Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-08-06
THE SUNSHINE PARTY.
Reasons Why Everyone Should Be
long to It and How They
Can Do So.

The young people Of Burma have a
pasume which affords great pleasure
TO crowds of people at certain seasons
OF the year. number Of young men.
who call themselves the Storm par
ty," take hold of a long rope. the other
end OF which is seized by a similar
team of athletes who are termed the
Sunshine party" Each of the op-
posing parties tries Justify to draw the
other over a line, in the manner of a
"tug-of-war." The struggle for victory
is fierce and prolonged If the one
party triumphs it is considered certain
that the prevailing weather during tho
next month or two will be stormy, II
the other wins fair weather is thought
assured for some time to come
There is always a sunshine party In
the world, writes c. A. S. Dwight. in
Young People, without formal organi-
cation indeed, but made up of all those
who believe in God and so in the worth
OF human life, who have a religious
faith and so human sympathy. who
90 hot shut their eyes to the sin and
sorrow that is in the world while yet
rejoicing in the belief that Christian
ity can Danish the sin and heal the
sorrow. who are not simply cheerful
pessimists,' patiently resigned. but
also convinced optimists, positively
hopeful, who believe that sunshine is
but God shining down upon the world
and who do all they can to transmit
and scatter those gladdening rays to
oarkened hearts and murky corners of
the earth.
1t is good 10 be a sunshiner in this
sense-to do ones best TO make men
more cody and more glad, to wipe
away here and there tear. and tn
coax on this or that face a happy
smile. TO tighten ofttimes anothers
burden and To share now and then
another's bliss, weeping With them
that weep and rejoicing with them
that do rejoice. Happiness. after all
is largely contagious. Others rejoice
In our JOY or are depressed by our
weak faith or Respondent moods
Every soul is a kind of human Their
mometer, registering the social tenn
perature-whether warm and genial or
cold and congealing-that prevails
about it, We cannot help this sensi-
uVeness, but I'VE can by our kind words
or kinder actions do much toward
making ii easier for the now depressed
spiritual temperatures of other spirits
TO rise TO warmer glow.
Everyone can take pull at the sun
SHINE rope. There is nobody so weak
but that his laying hand upon il will
increase the strain in the direction of
the bright weather goal. The croak-
ers, the storm producers, the bad
weather makers, are abroad in the
Iand IN great numbers, but a deter
mined and continued effort on the part
OF all sunshiners will draw them over
tne line into saner state of mind and
brighter way Cs looking at things
God means life TO be full of happiness
OF at any rate of that deep Joy, that
spiritual peace, which is better than
any happiness. Believe in God. be-
heVe In humanity, believe in yourself
take counsel OF the divine promises
and not of your fears, be much in
communion with the Master, and Your
life Will be like a glowing beacon in
whose light men will be more than
Wiling 10 rejoice, and your mission as
sunshine scatterer will be blessed to
mulutudes of hearts.