Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1898-01-14
REJOICE ALWAYS"
PEsSlMlSTlc TENDENCY - CONSIST
ENT CHRISTIAN CHEERFUL.

"Christian Cheerfulnrss'' T. the Title of
she Eighth sermon la the y. \. Herald.
Competitive Series-By brooklyn
Ninister-Dr. Talma.r ON HON" Life.
TExr: Rejoice ia the Lord always: AMI
again say, Rejoice. Philippians, ~. I.
What is so common among men as the
disposition to see only the dark side Of the
eyelts 81 life: Many OfuS have a tendency
o. vsa-Errdtc our ills which amounts al
most L. melancholia. IL it b. not always
high tide In our course uf fortune We sink
into condition Of morbid despair. We are
too apt to forget that IN nature the tide
must fall as well a. rise. VI" do not realize
that ii Is the part OF wisdom 10 make tho
best use OF the opportunities We have. We
compare our circumstances with those of
others who are moro fortunate aud brood
over the slings and arrows ul outrageous
fortune"
The tendency to dwell upon our ills grows
with time. In the beginning IL can be-
checked easily, but in time II becomes like
torrent gaining impetus with its descent,
until It is beyond control. Now and then
We receive the sad news that one whom We
esteemed rs upright and cudly has allowed
this morbid tendency to obtain such head
way that il unseats the reason aud with II
the sense Of moral responsibility. Then We
learn of the self-destructiOn OF such a one
and We are not surprised. 1t was almost
, the inevitable consequence Of n false. one
I sided view of life that is supported by
/ neither common sense nor religion.
With reference to the character OF the
mind men may be divided into the matter
Of fact and the eXOggeratiyc. While the
, former are liable to be unsettled and dis.
coHtented occasionally, the latter are apt
I TO be so as rule, because their minds be-
ing imaginative, create for themselves
ideals which they seldom, il ever, attain.
/ Nevertheless the normal condition of life
is one of cheerfulness. God teaches Us
this in nature, which, as a rule, Is bright
with sunshine, gay with color and filled
with Joyous sounds. Laughter AMI song,
. harmony and beauty are the radiant .g-
ures of that living picture whereby our
I Heavenly Father points out 10 each tae
road to happiness. II is the desire of
every earnest man to please God. There
is no better way to do 81 than by showing
/ ourselves satisfied with what He gives us.
preacher once said: We do not please
God more by eating bitter alOes than by
eating honey. A cloudy, fosgy, rainy day
is not more heavenly than day of sun
shine. \ funeral march Is not SO much
! like the music of angels as the songs Of
birds on "a May morning. There is no
more religion in the guaht, naked forest
in winter than in the laughing blossoms Of
the spring and the ripe. rich fruits of au-
tumn.'
How few cultivate a sunny DISPOSITION,
How few make an effort To- be rhpprfu,
when they feel uuhappy, There are some
the hard lines of whose faces never break
into a smile. There are other, who know
only that mirth which is provoked by arti-
I fetal means. such AS n Joke or a ridiculous
incident. Some are cheerful only when
they have driven a good bargain. You ali
know the business smile worn Inv those ,ybr
are anxious to gain your rogl viii oryour
money. perhaps Won ar, a.,rl..ut,d with
pcoulc who wear a mlsk of rha,rruIun4s
for the outer world AMI n mask of terror
for their homes.
Little do thcy who % throurb life lissat.
ished and cherries know how lnl,.l, fhr,
lose of that which is sweetest i'm hur,an ry.
peripnrr. Not onIythpy but all with whom
| they come in contact nra robhaj nf ~ nor
ton of the blessing of existence We ow,
I It to our families oar friends in fp..t to nj
our fellow men rs we'll ms to ourselves +,
make brighter not gloomtrr this human
life. St. Paurs examine shows thnt ever
in distressing circumstances chrrrrnIuc,,
! is possible. His Injunction "Rpiuin. inth,
Lord. was literally obeycd Nv himselr
The consistent Christian mu.t Il, rheor
fuI. Even when tha knovIrd,,n Of his sin
fulness weighs heaviest up5n him he he
lieves that God is forgiyl2c and mer,IfuI
H., +ho ,.r,,,,i ,, - E,l nj, i ..