Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-06-14
HEROES AND HERoINEs.
People Who Bear the UnbearabIe
with n Serene Faith sn the
Providence of God

/ qualities of character which hurl one
TO the forefront in a critical moment,
| careless of danger, reckless of conse-
quences, claim our unstinted applause.
! But in the emergency, when the air
vibrates with excitement, man be-
comes intoxicated with courage, or
binary soldiers do deeds which would
| grace a god of Olympus and the cow
ard is SO rare an exception that he be-
| comes invisible. Human nature, when
impelled by strong passion or a noble
ambition, surprises itself. The poor
village lout has a capacity for endur-
ance and brilliant work which needs
| only time and incentive to become de
vine. The rattle Of musketry is the
stimulus to great achievement. The
| perilous expedition, with sudden death
lurking in ambush, will always find
volunteers.
/ Man Is a rude, crude, but grand sort
| of creature, with the making OF an
archangel in him. There is a mettle
In his soul which has not yet been fully
| called forth. He is a Toledo blade
| which the hot fire Of circumstance will
some time temper. He is nobler than
he knows or ever can know until he is
forced to show himself by opportu-
nifty.
So much for physical heroism. Il is
| generally exhibited in the gaze of the
world. There is another kind, how
ever, and a higher kind, which never
sees the light of day-the quiet hero
ism Of an obscure life. The majority
of our heroes and heroines will be un-
known to us until we get TO Heaven.
They are not now walking on hilltops,
where they can be observed Of all men,
but are living quietly and sacrificing
| patiently in their narrow sphere wait
/ ing for the peace and rest which will
come cat eventide." I have known
many such, and have never looked into
their sad faces without thinking that
there is courage to which that Of the
battlefield is q trivial circumstance,
the courage which endures with resig-
nation and meets inevitable suffering
| and misfortune with a calmness which
is Gods best gift.
| Here, for example, ig a woman who
on her wedding day saw nothing but
blue sky and sunshine. It seemed as
though no shadow could throw itself
II
| lips Of aughter-nothing more. She
did not know her own strength, for she
had never been tested. But the av-
alanche swept down the mountain side
and buried all her hopes. The day was
turned TO night, and even the stars
refused TO come out. Sickness, death.
| poverty followed in logical succession.
She was face TO face with hard world.
her children crying for bread The
friends of other days had their atten-
ton called elsewhere, and they saw
her not. Alone in the struggled And
yet she bravely set to work, won her
way to livelihood, walked her lonely
| path in calm confidence that God still
| lived, brushed away the tears and
| grappled with fate. The struggle has
told on her, for her hair Is gray, and
there is look in her face which comes
only from sorrow hard to bear.
You do not know her, or perhaps
care TO know her, but that life is one
long list of heroisms, and when we all
get yonder and look back on the past
we shall see the path she has travelled.
the upward climb of her years, and
give her the need of praise which a
thoughtless and ignorant world now
refuses. There are no nobler qualities
of character than her accomplishing
endurance, her persistent patience and
her undimmed faith. The future has
crowns for such souls, and God and the
angels walk with them on their way to
the New Jerusalem.
I know man who has given his life
II 60 \,
has been bedridden for years, shut in
from the pleasures which we most
prize, and still another whose life has
been long sacrifice for his children,
and another who-but why continue
the list? do but remind you OF a
similar instance within your own
knowledge.
To meet such fate az that requires
the sublimest courage, not the cour-
age of despair, but the courage OF
faith. There are flowers even in such
byways as these, joys which cheer the
heart and spots of happiness like GASES
in the desert. It is strange, but the
presence Of God and the conscious
panionShip of angels can bring
bright days and starry nights. 1t is
not our Surroundings, after ali. that
bring peace, for if. peace is inthe heart
it throws its light over all.
The root and foundation Of thi.
heroiSm is religion. There must be
faith that above us and around US ar,
helpful and cheering influences, anC
that what strength we need will b,
given us for the asking If we are *
meet sorrow and misfortune Will
quiet fortitude. And the more w,
realize the presence of God the eaSie
| it Is to bear burdens. Il we eoIhd one,
. catch glimpse of an angels face w,
I should be lighthearted even IN tn,
d dark. At any rate, we can have faitl
that loved ones are near, though In
1 visible, and 1t helps us as nothing els
> ean.-GeOrge II. Hepworth, IN N. Y
: | Herald.
Recipes for Troubles.
If anxious and depressed, rea
Psalm %.