The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1895-11-15
LIVING PEACEFULLY.

LIVING PEACEFULLY.
Geo. II. Hepwortb, in New York Herald.
Let not your heart be troubled, neither let
1t be afraid,-St. john xiv, q.
Religion is not so much theory OF
salvation, a means of reaching the
othor world in safety, as it is con-
Stant source of comfort during the
hardships and perplcxities Of the
present time.
The future we may regard as as
sured and leave it to take care Of
itself.
The dear Lord, who watches the
sparrow's flight and fall, and who has
given us some faint glimpses OF what
is to be, will keep the wonderful
promise, 81 90 to prepare a place for
you," and we need have no disturbing
thoughts, but, on the contrary, per-
feet confidence.
Our chief concern should be how to
make the best and the most Of this
life, for if we are in the right now we
surely cannot 90 wrong hereafter.
God has hidden certain benefits in the
experiences through which we are
called to pass, and it is important
that as we go through the experiences
we find way to gather the benefits.
| am convinced that no event in our
lives is without its purpose, and II
our minds and hearts are properly
developed we shall not only discover
what that purpose is, but have cause
for gratitude and increased faith even
amid sorrows and tears and bereave-
mcnts.
1t should be our ann, then, to live
as peacefully as possible-that is to
say, we should reduce the friction OF
life to its minimum, and nothing will
serve this purpose except a bralnfelt
and heartfelt religion. Peacefuness
depends on interior qualities more
than our environment and external
circumstances. 1t is possible to have
everything and at the same to practl-
cally have nothing. 1t is also posSi-
bic to travel a rugged and weary path
with a light heart. Itdocs not follow
that you are well of because you are
rich, but you may, Il you will, be well
off in spite of carking cares and
strange uncertainties.
Everything depends on your outlook
toward God and your inlook at your
SELF If you can see a dim something
beyond the stars when you look forth
and something worth your attention
when you examine your own soul, you
have the firm foundations on which
to build grand and glorious life. The
riches disclosed by the two visions
are beyond computation. In the con
sciousness that your destiny out
reaches the limits of time, that yot
are capable of appreciating it in tht
economy of life, as He desired you tC
do, you become to a large extent indie
pendent of what is called good or IL
fortune. You have priceless com
fort in your heart which nothing car
purchase and of which no cunning
theft can despOil you, for the mos
secure Of all your possessions is th'
ideal which you hope to attain. Whit
it might be rash to assert that II yol
can become wholly Indifferent to cir
cumstances, it is safe to declare that
II you have comforting faith yo'
can be infinitely happier as q poo
man than you could be with all th'
wealth OF the world at command i
you had no faith at all. 1t is not the
soft bed which gives refreshing sleep
but quiet consciousness and a seren
trust. We know this to our sorrow
1t Is what you have in your heart, no
what you have in your pocket, tha
makes you enviable. A large banl
account has a certain magic In 1t, bu
il you hope to find therein the mean
OF happiness you will be disappointed
The necromancy of life has its source
in heartbeats.
You wrong yourself and waste boil
time and energy In accumulation a
the sole aim in life. 1t is impossibl
that God can have so arranged tn
world that dollars will buy what tn
Door need as we'll as the rich. Th
most desirable things must be withi
reach Of the multitude, aud lam sur
that though you toll from day to da
and bend your shoulders to the bul
den Of hardship you ought to have
aud you can have, great comforts an
great Joys. religion is Thorough