiritual
From well 10 better. daily self-surpast."
l have not transcribed all the sermon
here, hut only those portions OF 1t that the
woman understood and carried away with
her.
She felt her heart sink when the preacher
disappeared from her view, and sat still
long after the pew was empty. thinking of
his words.
dered out and formed one of the struggling
stream that wandered through the rooms,
looking at the rare pictures and pausing
beside the glass case rtted with curious
trinkets and odds and ends that had many
years ago been fastened to the children by
the mothers who abandoned them.
One article fixed her attention. 1t was q
plated label, on which was inscribed
Ale" A grim look overspread the w0m-
ans face as she gaZed at it.
THAT should have been fastened to him
if he's going TO take after his father" she
nuttered below her breath. Presently.
she found herself. among others. fling past
the boys as they sat at dinner, and she
moved slowly. looking keenIy at each one
she passed and at those Oh the opposite
side of the table. but in not one could she
trace resemblance TO the baby of less
than twelve months old that she had
brought here seven years ago. and
more than voluntarily relinquished on
the distinct understanding that she never
attempted TO see him again.
Her hair had been black then; 1t was
white now, and her heart had been cold
then. but ir was colder now. so cold that 10
felt as if nothing from within or without
could ever warm it.
And when at last she moved away, not
sorry. not disappointed-for she scarcely
knew what she had come here to seek-she
was violently startled when u voice CLOSE
to her said:
"My poor woman. YOU know you are
breaking the rules. and-it's no use"
She turned quickly to come face to face
with the man who had preached to her and
others against dIscontent half an hour ago.
IL" she stammered and gasped, un-
able to lie before those keen but kindly
eyea
What is your name" he said.
Sarah Shrubsole," she answered, me-
chemically.
She gave il as one compelled thereto. and
he wrote it down.
Don't tell the Governors" she burst out
He smiled. and out came the dimples-lt
might have been happy boy who laughed
before her.
'1,ll give You q punishment" be. said.
Come again-come often. Will your"
"Pll come" she said. with curious FEEL
ing about her frosty heart. as if something
b.
He took her hand in his warm CLASH.
pressed it. and was gone.
CHAPTER lL-"LOvE MANKIND: FOLLOW
GOD"
Sunday after Sunday Sarah ShrubsoIe ar
rived early and found q seat, now behind.
now before. now to the right. and now to
the left of ''DimpIes," as she invariably
called him in her own mind.
If she did not understand all he said, she
sssimilated enough to carry into the life
that had been grim and mean beyo i'm
aginIng. perceptions of the beauty of
cheerfulness and unselfshness that by
slow degrees expressed themselves in acts
out ward and visible signs of the inner
melting OF her heart OF ice.
Gradually she came to know. through the
lips of this man whose brightness had first
attracted her. and whose earnestness now
commanded her respect. that the real
purity and loneliness of the Christian re-
Ggion Is in the life and teaching of its
Great Master. which Is rooted in unseltish-
ness and has but one expression--love.
Let Us listen to what the Doctor SAYS on
the subject this morning, under the head
ing OF "Christ's New Doctrine
"Since seltishDess includes
and unselhshness excludes, all sin. 1t Is
10y the develoDmenI of love is the one
thing necessary for our salvation. '
Christ taught that there was nothing
wrong but sci tishness that there was but one
dlty-that OF love. The charm OF
His own personality. His own lovableness,
was the new motive which Christ intro.
duced into the world. He knew that we