The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-09-08
PATIENCE TOWARD
 MEN WAS THE TEXT
Rev. Dr. A. 3. Curry's Force
 fuI Discourse.
THE BALLAST OF THE SOUL
Patience Discussed as a Grace and Many Spheres Pointed Out Where 1t Should Be Used-Ser-
 wants and Children.

"Our word patience comes from Latin word which means "to suffer-" and deep down at the bottom of all patience lies the idea of suffering. Patience toward God is the grave which enables us to bear up cheerfully under all Gods deal ings with us. Even to the point of suf- fering, if need be. Patience toward men is that grace which enables us to bear with our fellowman. with their weak nesses, their failures. their sins and their wrongs to us, also to the point of suf- fering. It is the latter of which the apostle speaks when he says Be patient toward all men,"
 Some Reasons.
 Note some reasons for the exercise Of this patience toward men.
 First. the divine example. In the old testament 1t Is said of God, "Ee is slow to anger and of great mercy" and in the new testament he is called "rhe God of patience" He is infinitely patient in his conduct toward men. This is Illustrated in his dealings wien Jacob, the supplant- CT. It is also beautifully and strilSingly set forth in the parable of the prodigal son. God is patient toward the just and tLe unjust. Not one of us would be saved but for the patience of God.
 Then again patience ministers to our own highest happiness and usefulness. '1Ie that controlleth his spirit is greater than he that taketh a city" The worlds strongest men have beeen patient men, like William the Silent, and George Washington. Impatience is a sign of weakness in character and often brings trouble and remorse.
 One outburst of impatience cost Moses forty years exile in Midian. and still an- other cost him the promised land Alex ander in a fit of impatience slew his best friend; afterward so great was his grief he would have killed himself had not the bystanders prevented. Patience is the ballast of the soul, to hold 1t steady amidst llfe's storms. Alas, for the voy ager that cometh forth without it.
 Instances for Patience.
 Note next. some spheres in which we should exercise patience:
 First-In dealing with employees; here
 
 tience. The servant problem is one of the most serious confronting the Ameri- can housewife. Another great problem is that of labor and capital. Abundant pa- tience must enter Into the final solution of these problems. But patience with wisdom will solve them.
 Remember two things: The stronger party must exercise most patience. When a housewife loses patience and rails out on her servant, she has descended to the level of the servant of below it. When a white man loses patience with poor, ignorant negro and whips out his pistol and shoots him. he. too. sinks to the level of the weaker race or below 1t.
 In the second place, remember how pa- tient God has been with you, and try to initiate him. in. being patient with all men,"
 Dr. Curry then showed the need of pa- tience in the unavoidable friction of bus mess and professional life. Illustrating it by several current events of the day. Continuing he said:
 "In the next place patience should abound in our dealing with our children, fin the family and in the school, not sense less indulgence, which hurts and ruins. but sympathetic patience which helps and saves. The parent or teacher who corrects the wrong doing of a child with an outburst of impatience and loud scold- ing has by that act, in most cases, sinned worse than the child has done, and has done more harm by wrong ex- ample to the child than she can possible do good by the fiery words of impatience. Dr. Arnold of Rugby in teaching stu pid boy lost his patience and scolded him: the boy looked up at him and said: why do you speak angrily sir? am doing the best I can" The doctor felt the rebuke keenly and said he could never forget that boys look and question.
 Effect of Patience.
 A teacher gave a Toy an example to work; he tried time and again, but failed every time; then he gave up, bowed hls head and sobbed. The teacher came and sat close by him. spoke gently to him. worked the example for hfm and showed it to him and explained It. So when we had tried in vain to solve the problem of a holy ard perfect life and were hope less, the patient God came to us, as to his children, and spoke Kindly 10 us ana solved the problem for us in the person of Jesus Christ. and set Him before us ss an eNemplar.
 So should we do with our children. When they fail, work out in unfailing patience the example or gentle. strong successful life, and it will stand before them as an encoura cement and inspfra- ton. and will be worth more to them than all the ebulitons of wrath and out bursts of temper. Parents. teachers, Do patient toward the children.
 Once more, we should exercise patience in the conduct of all church work Some men upbraid the church because she al- lows within her pale not only weak men but sinful. hypocriticaI men, and say: ''Why do you not uproot them and cast them out?" And sometimes cnurch mem bers advanced in the spiritual life, lose patience with .he weaker members ard withdraw from them. But the church, like her divine Master, must be patierI toward men," seeking to bring even the worst to repentance; often leaving the work of separation to Him, who at the proper time will do 1t with unerring wis