Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-11-10


together. Why cannot this boat have
the wings Of Il bird instead " n heavy
keel. that our reunion might come the
sooner But hardly had he said these
words than the Mediterranean euroc-
lydon blew up aud the ship was tossed
about by the hurricane. and at last II
was wrecked upon the island of Mclita.
which we call Malta. There the vessel
was destroyed anong the strange PEG
pie. who knew nothing of Paul; neither
did he know of them. Then Paul writes
the words Of my text. And the bar
barous people showed us no little kind.
ness" He might naturally have cx-
pcctcd his friends 10 show him kind
ness But here he records the fact as
grateful surprise that the barbarians
were just as kind rs friends could
have been To the shpwrccked crew and
passengers and prisoners.
ooh" | said when read these
words how like Paul's journey 10 Jc
rusalcm to preach the gospel unto tho
Romans are our gospel Journeys In
life. They are surprises all through"
We naturally expect the household Of
faith" To greet us cordially, hut the
barbarians are Kind also. The men and
the women who do not profess 10 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 10 aid ana hcfrend Christ's
messengers think II 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
mliar fields they may lind comfort
among strangers. as Paul was hap
PLY surprised when he wrote. And
the barharous people showed MS no lit
tie kindness"
The barbarians or those who do not
belong TO tile household of faith" will
be kind To ChrSt'S messengers In ref
ercnce 10 their temporal wants. II 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 70 sit by their
fircsldcs. II is n mistaken idea 10
suppose that all the gcntlcncss and all
the kindncsscS and all the helpfulness
of life are TO be- found only among the
followers and the disciples Of the "low-
~ NaZarenc." may seem to bc max
ing sweeping statement. hut from
personal experience can affirm that n
man. either afoot or in wagon. will
break loose from the great congestcd
cities and travel through the country
nincty.ninc people out Of every hun
drcd whom he meets upon the road
will greet him with smile and will
he willing To 20 out of their way TO do
him favor II ID Is In their power SO
To do. or course n 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 barharanS were kind TO
Paul when shipwreckcd upon the Me.
lita shoals
AinunfsS Ot the OnmOn t'eOpIe.
The universal Kindness Of the com
mon people was quantity Illustrated
some years ago by the late Mayor Me
Lane Of Baltimore. who told this story
of n well known railroad man. \ hum
bic employee of the road called upon
this man and asked for a pass 10 a
certain distant point You have been
working for us for some time have
you not?" Yes" answered the EN-
ployee You have always been paid
regularity" Yes, sir" We'll. now,
surprising YOU were working for
farmer would you have the nerve to
ask this farmer 10 harness up his
horses and drive you n long distance
into the country" No" answered
the man. II would not But II the
farmer had his horses already har-
messed and was going my way there
Is not farmer living who would re-
fuse 10 give me a lift" The man
knew the characteristics Of the class.
They are nearly always willing TO help
their ncigllbors To use the parlance
of the railroad employee, they are
ready 10 give each other lift" Al
most every man who wears rough
clothes is at heart Il kind man Almost
every woman who tolls for her daily
bread is generally a kind woman. The
heart OF the poor is a generous heart.
1t is Il loving, a gentle. a helpful heart.
When we 20 forth into Christian work
among the common people we will lac
happily surprised to find tina; most peo-
pie are kindly disposed no matter
where we may go. even rs the barbara
ans of Malta went out of their way Ia
care for the helpless passengers and
crew of the Alexandria corn ship.
Not only is the heart OF the common
people kind but the heart of the so
called better social classes also is kind.
~ General W. r sherman told a
beautiful incident of this fact. \ short
time before his death he revisited the
famous battleiieds of his Georgia cam.
palgn There was one battlefield so
changed that he could not identity IL
SO he went 70 the nearest house. and