Norwich bulletin., 1910-08-27
SUNDAY MORNING TALK
WHAT STRENGTH OWES TO
 WEAKNESS.

One sure sign that this world is im- proving is found in the constantly extend to the weak. Among the bar barous or seni-civilized peoples strength says to weakness: Come and serve me. till my fields, fight my bat ties, spread my table, fill my cup, do my bidding" But some nineteen hun dred years ago a different conception of the relation of strength to weak ness was introduced, brought into the world by one who said of Himself 'I am among you as one that serveth," and who said to his disciples The kings of the Gentiles have lordship over them and they that have authori- ty over them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so. but he that is the greater among you let him become as the younger and he that is chief as he that doth serve"
 It is not without significance that it is only in Christian countries or fin lands where Christian influence has begun to make itself felt that we find, on any large scale, hospitals and dis pensaries, asylums and homes for the aged. the crippled, for orphans and other unfortunate children. Only in Christian lands do we find much agi- tation against child labor and tuber- culosis and other evils that sap the life of the people and particularly of those already at a disadvantage in the struggle for existence.
 But we still have long way to go before strength is uniformly tender toward weakness. How can we help the world in general to practice Paups injunction We then that are strong ought to bear the inf1rmities of the weak Tn the first place, who are the strong and who are the weak? One hesftates to draw a line in any home in any community and put on one side all the weak members and on the other all the strong ones.
 Most of us are blends of strength and weakness. safer classification would put by themselves only those who want to be strong, who are using the means at their disposal for acquir- Ing strength, even though they may be painfully conscious of certain evident or latent weakness. Hardly anyone, indeed. is devoid Of at least one or two elements of strength. Health is one, and another is unimpaired mental fac ulties- Knowledge and experience, money and friends. a cheerful disposi- ton, firm faith in God, such things as these contribute to a mans strength.
 And if you possess any one of them you are in duty bound to put it up against corresponding weakness in someone else. And who are the weak :? Without atte aching an unpleasant label to my brother or my neighbor I would say in general that these are some of the most obvious weak points in the
 
 coarseness and vanity,a nasty temper an uncontrollable tongue, a. sour and fault finding disposition, a tendency toward pessimism, an overmastering appetite. Now when we run up against such traits as these in our own home our club, our church our 1ocial circle, shall we draw the cloak of PiEar1seeism about us and inward ly felicitate ourselves that we are not like other mem Shall we assume an indifferent attitude as the little girl tried to do who came home and told her mother that she had seen down town a poor, lame man sitting beside the way and holding out his hat for pennies He looked very hungry mamma, and very ragged, but it wasn't any of my business, was it mamma?'
 Whenever and wherever strength can buttreSs weakness 1t is it's buSi- ness so to do- We can at least try to shield weakness from the gaze of oth- CTS instead of jeering at or adverts- ing it. We can try tactfully to supply strength at the weak point. Delicate business, 1t Is, trying to help others. and some of the weakest people resent help when offered. Tn such cases we can do things. We can set them a good example and we can do what Jesus did for Peter. Simon. Simon. Satan is after you, but I have prayed for you"
 How rich and happy life in any com nunity will be when all it's strength is brought to bear upon it's varied weaknesses and the strong, the we'll to-do the educated, the self controlled, the virtuous and the godly think first not of how they may enjoy their own possessions, but of how they may use | them for others. Would not you like to try to make your town that kind of ! a place?