Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1898-06-23
SATURDAY SERMON.
For Sunday Perusal and Every Day
Guidance.

He was mighty man in valor, but
he was leper-II Kings, V. L.
On every human life, however
bright the sunshine, a cloud may
come. Every person covets what
he chooses to consider success;
some riches, some fame, some
pleasure, some domestic felicity.
No one, however, realizes all his
ambiticns-indeed not all are
worth realizing. There is always
something which mars happi-
Responsibilities of anguish in
every condition, spots weaker
than others in the strongest bar of
steel, the capability of tarnish in
the purest gold, spots on the sun.
A persons weakness-consequent
ly his source of suffering-may
lie just beside his strongest traits
of character. He may be honest,
but ver-exacting; strong-willed,
but obstinate; economical, but
penurious; affectionate, but pas
sionate. Unselfshness may sharp
en- daggers that pierce the heart,
and intensity of affection may be
a pledge of keenest pangs.
A person, it may be, acquires
riches, but health is gone, or do
mestic happiness has taken depar-
ture, or waters of grief are flood
ing the soul. Prominently suc-
eessful along some lines, he is con-
spicuously unsuccessful along
others. 1t takes but little to rem.
der a person miserable; it takes
much to render some happy. AS
it needs only tride to prevent
wealth from procuring content
ment, is it 8 mark of wisdom to
sacrifice for its acquisition that
which is of more value-health,
comfort, reputation, character,
principle, conscience-the hope of
the eternal world "Aman's life
consisteth not in the abundance of
things he posseseth. Does the
river consist in the drift wood it
is carrying to the ocean Fine
feathers make fine BIRDS, /" but fine
residence and a fine equipage are
not capable of always making the
heart merry.
OF those who covet fame, some
win the prize; but cares increase,
responsibllitie augment disappoint-
ments multiply and arrows of en-
w become keener and more num-
erous. He who courts public fagy-
vor courts a tickle damsel, one
who, qualified to bestow happiness,
may fatter littleness and contemn
greatness. In history there are
few sadder chapters than those
which record cares, worries and re-
verses of some who acquired
prominence. Moses was a mighty
man, but he was driven into exile,
and sleeps in an unknown grave.
Elijah was rare specimen Of true
greatness. but Ahab's folly and
Jezabel's hatred came near driving
him to suicide. Daniel was a great
man, but for his peculiar species
of greatness Nebuchadnezzar
thought lions den the fittest
place. Isaiah was a man of rare
strength of character, but Manas-
sch laid him between two planks
| and sawed him In twain.
Those who wish to see the empti-
ness of human greatness would dc
well to read the biographies of the
kings, sixty in number, who dur
ing six hundred years ruled the
Eastern Roman empire, its capital,
Constantinople, and they may
thank God that they are permit
ted to live in obsurity.
It is we'll to observe that eacf
person lot, all things considered
is not widely different from that
of others. The mountain has botf
rocks and sunshine; the valley has
floods as well as waving harvests
The eyes that shed tears can bean
| with love.