The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-09-27
BILE. unto Him. 1nasmuch is a word

a single lovely action" Many Of the
fraternal organizations might teach US
who are members of the church lessons
in charity. A short time since / re-
ceived in my mail by mistake posta!
sent by one member Of fraternal or
ganiZation to another, asking him to
call and assist a sick brother. How
often does our fellowship prompt US to
do this? Yet the Bible says, DO good
unto all men, especially unto those who
are of the household Of faith" No gift
of means or might will ever fail to be
thrice blest. Let the largest end OF
your generosity be beneath the surface
if it chances so to be: let the number OF
your benefactions be secret If you
will, but. whether secret or public,
crowd your life with endless benefac-
tons and countless mercies.
Edwin Markham has beautiful
poem entitled "Inasmucb." He pictures
watchman. Ivan by name, on Mos
cows castled height guarding the cit
adel. The driving snow was heaping
itself against the citadel wall when a
half bare beggar man tottered past.
The watchman ran and threw his own
coat around the half frozen beggar, but
that very night died himself from e1-
poSure:
But waking in that Better Land that lies
Beyond the reaches of these cooptng skies,
Behold the Lord came out to greet him
home.
Wearing the coat he gave at Moscow's
Wearing the heavy, hairy coat he gave
By Moscow's tower before he left the
grave.
"And where, dear Lord, found you this
coat of mine.
A thing unfit for glory such as Thine"
Then the Lord answered with look OF
"This coat, Ny son, you gave to Me last
night"
offer the sacrament of service than by
giving food to ent and raiment to put
on: 1t is suggested by the last half Of
the text: "And every one said to his
brother, BE of good courage" There
are men and women in this world who
need an encoura ging word more than
they need bread. Man does not live
by bread alone. There are men on our
streets who have been unfortunate in
their lives. They are pessimistc and
discouraged and distrust all the world.
There are others who are in some vo-
cation which does not measure up to
their ambition. and they need to have
some one tap them on the shoulder and
say, "Be of good courage" There are
good many men who become discour-
aged before they become drunkards.
There are Others who lose their hope
before they lose their good name.
There are many who need to be met
at the door of the factory at the close
of the days work and led beyond the
saloon to the doors Of their homes,
that they may be saved to themselves
and to their families. They need words
of strength. Their wills are weak and
must be reinforced. They need to be
inoculated with courage, and the power
to resist evil.
Very few Of us realize how much
help there is in handshake when
given in a brotherly way. One Of Wei.
lington's officers when commanded to
60 on some perilous duty, fingered a
moment, as if afraid, and then said:
LET me have one clasp of your all
conquering hand before go, and then
can do it." The majority Of the
needy ones of earth ask not for our
money, but for our sympathy, and our
sympathy We ought to give. Some
one ought to do it, but why should 1?'
should be turned into the sacrifcial
sentiment, Some one ought to do it,
so why not II" Frederick Douglass
appreciated the uplift which Lincoln
always gave him when they met, for
Douglass said: "He is the only man
who does not remind me that / am a
negro" To say to weak brother with
all the meaning in your soul, BE Of
good courage" will often make him a
moral giant and suffer him to rise
above his difficulties and his shortcom-
inss. There are very few persons who
do not need words Of encouragement,
who do not need to have some one say
to them, "Be Of good courage"
No one has ever been able to speak
this word with such pathos as Jesus;
and no hearts have ever been lifted into
the presence of their best selves as
those to whom He spoke. When the
woman was brought to Him taken in
her sin, it was 60 sin no more"
When others would condemn the wom-
an who stole her way into the house of
Simon the leper to anoint Jesus feet
He said: "She hath done what she
could" When Mary and Martha were
mourning the loss of brother it was,
"Thy brother shall rise again." When
tho thief on the cross threw himself
upon Jesus compassion. the Master
said, To-day thou shalt be next Me in
Paradise"