The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-09-26
SUFFERING.

idea is mistaken one. Suffering and
sorrow come as naturally into the lives of
mortals here below as clouds and rain
fall to nearly all parts of the world. 1t
does not always happen, however. that
men and women are made worse by such
painful visitations. On the contrary if
they use such experience Alright, they
will be purified aud strengthened and
come forth from such ordeals witho'ssa
sweetness of character that will rot only
Greatlyssendear them to their friends but
draw them nearer to the Heaven For
which such sufferings are designed to
prepare them.
1t is law of life that everything really
worth having must be worked for, if not
by one person by another, and that en-
joyement is much deeper and mole pro-
nounced when an object has been at
tanned at the cost of much labor and
suffering than when gained without risk
and without effort. 1t is the knowledge
of the applause which awaits them If sue
cessful that induces men to dare the rig
ors of the arctic cold or the terrible heat
of n tropical sun in their search for some
thing new and strange, and it is the
Christians hope of reward in the great
hereafter that enables him to bear with
prayerful equanimity the humilations
and disappointment which beset his
earthly pathway.
In either and both cases, however,
whether we apply the principle to heav
emily or terrestrial matters it will be found
that the greatest good comes from the
greatest suffering ana that.nothing really
lasting or permanent is attained except at
the cost of pain and labor. The great
system of human salvation rests upon
the wonderful sacrifice made by the Sa-
viou~ OF mankind, and the entire fabric
of that religion which gives eternal life
and innumerable blessings to man rests
upon foundation of suffering that would
be appalling to consider, but:for.our faith
in the promises Of God. Men in this life
rise to fame and eminence, and their fell
lows call them lucky; but they know not
In many cases the cost at which such
success was attained. How, besides
worthy endeavor to rightly use the tai
ents with which they were endowed,
these envied ones worked while others
played; labored while others slept and
planned and tolled INCREASINGLY.
Two young men have equal talents for
or atory one trusts to inspiration for sue
cess and leaves the rest to chance and ia
10
fully studies elocution, commits his
speech to memory, and posing for hours
before the looking glass, captures his au-
dience by his grace and eloquence, which,
from months and years of training seems
far more natural than the extempore raw
ings of his former rival, who, distanced
only by effort and application, now looks
upon the successful man as q prodigy,
when the latter's mental powers we've
really at the beginning no greater than
his own. In great wars we wonder how,
in the short space of u few months, or at
most few years, men who were totally
unknown when the conflict began can
emerge therefrom covered with fame and
glory, when if we considered the terrible
tests to which they were subjected and
the concentration of suffering and death
in a series of great battles, we would
know that their years of agony and sus-
pense nang upon the events of an hour,
and that those who come forth with sue
cess are sure of their reward
The hardy miners whosbrave the ter
rors of heat and cold, Of death by starva-
ton or Mt the hands of savage men in
their search for gold, suffer. much before
the riches that they apparently gather so
easily and rapidly are attained, and what
is worse than this when one succeeds in
gathering the coveted hoard ninety-nine
fall far short of even their most moderate
expectations. 1t is this cost in life and
suffering that give to gold its intrinsic
value, just ms the men aud women of this
life who have been tested in the same fur
mace Of sorrow are made worthy To enjoy
pleasures that are eternal
The lesson, however, to be inculcated is
this. and the young especially should
bear 1T we'll in mind: Everything worth
having is worth struggling for. Labor,
suffering and patience will iemove noun
tains, while those who trust to luck to
carry them safely and smoothly over the
voyage of life will be helpless and hope
less, when the Clouds begin to gather and
the waves begin to roll
THE BEAUTY OF 1T.
a dress washed with Crystal SPRING
was shown us tho other uay-a delicate