The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-06-01

come o. LQSlr soEECHS. AuaA d wv VI
the relief Of tears. Have you never
been in trouble when you could not
weep and you would have given any
thing for crys David old well when
he mcurned for Absalom, Abraham
did well when be temoaned Sarah,
Christ wept for Lazarus, and the last
man that want to see come anywhere
near me when I have any kind OF
trouble is worldly philosopher.
Again, l remark that those persons
are Incompetent fer the work Of com
fort besring who have nothing but
cant to offer. Tn,re are those VINO
have the idea that you must groan
over the 6lstre sseo and tiicteo. Ehere
sre times in grief n hen one cheerful
face, oawning upon mau's soul, IS
worth 81, 600 to him. Do not whine
over Il e s fl c:ed. Take the promises
Of the gospel and utter them IN q
manly tone. Do not be AFRAID to
smile il you feel like it. Do not drive
any more hesr.es through that poor
soul. Do lot tell him the trou5le
foreordsined. II will not be any
comfort to know It WAS million
years coming. If you want 10 Ind
splints for broken bone, DO not take
cast iron. Do not tell them it is God S
Justice that weighs out grief. Tney
want to hesr OF Gods tender mercy.
In other words, do not give them SO ls-
forts when they need vslerlan.
Again. I remark that thosa persons
are poor comforte-s who have never
had any trouble themselves. A lark.
spur cannot lec:ure on the nature OF a
snow fake; it never saw snowflake,
and those people who have always
lived in the summer of prosperity
cannot talk to those who are frozen IL
disaster. God keeps sged people in
the world, [ think for this very work
of sympathy. They have bean
through all these trials. Tney know
all that which irrita;es and ali that
which so thes. II there are men and
women here who have old people in
the house or near st had, so That they
can easily reach them, ! congratulate
you. Some of US have had trials in
life, and although We have had many
friends around about US We have wish
ed that fathe.: and mother were sull
alive that We might go and tell them
Perhaps they could not say much, but
It would have been sucn a comfort 10
have them around. These aged ones
who have been all through the trials
OF life Know how to give condolence.
Cherish them; let them lean on your
arm, these sged people. II when you
SPEAK to them thew cannot hear just
Whist you say the first time, and you
have to say it q second time, wnen
you say it a second time do not say 1t
sharply. lfyou do, you will be sorry
for 1t on the day wAen you take the
last look and Drush back the silvery
locks from the wrinkIed brow just BE-
fore they screw the lid On. Blessed
be God Tor the old people! 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 trials
themselves cannot give comfort TO
others. They may talk very beauti
fully, and they may give you great
deal of poetic sentiment; but while
poetry is perfume that smells sweet, il
makes 8 very poor salve. II YOU
have q grave IN pathway, and some
body comes and covers it sll over with
flowers, it is grave yet. Those VINO
have not had grief themselves know
not the mystery of broken heart.
Tney know not the meaning Of child
lessness, and the having no one to put
to bed at night or the standing in a
room where every book and picture
and door is full of memories-the
doormat where she sat, the cup out Of
which she drank, the place where she
stood at the door and clapped her
hands, the odd figures tina! sne scrio-
oled, the blocks she built into house.
An, no, you must have trouble your
self before you can comfort trouble in
others. But come all ye who have
been bereft and ye who have been
comforted in your sorrow and stand
around these fl otsd souls and say 10
them. ! had that very sorrow my
self. God comforted me, aud ne will
comfort you" Ard that will go right
to the spot. In other words, to Com
fort others We must nave fAita in God,
practical experience and good sound
common sense.
But there are three or four conside
rstions that will bring to those VINO
are sorrowtul and distressed that we
can always bring to them, knowing
that they will effect cure. Anc the
first consideration is that God sends
our troubles in love. l of.en hear
people IN their troubles say, Why, l
wonder what God has against me2"
They seam TO think God has some
grudge sgainst them because trouble
and misfortune have come. o., no!
Do you not remember that passage OF
Scripture, Whom the Lord loveth
he chastenethG' a child comes in
with s. very bad splinter in It's hand,
and you try to extract it. Il Is very
painful operation. The child draws
back from you, but you persist. You
are going TO take that spunter out, SO
you take the cnlld with a gentle but
hlm grasp, for although there may be
pain ID it the splinter must come out.
And it is love that dictates II ana
makes you persist. Ny friends, I
really think mat nearly ali our sor.
70 US In this world are only the hand
of our Father extracting some thorn.
II su these sorrows we're sent by enc,
mics, I would say arm yourselves
against them and as in tropical cllmes
wnen tiger comes down from the
mountains ana carries off child from
the village the neighoors band togeth-
er and go into the forest AMI hunt the
monster so would have you, if l
thought these mlsfortunes were sent by
an enemy, go out and battle against
them. But no, they come from a Fa
sner SO klnd, so loving, so gentle tnat
the prophet, speaking of MS tender.
ness and mercy, drops the idea OF q
father and says, las one wnom his
motner comforIeth, SO will l comfort