The Progress., 1896-09-05

the NOrt& OF the text IN IIir'" ""'''
They simply mean to set form n" ~"
that there is tremendous power N
kind word. Although it may seem Il
be very insignificant. its force IS N
describablc and il|imitah!c iNn%"h'
and ACCOMMODATING uttcraDcc: "a SOIL
tongue breaketh the borc.'
If had time, ! would snow you KIND
ness as a means Of defense, as a means
Of usefulness. kindness as Il means 81
domestic harmony, kindness as best
employed by governments for the TAM
ing and curing of criminals, and kind
ness rs best adapted for the settling
and adjusting of international quarrel;
but | shall call your attention only to
I two of these thoughts.
And first, speak to you of kindness
as means Of defense. Almost every
! man, in the course of his life. is set
upon and assaulted. Your motives are
misinterpreted or your religious or po-
litical principles are bombarded. What
to 90 under such circumstances is the
question. The first impulse of the nat
ural heart says: Strike back. Give as
much as he sent Trip him into the
ditch which he dug for your feet. Cash
him with as severe a wound rs that
which he inflicted on your soul. Shot
eye Tor an eye. A tooth for tooth."
But the better spirit in the mans soul
rises up and says: you ought to con-
slider that matter You look up into
the face Of Christ and say: My Mas
ter, how ought to act under these ,!if-
iiCult circumstances" And Christ IN
stantly answers Bless them that curse
you, and pray for them which despite
fully use you.i Then the old nature
rises up again and says; you had pct
ter not forgive him until first You nave
chastised him. You will never get him
in so tight corner again. You will
never have such an opportunity of in
fiicting the right kind of punishment
upon him again. First Chastise him.
and then let him GO NO. says the
better nature, hush, thou foul heart.
Try the soft tongue that breaketh the
bone Have you ever in all your life
known aCerbty and acrimonious dis
pute to settle a quarrel? Did they not |
always make matters worse and worse |
and worse? About tifty-tive years ago
here WIS great quarrel in the Pres
byterian family. Ministers of Chris.
were thought orthodox in proportion as
they had measured lances with other
clergymen Of the same denomination
The most outrageous personalities were
abroad. As, in the autumn, a hunter
COMES home with a string of game
cartridges and wild ducks, sIung over
his shoulder, SO there were many min
sters who came back from ecclesiasti-
,al courts with long strings Of doctors
If divinity whom they had shot With
heir own rifle. The division became
wider, the animosity greater, until af-
er awhile some good men resolved M
IN another tack. They began to OK
'lain away the difficulties; they began
o forgive each others faults; and 10
he great church quarrel was settled.
nd the new school Presbyterian
hurch and the old school Presbyterian
hurch became one. The different
ARTS of the Presbyterian order, weld
d by hammer a little hammer a
'hristian hammer that the Scriptrre
alls "a soft tongue"
You have dispute with your neigh
or. You say to him, Il despise vou."
lie replies, II can't bear The sight cf
ou." You say to him, "Never enter
,y house again. He says, IF Won
ONE on my door sill I'll kick you off,"
on say to him, I'll put you down"
lie says to you, "You are mistaken.
Il put you down. And SO the contest
ages; and year after year you act the
nchristian part, and he acts the IN ,
hristian part After awhile the better ,
oirit seizes you, and one day you 90 !
yer to the neighbor, and say, Give
lie your hand. We have fought Iong ,
lough. Time is so short, and eternity :
so near, that we cannot afford anv $
niger to quarrel feel you lave q
ronged me very much; but let It's SET =
e all now in one great Misunderstanding c
i'd be good friends for all the rest ~ g
II lives" You have risen to hioho,. Q
atform than that on which before r
III stood. You win his admiration Il
I'd you get his apology. But if Won a
I'VE not conquered him in that wov t
any rate you have won the ap,larsa {
your own conscience, the high estj- n
alton of good men, and the honor If +
ur Lord who died for his armed enc d
les. G
But you Say, what are we to do W
nen SANDER assaults us, and th5re (
me acrimonious sayings all around b
out us, and We are abused and sDit j
on?' My reply is: Do not 20 and i,
tempt to chase down the SANDERS G,
es are prolific, and while you are y
ling one, fifty are born. All your fl
monstrations of indignation only ex- is
ust yourself. You might as we'll On a,
me summer night when the swarms h