The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-12-23

as TO the Benehcent Congregational
church
The pastor Rev Asbury f. Krom. oc-
cupied the pulpit and he preached a pow
erful and eloquent sermon to congre-
cation large and duly appreeistive. The
music was in nt keeping with the impress
sive service and the reverend gentleman
spoke as follows:
THE SIN OF INGRATITUDE."
Luke 17:l7: "And Jesus answering said,
were there not ten cleansed? But where
are the nine?"
Ten men meet Jesus as he enters into
certain village, all are afflicted with the
hopeless disease of leprosy. They had
doubtless heard OF Jesus and His power
To heal not only the souls but the bodies
OF men. They cry unto Him for mercy. lie
commands them 90 go and show them
selves 20 the priests and before they
reached their destination they are
cleansed. Not with Jesus. not after reach
ing the priests but on the way they are
cleansed. One returns. fell on his face be-
fore Jesus. gave Him thanks for the
blessing He was a Samaritan Jesus
then recalling the circumstance asks. as
II in doubt. were there not ten?" Then
wondering why they did not return as
this one 10 thank the physician, who had
healed them.
This incident is a far off fact of history,
but our sympathies go out naturally TO
the one man and a feeling of shame as
sociates itself with the nine. For graft
tude Is considered by every man a pearl
OF great price. II Is so deeply imbedded
In human nature that we can not quite
understand the man who does not possess
It, We are willing ITO make any sacrifice
for the man whom we know viii appre-
ciate ~. However. much "a thing has cost
us, We are glad that II has been done IL
the recipient II grateful We delight 10
recall the incidents of history where men
and nations have rewarded by words and
deeds those who have served them. The
Athenians are for US only a name The
little town OF Plataea Is scarcely familiar
20 even the student OF Greek history. Yet
IL Is pleasure 20 know that when
Greece was invaded by the Persian host
ind the coming battlefield OF Marathon
rave promise OF being only the burial
round OF the Greek nation. then the lit
sle city OF Plataea that Athens had be-
friended and saved from ruin mustered
all its forces and cast in its fortunes with
city that seemed only doomed 10 de-
struction IL was an act of heroic graft
tude
Not until century after the death OF
Petrarch had Italy produced a poet who
could be compared with him.
He was the great poet OF love when.
as Macaulay SAYS. love might be called
new passion. He was the votary OF
literature. lie loved II with n perfect love
He worshipped IL with an almost fanau-
cal devotion"
In the capitol he received the laurel,
token Of the magnificent victory he had
won I'm the splendid arena OF thought
hxs ~ Ha ait
ful pen and the most delicate brush.
Says the historian, "To the man who
had extended the dominion OF her an
cient language-who had erected the tro-
phies OF philosophy and imagination in
the haunts OF ignorance and ferocity-
whose captives were the hearts OF admir-
ing nations enchained by the influence OF
his song-whose spoils were the treasures
OF ancient genius rescued from obscurity
and decay-the Eternal city offered the
just and glorious tribute OF her graft
tude."
GRATITUDE VS.. TNGRATITUDE
Grateful would the modern reader he n
the pages OF history were only filled with
the records OF the gratitude OF men. Of
cities and OF nations What a delight it
would be 10 live II in this world now,
gratitude for the manifold blessings of
the world were untarnished by selhshness
and short-sightedness Yet we can not for
get that the past tells us that Brutus.
an honorable man. dipped his hands In
the Blood Of Caesar who so long and so
generously befriended him. The name OF
Francis Bacon is eclipsed by his shame
ful ingratitude 10 the Earl OF Essex. Es-
sex had given him an estate. had In
creased his material and political for
tunes. Yet when Essex was tried for his
life Bacon urged charges against his
friend such as HIS bitterest enemies hes-
tated 10 mention.
With stinging eloquence Shakespeare
makes Worcester denounce the ingrati-
tude OF Henry. the Fourth And Louis
XIII OF France, who had owed his sue
cesses for years 60 the genius OF Riche-
lieu replied simply at his death, There
is great politician gone"
There Is no adjective that fits so well
the place before ingratitude as base. II
Is refusing TO pay debt. yet debt OF
no ordinary kind. Honor Is involved and
honor OF the highest kind. \ man may re-
fuse 10 return money or property aud we
have recourse and may find satisfaction
In the law. But here Is n debt that is owed
the more because no return is asked or
demanded. IN Is the most shameful of all
refusals 10 pay because IL can net be in
sisted upon or required.
In no instance In history does this in
gratitude seem more shameful than I'm the
case Of the nine recorded In our lesson.
put DtioIe We condemn lhem, m We con-
denim them AZ all. NAV we not seek TO
find some possible exciHse for their ac-
lion. We can understand. at least. that
they were naturally overwhelmed with
JOY We know too tnat pleasure, delight.
is oft-tines 50 intoxicating that n leads
one 10 forget the source Of their Joy The
delight we find I'm reading n good story.
In Itself tends 10 make Us forgetful OF
the author. We do not think OF the birth
pains through which II has passed We
do not stop TO ask ourselves how much u
has cost him Of labor. or pain. perhaps
of sorrow. certainly Of sef-denial
In our hours OF reflection we NAV ask
ourselves. who was the unknown sculptor
who carved out tho Venus de Milo. But
no such thought comes 90 us as we stand
awed before It's beauty. As We turn 20 20
no PRAYER OF thankfuness goes forth 20
him unknown who worked with 90 much
patience and skill
But all such soy Is neeting. A blessing