The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-01-14

feeling, and hence all literature, u.s.
ing that word in its proper sense, is
of pure sentiment. In all the long
journey from Homer to Shakespeare
those passing along that path must all
the while laugh or smile or sigh or
weep. The book-maker can supply
man with facts; the high, immortal
word-weavers do not deal in facts, but
in all the sad and happy experiences
of the soul. The book of Homer is the
exploits of the heart. at this place
Achilles and Agamemnon fought, but
not over a question in science Or pol
tiles or religion, but over a woman of
SURPRISING beauty. At this place An
dromache and Hector kissed each other
and their child and parted. The boy
Smiled silents. A,.Itomache
all bathed
In tears, stood by. and clinging
to his hand
Addressed him, Hast thou no
pity then.
For this, thine infant son and
wretched me?'''
Imagine if you can. this world with
out an atmosphere. and you have con-
ceived of monotony not more terrible
uous events, uncolored by the playing
shades of emotion. The abundance of
our lives will depend somewhat upon
this interplay Of joy and sorrow. 1t
is in this sphere also that I would like
to indicate how Jesus won the album
dant life.
From this standpoint it surely does
not seem at first glance that the life
of Christ can be construed as worth
the while, the sorrow so heavily over
balancing the joy. Should L instance
some other persona ge-some man
whose life was so overlooking as to
euggest the poets words:
How good is mans life, the
mere living,
How fit to employ,
All the heart and the soul and
the senses
Forever in joy
Should 1 do this then we might agree
that here was life that could count
its experiences as worth while But
here is the Christ. of whom the old
poet spoke so truthfully, He is de-
spised and rejected of men; a man of
sorrows and acquainted with grief; and
we hid as it were our faces from him;
iic was SlIiChSu anu we esteemed MN
not" Born in obscurity, hurried into
a foreign land, living his youth in re-
tirement and labor, going on into his
ministry to mingle indeed in the joys
of his people, but far more to bear the
stripes of their scorn and hatred;
standing for truth until hypocrisy led
him a prisoner to Plate. while those
who had shouted for him in enthusi-
asm are now lifting their voices in
their demoniac yell, Let him be cruel
fled Can such a life rise above it's
hard experiences and be counted a sue
cess? Yes, and the reason is found in
one sentence in that same prophecy
from which I have quoted, He shall
see of the travail of his soul and be
satisfied" The thing that made his
life OF value was the deep undercur-
rent of its influence. Its temporary
defeat might wiring from his lips that
cry Of anguish on the cross, Eli, Eli,
lama sabacthani? But his eternal sue
cess was already pressing upon his
spirit, when he uttered those other
words, 1T is finished" When we come
into the presence of Christ we feel at
once that the balance between joy and
sorrow was not the sole thing that
would determine the value of his life
Joy and sorrow were incidental to that
life, and influence comparatively little
the great sweep Of its purpose.