The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-02-16
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1e, 1902.
SYMPATHY WHICH COMES roo
 LATE.

On last Sunday Rev. J. J. D. Hall, the Episcopal minister at Troy, preached farewell sermon, taking Appreciation for his subject. and in the course of his remarks, he said: When l am dead don't any of you bring any flowers to place on my grave. or act as pall-bearers at a fine funeral for me if you have never said kind words or done anything to cheer me along in this life"
 There is a whole sermon in those words, albeit they contain a reproach to many well-intentioned people who are not aware of their own shortcomings. It is not be- cause people are hard hearted or hypocrit- that their minister does for them, but it is more often from want of thought They see him going his daily rounds, laboring for them and for their temporal and spiritual welfare, oftentimes suffering in body and spirit perhaps at times de- prived of the comforts of life, but they look on 1t as only the carrying out of the duties of his calling. and for which they perhaps think he is properly paid. They do not stop to think that he, also. is human. and subject to the ills of hu- manity; that he may be sick in both body and mind. weary and worn. not infre- quently disheartened and discouraged, and ~ell-nigh ready to give up the fight from pure weariness of heart They do not seem conscious of the fact that kind words and acts of kindness would cheer him on his way and strengthen him in his work. or that little timely en- couragement may be balm to his faint ing spirit.
 Yet. when this man has finisbed his work, has fought the good fight, laid down his arms and gone to his reward, these same hitherto thoughtless people will attend his funeral, bring flowers to his grave and shed real tears over his bier. They will grieve sincerely at his taking away and will really and truly feel his loss. They are not hypocrites nor is their sorrow pretence. They are truly grieved, and may bittery repent their neglect of the living, and reproach themselves that part of their kindly feel ing and love for him was not exhibited while he was oB earth to hear and feel and be cheered by 1t.
 And it is not the minister alone who suffers from the thoughtless neglect or want of sympathy of others. Many a man and many a woman goes through life weighted down by the burdens of life. too proud to complain, yet feeling all the time as if they must give up the strug- gle and fall by the wayside. A little help few words of kindness and encourage ment, a little evidence of human feeling and human sympathy. would be like mama in the wilderness. or the shadow of great rock in a weary land. or like a drop of cool water to the parched tongue, but it comes not until the tired soul has ceased to struggle and lays down the burden forever. Then there is sympathy and flowers, tears and heart felt sorrow but the poor dead body has passed beyond It's reach and the weary heart can no longer respond to the kiss of love, or the hand return the clasp of sympathy.
 little help and kindness and sympa- thy in life is worth many tears and flow CTS after death. In the language of Mrs. osgood:
 Little deeds of kindness. little words of
 love.
 Make our earth an Eden like the Heaven
 above.