The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1906-11-09


a grateful surprise that the barbarianS
were just as kind as friends could
have been to the shipwrecked crew and
passengers and prisoners.
ooh" | said when | read these
words, how like Paul's journey to Je-
rusalem to preach the gospel unto the
Romans are our gospel journeys in
life! They are surprises all through
We naturally expect the household of
faith" to greet us cordially, but the
barbarians are kind also. The men and
the women who do not profess to love
the Master and belong not to our own
/ class in society are nearly always kind
when we meet them. They are nearly
always thoughtful. They are nearly al
ways ready to aid and befriend Christ's
messengers. think it is due to them to
make this fact known, and it may en-
courage workers also to learn that
when they labor for Christ in unfa-
miliar fields they may find comfort
among strangers, as Paul was hap
PLY surprised when he wrote, And
the barbarous people Showed us no lit
tie kindness"
The barbarians or those who do not
belong to the household of faith" will
be kind to Christ's messengers in ref
erence to their temporal wants. If in
an emergency you are hungry, they
will feed you. If you are naked, they
will clothe you. If you are shipwreck-
ed, as Paul was among the rocks of
Mellta, they will rush out into the surf
to help you to land. If you are home
less, they will invite you to sit by their
.firesides. 1t is a mistaken idea to
suppose that all the gentleness and all
the kindnesses and all the helpfnlness
of life are to be found only among the
followers and the disciples of the Glow
ly Nazarene." l may seem to be max
ing sweeping statement, but from
personal experience l can affirm that if
a man, either afoot or in wagon, will
break loose from the great congested
cities and travel through the country
ninety-nine people out of every hun
dred whom he meets upon the road
will greet him with q smile and will
be willing to go out of their way to do
him a favor if it is in their power so
to do. OF course a large per cent Of
these people will not be members of
the Christian churches. but they all,
with very few exceptions, will he kind
to him. as the barbarians We're kind to
Paul when shpwrecked upon the Me-
lita shoals.
Kindness of the Common People.
The universal kindness of the COM
mon people was quantity Illustrated
some years ago by the late Mayor Nc
Lane of Baltimore, who told this story
Of well known railroad man. A hum
BILE employee of the road called upon
this man and asked for pass to a
certain distant point. "You have been
for US for some time, have
you not| EYES," answered the en-
oloyee. you have always been paid |
Eyes, sir" "Well, now,
you were working for a
farmer, would you have the nerve to
lsk this farmer to harness up his
horses and drive you a long distance
uIO lue COuuITy NO, answered
he man, 81 would not. But If the
'armer had his horses already har-
lessed and was going my way there
s not farmer living who would re-
fuse to give me lift" The man
knew the characteristics of the class
they are nearly always willing to help
heir neighbors. To use the parlance
If the railroad employee. they are
eady to give each other 'lift." AL
most every man who wears rough
Iothes is at heart a kind man. Almost
very woman who tolls for her daily
read is generally a kind woman. The
cart of the poor is a generous heart.
is loving, a gentle, helpful heart.
When we go forth into Christian work
mong the common people we will be
apply surprised to find that most peo-
lie are kindly disposed. no matter
There we may go, even as the barbara
ms of Malta went out of their way to
are for the helpless passengers and
rev of the Alexandria corn ship.
Not only Is the heart of the common
eOple kind. but the heart of the so
allied better social classes also is kind
?. General w. T. Sherman told a
eautiful incident of this fact. A short
me before his death he revisited the
amous battlefields Of his Georgia cam
align. There was one battlefield SO
hanged that he could not identify it.
o he went to the nearest house. and a
eautiful white haired old lady came
D the door. She said, "Oh, yes, this is
ne place where the battle was fought"
hen she invited him in and described
ow the field looked thirty years be-
ore. Every part about it was per-
ectly clear to her She pictured the
eautiful southern mansion which was
nee in the center of that field, about
Thich the two armies fought for so
)ng a time. Then General Sherman
aid: "Ah, now l remember it well.
md l remember how the solliers got
eedlessly burned that mansion and
1T it a smoldering heap Of ruins"
hen he said: madam. did you live
ear here at that time? Do you re-
MEMBER the old houseP The lady
uietly replied, EYES, general; it was
" old home" Not one word Of re-
uke did she utter. Not one word of
eproach came from her lips. During ,
II that conversation she uttered not
on find this story revealed in the
lords of Luke, which goes thus: 80
then this was done others also which
ad diseases in the island came and I
'ere healed, who also honored US with 4
lany honors| All, yes; if you and .
y to serve men and make sacrifices
)r men there will be no difficulty in |