St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-06-25

AVA . UCIOASSu 10 MS son, VINO n4Q N
Gently died; and his great heart brok
over the grief. It is no sign of veal
ness that men are overcome of thei
sorrows. Thank God for the relief q
tears. Have you never been in troubl
when you could not weep and 70
would have given anything for cry
David did well when he mourned 70
Absalom; Abraham did well when h
bcmoaned Sarah. Christ wept 70
Lazarus; and the last man that wan
to see come anywhere near me when
have any kind of trouble is . world
philosopher.
Again l remark that those person
are incompetent for the work of com
fort-bearing who have nothing bu
cant to offer. There are those VIII
have the idea that you must groan owe
the distressed and afflicted. There ar
times in grief when one cheerful fac
dawning upon a mans soul is worth
thousand dollars to him. Do no
whine over the afflicted. Take tn
promises Of the Gospel and utter then
in manly tone. Do not be afraid t
smile if you feel like it. Do not driv,
any more hearses through that poo
soul. Do not tell him the trouble wa
foreordained; it will not be any com
fort to know it was million year.
coming. If you want to find splint.
for q broken bone do not take cast iron
Do not tell them it is Gods justice that
weighs out grief They want to hear
OF Gods tender mercy. In other words,
do not given 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 q
snowhake-it never saw q snowflake;
and those people who have always
lived in the summer of prosperity 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 irritates and all that which
soothes. If there are men and women
here who have cid people in the house,
or near at hand 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 wished
that father and mother were still alive
that we might 60 and tell them. Per-
haps they could not say much, but it
would have been such a comfort to
have them around. These aged ones,
who have been all through the trials of
life, know how to give coincidence
Cherish them; let them lean on your
arm, these aged people. II. when you
speak to them, they can not hear just
what you say the first time, and you
have to say it a second time, when you
say it 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 the silvery
locks from the wrinkled brow just be-
fore they screw the lid on. Blessed be
God for 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 them
selves can not give comfort to others.
They may talk very beautifully, and
they may give you great deal Of poetic
but while poetry is perfume
that smells sweet, it makes a very Door
salve. If you have a grave in a path
way, and somebody comes and covers
it all with wild flowers, it is q grave
yet. Those who have not had grief
themselves know not the mystery OF =
broken heart. They know not the
of childIessness, and the hav-
ing no one to put to bed at night, or
the standing in a room where every
book and picture, and door are full of
door-mat where she
sat, the cup out of which she
frank, the place where she stood at the
loor and clapped her hands, the odd
figures that she scrubbed, the blocks
hat she built into house. All. no,
7ou must have trouble yourself before
Tou can comfort trouble in others.
But come all We who have been bereft,
Ind We who have been comfortef in
7our sorrows, and stand around these
afflicted souls and say to them: Il had
hat very sorrow myself God CON-
orted me and lie will comfort you;"
md that will go right to the spot. In
'ther words, to comfort others. we
must have faith in God, practical ex-
and good, sound, common
ense.
But there are three or four consid-
'rations that will bring to those who
re sorrowful and distressed, and that
We can always bring to them, knowing |
hat they will effect q cure. And the |
irst consideration is that God sends |
'ur troubles in love. often hear peo-
lie in their troubles say: why, / |
wonder what God has against me?' |
they seem to think God has some ,
,rudge against them because trouble
nd misfortune have come. Oh, NO.
10 you not remember that passage Of
'criptures "Whom the Lord loveth He
A child comes in with a
cry bad splinter in its hand, and YOU
~ to extract it. 1t is q very painful
peration. The child draws back
rom you, but You persist. You are
DING to take that splinter out, 50
on take the child with a gentle
ut firm grasp, for, although there
lay be pain in it, the splinter must
ONE out. And it is love that dictates
J, and makes you persist Ny friends.
really think that nearly all our sor-
ows in this world are only the hand
our Father extracting some thorn.
all these sorrows were sent by
nemies | would say. arm yourselves
gainst them, and as in tropical chimes,
hen a tiger comes down from the
and carries or a child from
ne village, the neighbors band TO-
ether and 60 into the forest and hunt
lie monster, SO I would have you, il l
fought these misfortunes were sent by
q enemy, go out and battle against
lem- But no, they com, from Fa-
Ter so kind, SO loving, SO gentle, that
le prophet, speaking of His tender
ess and mercy, drops the idea Of ia
ler, and says: As one whom his
other comforteth, so will l comfort
,u.-
Again I remark, there is comfort in
le thought that God, by all this pro
s., is going to make you useful. Do .
~ known that those who accomplish !,