The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1895-05-03
Source of Comfort.
New York Herald.

OOuTCt Vi OOlulOrC,
New York Herald.
Comfort yc, comfort ye my people, saith
your God.-lsaiab, XII, l.
There is no doubt that we all need
great deal OF encouragement in or.
der to get through life proftably and
comfortably.
A well rounded life is very hard |
thing to achieve. There are obstacles
to be overcome, hardships to be borne,
disappointments to be met, tempta-
tions to be resisted and sorrows to be
endured. Why all these things should
be necessary to our spiritual cduca-
tion we may not be able to see, since
our eyes are filed with the dust Of ig-
norance, but that they are necessary
and that the grand result is a nobler
personality than could be obtained In
any other way is the only conclusion
which the believer in divine Provi-
dence can entertain.
Those sO-callcd evils are the COM
mon lot of mankind. Some Of us have
more and some Of US less, but all have
many TO contend with and not single
human being is exempt. A fortunate
environment, the possession OF wealth,
the inheritance Of a sound mind and
q sound body affect US favOrably to a
certain extent, but none OF these
things can enable us to 20 through
life with immunity. Whether IA man
is rich or poor, healthy or i'll, he is still
only a man and must make fight,
brave or cowardly, with circumstan-
ces. Tears and temptations are in
every household, men must face dis
aster and women must be broken
hearted, hopes will wlther like leaves
, in October, and the best laid plans
gang aft agley," in spite OF our ut
most endeavor.
II we lose our faith we lose what
makes US poor indeed" Not to be-
lievc that there is a background Of
love and wisdom for the sorrows
a which stand in the foreground is the
n equivalent Of dismay and despair.
: On the other hand, to face i'll fortune
n with the consciousness that God sends
us what is best, even when the best
u is bitter, and that the "unscen beings
n who walk the earth both when we
wake and when we sleep" are always
% within hearing distance-this gives
% to the heart a steady beat and devel.
). ). opcs a heroic strength which can
= hardly be accounted for except as q
direct gift from some one not Wis
ible.
a Religion consists partly Of a disclo
sure of the source of comfort. That
pr is,lts most practical aim and purpose
0. Religion cannot always make you hap
=, py in the ordinary acccptation Of tho
word, but 1t will make you resigned
as and sometimes resignation is bette
J. than happiness. Moreover, it vii
er tell you how to find whatever degree
IS, Of happiness the circumstances admi
Of. A man who is about to undergo
pa surgical operation cannot be cxactl.
ry happy, but the feeling that, painful
Do as it is, the knife is necessary and tn
!" " surgeon will cut no deeper than h
~ need, induces state of mind whicl
robs the experience Of it's harsh ele
Re ments. There Is bridgeless chasn
:: between the man who sees q knife Il
~ I" the hand Of cruel fate and one VIII
- sees it in the hand Of friend.
Poor, trembling soul, II you are sur
$; at heart that IL will be all right b
~ and by that God, who watches tn
ed sparrows fail, regards you with ten
nd der solicItude and will give you powe
- TO endure, though He cannot free yo
from the suffering which you drcac
ne you are armed against rebellion
: ~ thoughts, and the peace that passet
~ ~ understanding will steal into you
"a soul with It's sigh Of sympathy.
of Life IL SO short and eternity Is s
long that we can afford TO take wha
.s comes serenely II II will insure tn
"a. future. You are poor, aud, alas
10. there is u whole crowd OF Ills whic
" accompany poverty dead dreams, III
ck sung songs and plans which will ncvt
1s, come 10 ffuitl0H; but II God haa d
lcfecd u, give such cheer 40 you can !