The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1898-03-18
GENTLENESS.
An Interesting Short Sermon on ''The
Power of Gentleness."

or man. We think of it as lacking in
yigor and long way removed from great
ness. So suggestive is it of weakness and
softness that we want very little to do
with it.
Our ideas of gentleness need rectifying.
We speak often of gentle horse. What
do we mean by it? That horse is gentle
that is nervy and full of mettle, able to
pass ANYTHING on the road, and yet so
easily subdued that the voice of little
child would bring him to standstiIl at
once. That man is gentle who has the
strength of a Hercules and the tender
ness Of a woman. GentIeness is power
withholding itself and spending itself
in goodness.
A good illustration of gentleness was
that on Spanish battlefield. A gallant
French soldiers sword was upllfted TO
strike his foe to the earth, but he saw as
the sword was about to descend that his
antagonist had but one arm. Instantly
he STAYED his sword, brought it to sa
lutte and rode on.
C4eutleness in a woman is loves nigh
ty magnet, and will attract its own from
the ends of the earth. A woman with
out it is nonstrosity; warrior with
If is greater far than he who shows his
power by burning villages. destroying
crops. executing prisoners. The great
General at Appomattox, considering the
interests of the men in gray, treating
them as his fellow countrymen, silencing
kthe salute already under way to cele-
qbrate victory lest they should be further
INUNDATED, and sending the defeated
mes home we'll fed and equipped for la
Bor on the farms, declared himself
tentle man as well as a great soldier, and
I'D m IRE in that hour to make his coun-
ky great than other great men have done
b a lifetime. Grant could have crushed
he South IN that hour; instead, he car
Bssed it as mother her weak and way
Yard child and melted it to tears.
~ We speak often of the power of God,
y but it is the gentleness of God that works
|, the greatest wonders. 1t is this that
Makes men great. See the gentleness of
G0d at the beginning. 1t is not the
strong arm, but the tender heart, that
concerns itself with fallen man. 1t is
not kings voice that we hear in Eden,
but a fathers. Pathetic cry that,
ssAdam, Adam, where art thou?" When
God came down in human flesh to save
lost world He came in the same spirit.
A still and quiet night it was when the
Saviour was born. The stars looked
down peacefully upon the shepherds as
they watched their sheep. The world
was wrapt in slumber. 1t was into this
stiffness and quiet that Gods angels came
and Gods glory shone around. Gentle
words those were the angel spoke:-"Be
not afraid So sweet and gentle was the
music of the angelic host that no one
cloa
The spirit of the Gospel is the same.
1t is summed up in the words:-'sA
bruised reed will He not break: the
smoking fax He will not quench.' 1t is
by gentleness that God seeks to win the
world to righteousness and truth. s'The
Lord God is sum-" Sooner or later cold
ana icy hearts must give way before
xlm. We need more eentleness before
the earth can become like heaven-gen-
tleness on the part of parents. You can
shout at your children and bring them
into trembling submission; you can
thrash them into obedience; you can
starve them into submission. The strong
can bring the weak to terms for while
by any of these methods. But if you
want to show your child the sweet rea-
sonableness of your position and to make
him docile. obedient, trustful, sit down
and talk gently with him and seek to
make his heart your own.
We need more gentleness on the part
of children gentleness of speech, gentle
ness of manner. Children need to learn
early how mean thing it is to tyrannize
over any one weaker than themselves.
There is no one for whom healthy boy
has more contempt as he grows older
than for bully.
We need more gentleness on the part
of teachers. 1t is by appealing to the
best in a boy that the best is developed.
Humiliate boy, degrade him, ridicule
him and you have not subdued him.
Beam upon him gently and lovingly,
apart and alone, and he will be your
friend forever.
We need more gentleness on the part
of preachers. The servant of the Lord
must not strive, but be gentle toward all
men," The Great Preacher was SO gen
tls that Simon the Pharisee asked him to
dine with him; the poor harlot fingered
near His feet caressingly; Zaccheus and
Matthew, the publicans, became His 10y
al disciples, and even a thief, in the ag-
ony of crucitixion, cried, Lord, remem-
Der mel" The world needs nothing more
than IL needs gentleness and love. HUI
man hearts are hungry for the music of
gentle voices and the touch of tenderness.
Why should we not all try to show that
we are the sons and daughters of the
gentle God?
Rough, rude boys have been made
great for time and eternity by the sweet
ness and gentleness of mothers and sis
ters. Dull, wilful. petulant scholars
have been made thoughtful and earnest
by the tender, patient love of self. deny
ing teachers. Souls small, mean, selfish,
sinful, have been made great by the gem
tie, faithful labors of those not willing
that and should perish.
The night Of life is coming on apace.
It will be sweet to have the gates swing
inward at our approach to the city etern-
al, and to be welcomed by some watching
for our home coming, and to hear from
joyful lips such words as -s'Thy
gentleness hath made me great"