The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-08-01
ON DAvID'S KINDNESS.
ryrrR,.r,os4L sUADlfV SCHOOL
LESSON FOR TO-MORH0W.
Rev. Edward l.. PeiFs inte'es'"s
oourse-strikins Lessons
deducted.
Davtd's Kindness.-2 Samuel, H. i''

.
To make a kingdom out 2, ei Iifc was
no trining task. and David ny nm
crowded with care and toll. IL - III a.
us,,al for men who are burdened WIN -
fetal responsibilities TO ioTse1 W. odicfal
occupy 4 personal as wen a. a" ia IN
relation TO those around them, anu :.
cannot be said FOR David that ms my
orv never failed him in this particusi.a'',
but il is TO his credit that his nina oi.sn
turned from cares OF state 10 setI.h Iva
the dropped stitches OF persoDal ""'s a..
II was during one OF these quests Tor
dropped stitches that ne sudlti"S, -
Thought him OF the bosom fiiend or niS
darker days and OF the solemn coNena",
which ho had made Win MN; III ~ no
covenant he had promised TO snow kllu-
ness not only To Jonathan. but To MS
house forever al his conscience smVle
him when he remembered that Tor yer
his conduct had been AS II jonathan ilau
never lived. Jonathan had cluus 10 mn
SO faithfully and he had shown SO niue
appreciation OF his devotion; iAnl an
because he had allowed MS hear1 10 20
choked by tho cares OF TINS NE. N9'n
ing makes US more cruelty iOrsehui Oh
our best friends than the cares when We
allow 20 grow up around US. a.,
Sometimes we recall neglected. uv,'
and instead OF performing H. seize upon
orr neglect as an excuse Tor passing "
BY altogether. II have put Il OF SO long
10 would bo uuduly Illuminating 10 40 IL
now" But David felt that Abe nuhiiiia-
ton Of his position was greater IMAM '.'
humiliation of getting himself out OF II,
and he did not try 70 get rid of his duty
by making excuses, nor 70 atone le' hiS
neglect by expire ssing regret. III was la'e
IN the day but IL ia better late thtn
never, II IL Is stu day. Ii 5 easy Tor v
10 ,riticise David and To discount DIS
kindness on the ground that It Is a pela,
eel kiudloss. Int Is not bellted kinl-
ness better than declining 10 do Aiin-
ness because IL Is lateF Ana, pray now
]. 40 -
DO We 20 and do or duty as soon a. We
SEQ it2 DO we not put II OF until to-Hlol-
row ard the next day. and nndlly 20, a.
slaves. under tho whip OF consciencef II
We were only as quick 10 perform ous
good deeds az We are our bad ones II
We would only postpone our bad ones
as long as We postpone our sood ones!
And The king said, Is there not yet any
Of the house of saul that | may show
the kindness OF God unto him. A great
many people are willing 10 do a kind
deed III somebody viii tell them what 10
do ard slow them how 10 do 1t. There
are others who do kind deeds under pres
sure. but one who Is really KIND does
Rot wait 10 Doe told what 10 do, nor To be
pressed into doing 10. he seeks OppOrSlnl-
~ 90 Dee kind. David's kindness IS seen not
IN what DE did for Jonathans son after
he found him. but rather In what he did
10 n-d him. What We do Tor a poor fol-
low who is brought into our presence may
Doe mere cXprcs sion OF pity. n kind
man does not need 10 have his sympathies
aroused before he will do a Kind thing.
IL Was rot long before David found
the opportunity he sought When d man
Is once On earnest about doing good be
does not have 10 look long for Opportuni-
~ II d. ron 1rfdhle how East messages
travel wien sent out by those who are
burning with desire 10 help somebody.
Soon bn was in court and I'm three min
utes David learned more about the house
Of Jonathan than no had found out in
niteen years how II must have smote
MS neart to learn that through all those
years Jonathau's own son had been liN-
lnc IN oD>cliity, / elplessly lame and de-
prnucnt upon the kindness OF one who
had proven himaeelf a better friend 10
Jonathan tran lavid had. We do not
wonder that when the youth Nas brought
into his pieser GO the king tried 10 make
up ior ms neglect 10y magnificent grant
or ANA and by making him one OF the
kings hOusehol Nor do we wonder that
poor Mephihosheth who came trembling
lest the king -fould take his life cried
ONT with exaggerated establishment
after the oriental fashion. What Is thy
servant mat thou shonldst look upon such
a dead dog as | am?'
The reetrd Of DaNid's life contains many
such deeds. There are calculating people
VINO VIII want 20 know whether hll
Kindness was appreciated. Would David
say now that II paid TO Dee kind? Certain
ly ia a. number OF instances MS kindness
was not appreciated. The chapter fol-
lowing our lesson contains a notable one.
And ~ David had am eye 20 business he
could hardly\fay now thar his kindness
paid People lwho are kind with an eye
20 business aNavs conclude that Kindness
does not pay They hnd that the man
they help Is often The last man 10 help
them. But when kindness IL business II
ia no longer kindness The man who does
a kind deed expecting 10 10 pay" is not
kind. he simply pays In advance for goods
which be- expects 10 be- delivered soma
time In tho future. and he expects dou-
Bile measure because he pays M advance.
Tho man who does a Kind deed gives; he
does rot lend with the expectation of
having 10 returned with interest, he does
not take mortgage for 70. He does not
ask 10 bee paid IN appreciation any moro
than he asks 10 be aid In my other form.
IL is a free gift, II IL Is appreciated. no
harm is oore, II IL Is not appreciated, no
loses nothing. he cri not lose what he has
already given away. our KIDD deeds, II
not acceptable 10 men. are not ac-
Ceptable 10 God, and having his approval,
Wo have more than value received.
EDWARD p. PELL.