The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-05-04

Dor Bear and forbear is the teaching of
the Bible. This Is the reason Christ sent
forth his messengers two by two. This Is
the reason we find impulsfve Peter often
walking by the side of the well poised
John; the gentle Mary living In the same
house with her sister. who lost her tenn
per in the kitchen, spiritualized by her
own sweetness of soul that entire house
hold. This is the way In which We can
double our loved ones spiritual useful
ness and diminish their temptations to
sin Bear We one another's burdens has
a wider and deeper significance than
most of us have ever realized.
Liehtens Lies Burdens.
In helping a brother bear his burdens
we make the back stronger by which we
can bear our own. A few years ago a
dear friend of mine was threatened with
the loss of one of his eyes. He became
very much depressed. The surgeons said
the eye must be cut out. For some time
he stayed at home and brooded over his
nearing misfortune. He was rebellious
against God and would not be comforted
But one day he started down Broadway.
Ahead of him he saw an old blind color
ed woman standing upon the street cor
ner waiting to pass over. She dare not
without help. This old colored woman
had a long stick in her hand by which
she would find her way along. Upon her
arm she carried a market basket The
gentleman went up and accosted her
with the words, "Well, aunte, can L
help you over the street?' The eolored
womans face was wreathed in smiles as
she answered, THANK you. massa ;
thank you, suh.' On the way across the
street the colored woman said "Massa,
some people say l am old and blind and
no account to any one. But, massa, life
is very sweet to me. l find the goodness
of God everywhere. He has taken away
my two eyes, but the people are always
kinder to me than to any one else-I am
blind And. then sir, l have still my
hearing. My children love me, and | can
never cease to praise God for the mer-
ces with which he has surrounded my
life My friend stopped his brooding
then and there. Surely" said he IF
God can make a poor old blind colored
woman happy, he does love and care for
me-" When a man tries to help carry
his brothers burdens, he finds that his
own become lighter to bear.
Members of a Christian church are in
the sight of God one spiritual family
and therefore have a right to expect
help from one another Every ship
wrecked mariner has claim upon every
stout keel floating the wide seas. The
be hemmed in by the four walls of a re-
ligious edifice. The parable Of the good
Samaritan teaches that we should love
our neighbor as ourselves. Our neighbor
is not alone the friend who lives next
door. He is also the stranger of foreign
birth who has fallen among the thieves
on the road to Jericho Any traveller
who is naked, ahungered, athirst. any
wayfarer who is lost upon the mountains
To-.
can be, Is our neighbor. We as Chris
tians have a duty to foreign missions as
well as to home missions, to the savage
living In the jungles of Africa as well as
to the heather In the back alley half a
block away from our kitchen door, to
the waif Of the street who has fallen
asleep upon our doorstep.
Direct the Feet of the Wanderer.
But the words Of the text have still
another application. Paul was addressing
the members of the Christian churches
Those churches were situated in Galatia
The members-sturdy, warm hearted, but
hot headed mountaineers-had internal
dissensions. In the course Of his letter
he lays down the broad statement that
each member must bear with the faults
and frailties of other members They
should especially do this because they
were brethren and members of a church
family of which God was the Father and
Jesus Christ the elder brother. The bond
of a belief in a common Saviour certainly
ought to help the members of a church
family to bear with each others weak
nesses. Worldly societies help their I'M
fortunate members. 1 am told that the
Masons not only bury their dead; they
care for living Masons who need help.
They have certain signs and hanGclasps.