The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1900-01-26
INTEREST IN OTHERS
DR.. Talmage POrrsys Two Kinds
of Busybodies.
The GIft OF EVIL speech OF some PeO-
pIe--How We May Have n Den-
evoIent Interest IN the Az
fairs OF Others.
lcOpyrisb;. 1900. by Louis Kiopschl

luG VI OAnNAN ~ AhNiA
but never for their damage. Text
Peter. ANS: ~ busybody in other
mems matters
Human nature Is the same in all
ages. In the second century of the
worlds existence people had the same
characteristics as people in the nine
teenth century, the only difference be-
ing that they had the characteristics
for a longer time. IL was 500 years
of goodness or 500 years of meanness
instead of goodness or nieanness for
30 or so years. Well, Simon Peter,
who was a keen observer of what was
going on around him. one day caught
sight OF a man whose characieristics
were severe inspection and blatant
criticism o. the affairs belonging TO
people for whom he had no RESPONSE
bility. and with the hand once Drowned
and hardened by fishing tackle drew
this portrait for all subsequent ages;
"a busy body in other mems matters.
That kind of person has been a
trouble maker IN every country since
the world stood Appointing himself
20 the work of exploration and detee-
ton, be goes forth mischief making.
He generally begins by reporting the
infelicity discovered. He is the adver-
Using agent Of intirmities and domes-
tic inharmony aud occurrences that
but for him would never have come
10 the public eve or ear. He feels that
che secret ought 10 be hauled out into
light aud heralded. II he can get one
line Of il into the newspapers, that he
feels 20 be a noble achievement 10
start with. But be must not let IL
stop. He whispers il TO his neighbors,
and they in turn whisper il to their
neighbcrs, until the whole town Is
a-buzz and agog. You can no more
catch IL or put il down tnan you can
a malaria. II is in the air and on the
wing ard ahoat. Taken 10y itself q
seems Of little importance. but after
= hundred people have handled il and
each has given il an additional twist
il becomes a story in size and shape
marvellous. II il can be kept going.
after awhile il will be large enough TO
call the attention Of the courts OF the
presbyteries or conferences or associ-
atoms. The most OF the scandals
abroad are the work Of the one whom
Peter in the text styles "a busybody in
other mems matters"
First, notice that such mission is
most undesirable. because we al Te-
quire al the time we can get 20 take
care OF our own affairs. To carry orT-
selves through the treacherous straits
OF this life demands that we all the
time keep our band on the wheel of
cur own craft. While. as / shall show
you before | get through. we all have
4 mission OF kindness 10 others, we
have no time 20 waste in doing that
which is damaging TO others.
There is our worldly calling which
must be looked after or IL will become
a failure. Who succeeds in anything
wiz out concentrating all his energies
upon that one thing? All those who
try TO do many things go TO pieces.
either as TO health or their fortune.
They go on until they pay ten cents on
the dollar or pay their body into the
grave. We cannot manage the affairs
of Others and keep our own affairs
prosperous. While we are inquiring
low precarious is the business of an
other merchant and finding out how
many notes be has unpaid and how
soon he will probably be wound up or
make an assignment or hear the sher-
ifs hammer smite his counter our
own affairs are getting mixed OPP aud
endangered. While we arc criticising
our neighbor' for his poor crops we
are neglecting the fertilization OF our
own fields or allowing the weeds to
choke cur own corn. While we are try
ing TO extract the mote from our
neighbor's eye we fail under the
weight OF the beam in our own eye.
Those men disturbed by the faults OF
others are themselves the depot az
which whole trains of faults arrive
aud from which whole trains of faults
start. The men who have succeeded
III secular things or religious things
will tell you that they have no time
Tor hunting out the deficits of others
On the way To their coUnting-room
they may have heard that a firm in
the same line of business was I'm trou-
hle. ard they said: 'SoTy. very sor-
ry," bu, they went in rnd sat dos n
81 their table and opened the book
containing a full statement of their
affairs 10 see II they were In peril OF
being caught 10 a similar cyclone.
GndGers about town. with hands in
pockets and hats set far back on the
head. waiting TO hear baleful news, are
failures now or will be failures. Chris.
tian men and women who go round
with mouth and looks full of inferno
cation points 10 find how some other
church member is given to eNaggera.
ton or drinks too much or negiects
his home for greater outside aitrac-
lions have themselves so little grace
in their hearts that no one suspects
they have any. In proportion as people
are consecrated and holy and usefu
they are lenient with others and dis
posed 10 say: wait until we hear the
other side OF that matter. cannot
believe that charge made against that
man or woman Gniil we have some
better testimony than that given by
these scandal mongers. guess IL !:
lie"
How is IL that you can always find
two opinions about anyone and those
two opinions exactly opposite? ] VIII
tell YOU the reason. is because there