Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1906-03-16

strength and to love ones neighbor as
ones self. The second law fulfills the
first; fraternal affection leads to filial
love. If a man does not love his broth
er, whom he can see, how can he love
the Father, who is unseen?
We may be selfish as a race; but
selfish religion will never get any
general hold on. the hearts of men.
SO long as preaching made its appeal
to instincts Of self-preservation alone,
urging us to flee from punishment and
to fix ourselves solid for the future,
1t awakened no more enthusiasm than
any other life-or fire-insurance
scheme. Religion has been mighty
only as it has glowed with a consum-
ing passion to save others, to do good
to all men, longing that was willing
to lose all that they might be helped.
The life Of Christ is the best COM
mentary on 1.-The law Of Christi; He
showed how to bear the burdens of
others; He had troubles enough of
His own; but He did not 20 about
advertising them or exhibiting them
as arguments for immunity from the
troubles Of His neighbors. His whole
thought seems to have been for the
sick ones, the sorrowing, stricken par
ents, the hungry mob, manned bodies
and imprisoned minds. None ever
sought Him only to find the busy sign
at HIS door. His law of life is the
living in openness Of touch with men;
it keeps the gloves off the heart; it
quickens and strengthens the spon-
taneity of the hand to help.
The greatest danger Of our day Is
that its strife shall eat away our
hearts, that the struggle for sustenance
shall crush all sympathy, that we shall
adopt the business creed Of success at
any price, no matter what the damage
done to Others. The law Of every man
for himself inevitably means the devil
in us all. Insensibility to suffering is
too great price to pay for any kind
Of success. 1t will be a dark day
for us If this age of steel turns our
hearts to its own element.
True, we have organized charity.
And what could be colder where the
spirit of kindness is lacking? Nothing
can ever compensate for the old neigh
borly interest in one another, the grief
over the friends losses, the tender in
quiry for his welfare, the little kindly
act Of help. If we are building up
walls of separation between ourselves
and our fellows we are constructing
our own sepulchers We had better be
buried the day we cease to ask, with
real solicitude, And how are all the
folks?"
We do well to dot the cities with in
stitutions Of benevolence; but better far
is it to have in everyone the heart of
tender regard, the eyes that see in ev-
cry face the story Of struggles and
needs, cares and burdens, just like your
own. People are hungry for sympathy.
Your hand can never help until you
give them your heart
Sympathy is more than sentiment 1t
loathes the impostor as much as it loves
the impotent. 1t helps one by a gift
and another by throwing him on his
own resources. In every instance it is
the seeing Of another's life through the
eyes with which we look on our own,
and the consequent doing for another
life what we would like to have done
for our own.
The privileges of sympathy are open
to all none is too poor to pity. 1t is
not matter Of giving money, but Of
giving the self. 1t is not the luxury of
the idle; the path Of service offers larg-
est opportunities for sympathy Inter-
est, consideration, fellow feeling are
things we all can give. Sympathy does
not need to wait for great enterprises;
it suggests the next, simplest, kindly
thing to do. The little deeds of love
make the largest record in the land
where love is fully understood. Love
is the one thing that lifts the world,
and most Of all is he lifted who learns
to love the least Of his fellows.
SHORT METER SERMONS.
Life's rest comes in its toll.
There is no justice without love.
Sin and sorrow often have the same
root.
Religion is more than prayer in
the slot machine.
1t takes more than pulpit thunder
to strike sin down.
You cannot give life to men without
giving life for them.
It's poor kind Of faith that you
have to have faith in.