The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1899-07-28

your pPighbor's business as we'll as your
own. He has enough to do and you have
enough to do, If you each do your own
part we'll. You might as well try to
pay your neighbor's debts as try to take
his business out Of his hands.
GOSSIP is A LITTLE THING
that does an immense deal of harm. 1t
is the ''little matter" that kindles great
confiagration. 1t is, as the snail rudde-
that swings the ship around, little
means of turning upside down a whole
community. When the bit is in ths
horses mouth you can govern the
horse; when the bit ia out of the hoi SEES
mouth, who can control him? When goa
sip is held in check, it helps life in all
it's parts; when it is let 60, it ruins and
blasts. How many young people have
been stopped in their attempts at Chris
tisn service by some malicious tongue,
set a-wsgging! They started out with
the enthusiasm of youth, with the keen
desire to show their gratitude to their
Master by loving acts Of devotion. They
really meant to do something; but some
body questioned their motives, and they
stopped their attempts at service. and
they never will do any more Christian
work. You know them, know them :;
there are many in this community to-day.
The little country village (mind, I say
the country village, not this country viii
lage) is splendid place for gossip. IT
country village we are thrown togeth-
er as one big family, and this is good
thing. How many times [ have seen,
since have come into this quiet village
life, how sorrow in one home casts tie
ahaHnyU oil fho hnpnos hn
not suffer without all suffering together.
How different all this is in the city. In
the city your next-door neighbor does
not care who you are. Yougoy your way,
he goes his. Your place of bust
( ness is on one side OF the city, his place
of business ID on the other eide. Your
church is close by your door, his church
Is many blocks away. Your circle of
friends is not his circle of friends. You
( do not cons ult the same doctor, you do
not read the same morning newspaper
J that your neighbor does. He votes one
ticket, you vote the other. One day, un.
der the same roof that IL called their
home, funeral Is held; but one man
who rushes out the front door of the
apartment house in the morning on his
way TO business hardly notices the Grape
attached to the bell and certainly he does
not know that any one has been sick, and
In the sorrow that is breaking the hearts
of those who touch elbows with him on
the stairs every day he ia not sharer.
One day, under the same roof which
they call their home, a wedding is held.
Two hearts are made happy, two live
are joined by an indiss ,luble tie; but the
lone who lives on the floor above or the
floor below does not know that anything
unusual is going on In the house iG seems
to him everyday living and monotonouc
existence dragging les weary length
along.
How different all this ia In the country
village! have seen thing here which
has touched me. L have seen those
whose hearts were counted c Id and un-
yielding, who made no pretensions TO be.
ing followers of Christ, when neighbor
was seriously sick, 60 and watch at the
bedside night after night without recon-
pence, though carrying on their own
work during the day. Because, theE, we
are thrown together so Intimately in our
village life, because we are one great
family, because what wounds one wounds
Eali others, let us be careful what we dc
and say. Let us talk about one another,
but in such way that we shall never
wish our words unsaid let them be sbl:
to stand the test of the Judgement Day
THE NEXT LITTLE FOX
that comes before as la thoughtlessness
Have you never heard the boy say In ex
cuse for his deed, 81 didn't mean to p
IL was mean for him not % mean to-
Il didn't mean to'' ia about the same as
II II don't care;' they are twin brothers
and might as well shake hands.
The opposite OF thoughtiessness is
thoughtfulness, and how we appreciate
thatl This 10 no little sin, no small fox,
but beautiful virtue. Have you been
SICK, and some kind friend has sent to you
some little token OF Remembrance, q nose
Il gay OF flowers, small basket OF fruit
L. was not the value of the gift that
brought tears OF gratitude to your eyes
II was not worth very much reckoned in
Idimes-but 1t was because your friend
thought enough OF you to send it. Have
you been sitting in the shadow OF some
great affection, feeling very lonely, when
a note OF sympathy has come TO you
i from friend, w0rded 90 gently that ii
has been just what your heart longed for
That is the thing which draws US most
1closely to God. The display OF HIS pow
Ter prostraGes us to the earth. He 1t Ia
who rideth upon the wings OF the wind,
/ who stitch on the circles OF the heavens.
Jehovah Ia His name. His wisdom con-
4 Pounds uH. stCanat thou by searching
/ find out God? canst thou ind ont the
Almighty unto perfection2 aThy
Judgements are q great deep" We
cannot understand His purposes, we cam
not explain them God always has to be
His own interpreter ard make things
plain. His power oVerwheims us, His
wisdom c0nfoupds us but His thonghtful-
ness melts and wins us. When we were
yet without strength, helpless, hopeless
Eprodigais. In rags, He Thought enough Of