Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-11-05

Thousands of men are ready to say
they will be kind and gentle to their
friends. Tley are not ready, however,
10 say they will be kind and forgiving
to their enemies. They pride them
se.vos upon the fact that they are
good lovers. They also pride them
selves upon the fact that they are
good haters. If a man does them a
Kindness they store that fact away in
the most secure treasure room of the
temple of memory" They will wait,
If need be. ten. twenty, thirty or even
forty years 10 pay back that kindness.
l was reading the other day Of noted
eastern politician whom William G.
Whitney many years ago befriended.
This politician. when II young man,
stood under the shadow of the peni-
Tertiary walls. Whitney came to his
rescue. twenty-five years later VIII
liam {. Whitney was nightly in need
of certain help. He went to this
man and asked it. This famous poll
tician turned and said: whitney,
have been waiting for nearly thirty
years for the chance to repay you for
that kindness you once did me. Now
the chance has come. | never forget a
friend" He at once came to Whitney's
rescue. But. though some people never
forget friend, OH the other hand
ot!.e-s never forgive an injury done by
an enemy. They may Lave to abide
their time Il quarter or even half n
century. but when the time comes they
are US vindictive as though the past
injury was of yesterday. Now. my
text emphatically says: Deal gently
with friends. Deal gently with the en-
envy also" Love those who love you.
Yes But love those who hate you and
ill treat you and despise you That is
the commandment of my text also.
Dare you disobey Gods orders to deal
gently with those who have done you
an injury: If you do God will make
you rue your defiance in more ways
than one. The sword of hate" is two
edged and keener than any Damascus
blade. With one stroke it Stays foe
but when the swordsman draws forth
the blade of vengeance" whetted with
mortal blood of his dying enemy, this
sword springs back with its unused
edge and Stays the vindictive swords
man also. Two lives are generally de
stroycd. and not one. Some of us have
read the terrific philippe uttered by
james G.. Blaine. the brilliant son Of
Maine, when he tried to retaliate on
Roscoe Conkling of New York for his
gibes and snecrs. He acquitted him
self with vigor. winning the applause
of his friends. With al the force Of
his eloquent tongue he ridiculed and
castigated his political opponent. All.
that was Il terrible denunciation! That
was one of the most bitterly crushing
attacks ever made in forensic arena.
james G.. Blaine waited for just the
right time when he could most sue
cessfully hit his foe. But that terri
bic denunciation against Roscoe Con-
l:ling cost James q. Blaine mighty
dear. He paid the price OF that venge
ance ut costly rate. That one speech
without doubt cost him the presi-
dency of the United States. Conkling
never forgave him. Had Blaine tried
to concilate Roscoe Conkling instead
OF trying to destroy him the 'plumed
knight" of the Maine hills would have
landed in the White House, where all
his friends as well as himself longed
to have him. With a bludgeon you can
knock a man down. With n keen. cut
IL md
compel him to curse you under his
breath But the sharp word, the bit
ter word, the sarcastic word. never yet
changed a foe into friend. Now. my
text demands that you shall try to de-
stroy your foes not by crushing them
but by winning them to your ranks.
You are to destroy them. even as Ma
poleon on his escape from Elba made
Marshal Ney and his grenadiers fall
ut his feet. because they felt he loved
them. You are to destroy them by
dealing gently with them. by forgiving
as well as forgetting the evils Of the
past.
But greater sweep than the establish
ment of harmonious relationships with
our personal enemies has the applica-
ton OF my text. We should try to
bring back to Christ those who are at
war with their Divine Master on ac
count of their sins. We should try to
lead Gods Maynard children back to
their Divine Fathers house. even as the
prod!gal of the far country was led to
return to the old homestead. No man
can truly love Christ unless at the
same time, by yearning tender affec-
ton. he is willing to so forth to save
Christ's loved ones even as he would
want 10 save one OF his own children.
Bring Back the Lost Sheep.
To bring the lost sheep back to the
Shepherds fold ought to be the high
est wish and desire of every Christian
And that is not to be done by menaces
and denunciation. God, as Elijah
found, is not in the earthquake nor in
the fire. but in the still small voice"
Men may be wOoed back to God, but
they are seldom driven. And why
should we not deal gently with Gods
hayward children? DO you for one
instant think those people who spiritu-
ally and morally have gone aStray are