Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1901-09-27
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tons illustrious examples of that spir-
st; text. Acts xviii. 2. "rhe barbarous
people showed US nc. little kindness"
Here we are on the island of Malta,
another name for Meiita. This island.
which has always been an important
commercial center, belonging at differ
ent times to PhGnlcia, to Greece, to
Rome, to Arabia, to Spain. 70 France.
now belongs TO England. The area of
the island Is about 100 square miles.
1t is in the Mediterranean sea and OF
such clarity OF atmosphere that Mount
Etna, $50 miles away. can be distinctly
seen. The island is gloriously memo
rable because the Knights of Malta for
long while ruled there, but most ia
nous because of the apostolic ship
wreck. The bestormed vessel on which
Paul sailed Lad "iaid to" on the star
board tack, anG the wind was blowing
cast-northeast. and. the vessel drifting
probably nile and half an hour,
she struck at what is now called st.
Paufs bay. Practical sailors have TAX
en- up the Bible account and decided
beyond controversy the place of the
shipwrcck. But the island. which has
so rough a coast. Is for the most part
garden. Richest fruits and n profu-
sion OF honey characterized Ii in Pauls
time as well as now. The finest or
anSeS, figs and olives grow there
When Paul AMI his comrades crawled
up on the beach. saturated and hungry
from long abstinence from food and
chilled to the bone. the islanders,
though called barbarians because they
could not speak Greek. opened their
doors to the shipwreeked unforsunates
My text finds the ships crew ashore
on Malta and around n hot sire and
with the best provision the island
ers can offer them. And they 20 into
government quarters for three days to
recuperate. Publius. the ruler. inviting
them. although be had severe sickness
In the house at that time. his father
down with dangerous illness. Yea,
for three months they stayed on the is
land watching for a ship and putting
the hospitality OF the islanders to a
severe test. But It endured the test sat
1sfactorily, and 1t is recorded for all the
ages Of time and eternity TO read and
hear in regard TO the inhabitants of
Aalta. The barbarous people showed
oS no lltsle KINDNESS.
Most Potent of Words
Kindnessi What a great word that
ISL 1t would take n reed ns long as
shat which the apocalyptic angel used
40 measure heaven to tell the length.
the breadth. the height of that munifi-
cent word. 1t is favorite Bible word.
and it is early launched in the book of
Genesis. caught up in the book OF
Joshua. embraced In the book OF Ruth.
sworn by In the book OF Samuel. crown
cd In the book OF Psalms and enthron-
ed In many places In the New Tesla
ment. Kindness, y word no more
gentle than mighty. 1 expect it will
wrestle me down before get through
with 1t. Ii Is strong enough TO throw
an archangcl. But Il will be we'll for
us TO stand around Il ana warm our
selves by It's glow as Paul and his EEL
low voyagers stood around the fire on
the island OF Malta. where the Maltese
made themselves immortal I'm my text
by the way they treated these victims
OF the sea. THE barbarous people
showed us no little kindness"
Kindness, All definitions OF that
multipotcnt word break down half
way. You say IL Is clemency, benigni-
~, generosity; it is made up OF good
wishes; 1t is an expression or beneh-
cence; 1t Is contribution TO the happl-
ness OF others Some one else SAYS:
why, l can give you n definition OF
Kindness. IL is sunshine or the soul; IL
is affection perennial: Il is a climacter-
&c grace; 1t Is combination OF all the
graces; 1t Is compassion; IL Is the per-
lection OF gentle maElincss and wo-
manlincss." Are you all through? You
have made n dead failure IN your def
milton. IL cannot be defined. But we all
know what IL Is for we have all felt its
power. Some OF you may have felt it
as Paul felt IL on some coast OF rock
as the ship went 10 pieces, but more OF
us have again and again In some awful
stress or life had either from earth or
heaven hands stretched out which
showed us no little kindness"
There is kindness OF disposition, kind
ness or word. kindness or act. and there
Is Jesus Christ, the impersonation of
all or them. Kindness! You cannot
afiect Ii; you cannot play It as part:
you cannot eIslct IL; you cannot drama
tie 1t. BY the grace of God you must
have Ii inside you. an everlasting sum.
MGR, or, rather. combination OF June
and October. the geniality OF the one
and the tonic OF the other. 1t cannot
dwell with arrogance or spite or re-
venge or malevolence. At its first an
pearance in the soul all these Amale-
Kites and Gergishites and Utilities and
JeDusites must quit and quit forever
kindness wishes everybody well, every
man well. every woman well, every
child well. every bird well. every horse
well. every dog well. every cat well
Give Tits spirit full swing, and you
WOULD have no more need OF societies
Tor prevention OF cruelty TO animals.
no more need of protective sewing
women's associations, and 1t would
dull every sword until II would not
cut skin deep and unwheel every bat
terry I'LL II could not roll and make
gunpowder OF no more use in the world
except for rock blasting or pyrotechnic
celebration
But are you waiting and hoping for
some one to be bankrupted or exposed
or discounted or in some way over
thrown? Then kindness has not taken
possession OF your nature. You are
wrecked on Malta where there are
no oranges. You are entertaining a
guest so unlike kindness that kindness
will not come and dwell under the
same roof. The most exhausting and
unhealthy and ruinous spirit on earth
is revengeful spirit or retaliating
spirit, as know by experience, FOR
have tried ii for five or ten minutes at
time. When some mean thing has
been done me or said about me, 1 have
felt Il will pay him in his own coin. l |
VIII show him up. The migrate, the |
traitor. the liar. the villainw But five
or ten minutes of the feeling has been |
so unnerving and exhausting L have
abandoned Ii, and cannot understand |
how people can 90 about fortnrino, |