Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-12-08

show gr1titDdo 10 the scores of noble
souls about them who are doing ali i'm
their power 60 make them happy and
blessed.
brave Girl.
Oh. the meanncss OF not trying to do
all We cam Tor tb0scNvho are doing ev-
erythins Tor rs. Some years ago there
joined my church one OF the brayest
young Women ever Knew. Her father
died WHOM sic WAS young girl. Then
TIC executors robbed the widowed
mother OF her all. The young girl, who
was brought up in luxury. went forth
TO earn hcr daily bread. The mother
mover seemed to care or TO realize what
That daughter WIS doing. FrOm morn-
. ing until night size kept up her never
ending series OF complaint.s. she com
planned about being left a widow; she
complained about loss of money; she
complained because she had TO live
where sic dill and that her daughter
had To be away all day long. But" 1
said one day. madam, you surely
should be thankful for that girl OF
: yours, s An0hler girl never knew. OF
\ course you have 10 be alone but think
OF her down at the Office working. II
- noe very pleasant for herr Yes"
said the complaining old lady, II sup
! rSsc | ought to he thankful and not
complain, but it is my disposition and
L can't help it," All, me! How many
OF rs are like that dissatisfied old Iadyi
How many of us are like King David!
We brood over our misfortuues SO long
That we not only make life miserable
for ourselves, but add to the burdens
OF those who are striving TO make eur
lives Happy and blessed. 81 EskN y
But King David was awakened to
more than a sentimental realization OF
his blessings. General Joab gave to
him a moral aud spiritual galvanic
shock, which startled his hands, his
ears, his eyes, as never before He
made the king leap TO his feet and stop
his fOolishneSs. General Joab practi-
cally said 10 King David: 1T is not
only mean and contemplate for you to
ignore tue sacrifices your people have
made for YOU. but it is more. This
foolish crying proves to the world that
you are unfit longer to be king. II
YOU do not stop it your best friends
" Ia ANAh HSNlhSN NOu. W lllln lew
weeks YOU will have another Insured,
ton upon your hands, compared TO
which the late uprising will seem only
4 plaything. You will be hurled from
your throne, and another will take
your place. and that rightly, for il a
man does not do as ne ought to do the
world Will throw him aside. and he will
have no one TO blame. but himself"
Nh. that was a brave act of General
Joab, ii was one of the bravest acts
Of his life. lie was willing. if neces.
sary. 10 sacrifice his own life in order
that his friend and king might see the
error of his ways and guard against
the danger lurking ut his feet. Are
yen and l willing 20 be as true TO our
friends rs Joab was TO his king?
An Easy Task.
IL Is easy 10 praise our friends when
they do right or TO defend them when
they have injustice perpetrated against
them. The story is told that many
years ago tbc officers OF the army of
the king o. hanover refused to have
anything - 10 with young lieutenant
Who had been promoted on the field of
battle for gGllartry. They claimed
that he w8s nct their socill equal even
though the shoulder straps Of com
misSiOncd officer were his. The king
heard about the boycott. The next
day at parade he called the young man
to his side. Then. arm i'm arm with the
lieutenant. hc walked before the whole
army assembled on dress parade. Then
that night. rs his special guest. the
king took the young officer with him
To Il banquet or course when the king
went arm in arm with the young man
{ the other officers ut once felt he was
not only their social equal. but friend
well worth cultivating. YES" said
ITO myself as read that story, show
easy 10 il Cor some of us TO walk arm
in arm with our friends when they are
doing rignt. but how hard il is for
some Gf us TO take the hands Of our
friends when they do wrong and tc
speak 20 them kindly and firmly and
yet lovingly ms Joab told King David
about his faults"
How hard II Is Tor the minister's wife
b 90 TO her husband after the sermon
has been preached ami say: John, You
ought not II have said that. When YOU
tell Incidents like that in the pulpit
you are truly undermining your own
influence, and YOU do but little good"
How hard 1t is for minister's wife
~ do that! Yet there is many minis
ter today who is ready to say that he
would not be what he Is unless his
wife had been a faithful critic OF his
sermon. How hard it IL to tell that old
boyhood friend that he Is doing wrong
and that unless he stops his sins his
life will be ruined. How hard il Is 20
tell that young girl classmate that she
has no business TO be going out ut
night with the men with whom she Is
going! Easy to praise our friends for
their virtues! Are you ready to be true
and brave and TO lift the danger signal
over. your friends faults? You know
You can put your hand upon the life
weaknesses OF your friends us no one
else can. Are you ready TO be Cen
eral Joab to Your King David?
But we must not stop here. When
we find king David going forth to
work we also find General Joab, the
great emancipation OF grief. When we
lind David being induced 80 so forth
10 meet the responsibilities of his king
dom we find him breaking the shackles
OF sorrow which have bound him hand
and foot, as the Roman captives used |
TO be bound 10 the chariots OF their !
conquerors in the triumphal entries !
into the capital OF the Caesars. And |
thus, my friends, if You and want TO |
De truly helpful To our friends in their |
time OF trouble, we should not try so |
much to pet them and sympathize with |
them, but We should so us General
Joab went TO King David to compel |
them to 50 forth and do something.
I work as a P.nnccn.
Work is thc best panacea for grief.
Many years ago a great trouble came |
10 my fathers hcme The best COM |
forter my father had was not to be
found among those who came to ween
with him and 10 sympathize with him,
but the best comforter was the cid |