The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-02-11

GIf e..
Jesus passing from Judea 10 Galilee
crosses the country OF Samaria and sitting
at well I'm wait for His disciples meets
Samaritan woman. 1t was on the way
from one place OF labor to another. A
kind of transition period In his work. IL
was perhaps the most idle hour of the
journey. He was wearied and alone and
we should naturally expect that such an
hour on such a journey would be passed
over in silence.
Yet II was ON this journey. I'm this idle
hour. tired and worn with a despised
woman OF Samaria that Jesus gives ut
terance TO truths as profound as are
contained In the gospels. and lie reaches
the highest conception OF God and wor-
ship ever uttered or heard by man.
God IL spirit and they who worship
Him must worship In spirit and truth. -
GIVE ME A DRINK.
The immediate occasion OF this speech
was the fulhllment. on the womans part
OF simple duty. She mad come down
from the city 10 draw water from the
well OF Jacob. Give me drink" said
the Master. and in her recalling 10 Him
the fact that she Is a Samaritan and he
Jew he plunges into the distinction
between the water he has requested Of
her and that which in turn he was able
TO give. Those who drink OF the first.
thirst again and must seek more from
the same source. Daily she must come
there to I'll her pitcher Those who drink
OF the water which He was 10 give. never
thirst. for henceforth they have him in
them well OF water springing up unto
everlasting life.
Thus We are lead away from Jacobs
we'll and the symbolism that is there sug-
gested and find ourselves face 10 face
with men and life. There are two kinds OF
water. There are two kinds OF men. There
There are. two kinds OF men There
are those dependent entirely upon the
external things OF life az this woman
was dependent upon the well and there
are those. like Jesus. who have resources
I'm themselves
A CONTRAST OF CHARACTER.
The contrast then Is funda mentally n
contrast Of character Secondarily a
contrast OF the methods by which the
character is realized.
IL would be an extremely difficult thing
to draw a hard and fast line between
the people we know who have resources
I'm themselves and those who have not.
Yet We are conscious that such a distinc-
tion exists. Not this meeting a the well:
but the facts that are so apparent in
modern society Justify this sermon We
should remember, too. that facts as we
see them are but outward symbols OF
inner realities and that the tendencies
and forces that make for such a condi-
tion today are much more alarming than
the Isolated instances. The most potent
OF these factors is public opinion. What
laws with their penalties and rewards
cannot accomplish public opinion can.
Back OF senates and legislatures and ex-
los ntth 1in int xxvaI ICI
only is stronger than they are, but which
makes and unmakes them.
WONDERFULLY CoMPLEX
Public opinion is wonderfully complex.
for II Is made up OF the personal opin-
Ions OF every one about every thing. II
acts ofttimes In practice after a fashion
that IL does not openly avow. and claims
perhaps I'm theory to condemn.
n IL does not sanction 1t certainly does
not oppose habit OF life by which one
comes to live outside OF ones self rather
than In the recesses of mind and heart
1t affords a suitable atmosphere for
moral and intellectual dissipation. There
Is abundant satisfaction. There is abun-
dant sanction In society for riotous living
Life IL something to be spent here and
there according to whim. Manifold condi-
tions make this possible and serve as an
incentive TO IL.
The invention Of printing was one of
the greatest boons ever given to human
fly. Think how much depends on II to-
day. How many Institutions IL has fos-
tered Modern society as 1t is consti-
tuted would be an impossibility without
It. Through the newspaper this very
public opinion has been largely created
The public schools, the whole system
OF education owes Its existence I'm no
small part TO the art OF printing. our
Libraries. public and private are a direct
result Of Il. The high standard OF edu-
cation among all classes in this country
is due in no small measure to cheap |
printing
YET ANOTHER SIDE.
Yet after all there is another. side 10 !
this. Most of the good things in this |
world are good because OF the use we |
make Of them. They are good because |
they are employed with moderation ]
Most issues are bad because of incom- |
plete development. Most issues are good |
because they have been carried Just far |
enough through and have reached a bal |
snce and poise.
Reading Is good In so far as Il stimulates
one TO think. to reflect. 10 act or to re-
frain from action. II is OF value I'm SO far
as II enlarges life.
We must admit that large per cent.
OF the reading today is "A substitute for
thought II is a slayer OF ennui II aids
one TO forget himself Into the tedIum
Of daily existence II puts experiences that
warm the heart and thriIl the blood
Instead OF thinking for ourselves or
using a good book "a an incentive to
thought. we employ an opiate that lulis
thought to sleep.
The mind In dissipated instead OF en-
lsrged. The average reader Of today
knows Infinitely about the world than his
grandfather did. Hts grandfather knew
more about himself had more resources
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