The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1898-06-03


all the tunes on one strings The hu-
man soul is an instrument of a thou
sand strings, and al sol is of emotions
were made to Play on it. Now an an
them, now dirge. 1t is no evidence
of weakness when one is overcome of
sorrow. Edmund Burke was found in a
pasturefield with his arms around II
horses neck care ssing him and some one
said: why, the great man has lost
his mind" No; the horse belonged to
his son who had recently died; and Lis
great heart broke ever the grief. 1t is
no sign of weakness that men are
overcome of their sorrow. Thank God
for the relief of tears. lave you never
been in trouble when you coull not
weep, and you would have given any
thing for cry? David did well when
he mourned for Atsalom. Abraham
did well when lie bemoaned Sarah.
Christ wept for Lazarus, and the last
man that l want to see come anywhere
near me when / have any kind of
trouble is a worldly philosopher.
Again, l remark that those persons
are incompetent for the work of COM
fort bearing who have nothing but
cant to offer. There are those who
have the idea that you must groan
over the distressed and afflicted. There
are times in grief when one cheerful
face, dawning upon mans soul, is
worth $1,000 to him. DO not whine
over the afflicted. Take the promises
of the Gospel. and utter them in Il
manly tone. DO not be afraid to smi g
if you feel like it. Do not drive any
more hcarses through that POOR soul.
Do not tell him the trouble was fore
ordained; it will not be any comfort
to know that it was 100000 years
coming. If you want to find splints
for broken bone do not take east
iron. Do not tell them it is Gods
justice that weighs our grief. They
want to hear of Gods tend mercy.
In other words. do not give them aqua
forts when they need valerian.
Again i remark: that those persons
are poor comforters who have never
had any trouble themselves. A lark
spur can not lecture on the nature of a
snowflake, and those people who have
always lived in the summer of pros
perity can not talk to those who are
frozen in disaster. God keeps aged
people in the world, think. for this
very work of sympathy. They have
been through all these trials. They
know all that which irritatss and all
that which soothcs. If there are men
and women here who have old people
in the house, or near at hand, so that
they can easily reach them. congrat-
ulate you. Some of us have had trials
in life and although we have had many
friends around about us. we have
wished that father and mother We're
still alive that we might go and tell
them. Perhaps they could not say
much. but it would have been such a
comfort to have them around. Thes.
aged ones who have been all through
the trials Of life know how to give
coincidence.
Cherish them; let them lean on yOur
arms, these aged people. If when you
speak to them. they can not hear just
what you say the first time, when you
say 1t a second time do not say it
sharply. If you do you will be sorry
for it on the day when you take the
last look and brush back tn. silvery
locks from the wrinklcd brow just be-
fore they screw the lid on. blessed be
God for the old peorl! They may not
have much strength to go around, but
they are Gods appointed ministers OF
comfort to broken heart.
People who have not had trial them
selves can not give comfort to Others
They may talk very beautifully and
they may give you a great deal OF
poetic sentiment, but while poetry is
perfume that smells sweet, it makes
a very poor salvc. If you have 4 grave
in a pathway, and somebody comes
and covers it all over with flowers, it
Is grave yet. Those who have not
had grief themselves know not the
mystery of broken heart. They know
not the meaning of childlessness. and
they having no one to put to bed at
night, or the standing in a room where
every book and picture and door
are full OF memorieS-the door mat
where she sat, the cup out of which
she drank-thc place where she stood
at the door and clapped her hands
the odd figures that she Scribbled-the
blocks she built into house. All! no.
you must have trouble yourself before
you can comfort trouble in others. But
come all We who have been bcreft AMI
We who have been cOmfOrted In your
sorrows, and stand around these at
flictel souls and say to them: Il had
that very sorrow myself. God com
fortcd me and He will comfort yOu;'
and that will go right to the spot. In
other words, to comfort others we
must have faith in God. practical eX-
perience and good, sound common
sense.
But there are three or four consider
atoms that l will bring to those who
arr sorrowful and distressed, and that
we can always bring to th.m. knowing
that they will effect a cure. And the
first consideration is that God sends
our troubles in love. / OTTER hear poo
pile in their troubles say: why,
wonder what God has against me-?
They seem to think God has some
grudge against them because trouble
and misfortune have COM. Oh, no.
Do you not remember that pas
sage of Scripture: ''Whom the Lord
loveth lie chastcneth?" A child
comes in with very bad splinter
in its hand. and you try to extract it.
1t is very painful operation. The
child draws back from you, but YOU
persist You are going to take that
splinter out. so you take that chill
with gentle but firm grasp, for al
though there may be pain in it. the
| splinter must come out, And it is love
that dictateS IL and makes you Dar