The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1911-12-01
RELIGION
AND FUN
By DIR. William s. Jacobs
Pastor ef First Presbytaian Church.
Houstca, Texss

idea that they are more pious
of this. But / don't like hat kind OF
a man. You remember the poet was
once calling in his old classmates
after they were old men. and after he
had enumerated all. he spoke OF the
laughing boy, the one whom you
might think was all fun, but others
laughed at his good deeds, and his
poor friend laughed loudest of all.
believe it is true in the great poem
of life. said DR.. Jacobs. that the best
life is given to the man who can go
through it with a smile.
| have had some experience with
this matter. When I was in college,
when | needed help and encourage
ment, l did not go to the austere man.
but to the man with the smile. 1t
seemed / could approach him easier.
l have had some experience along
these lines since | have been in the
ministry. Many men with sorrows and
trouble have come to me for advice
n assistance, and l do not believe
it was because of any profound i'm
preston l had made upon them. by
profound exposition, but because | had
AlS liSIA Will d SLllle, anu tASs lSIL
they could come. If the little bit of
good l can do inside the church vas
all that l could do, l would resign
from the ministry and take up a secu-
lar calling. Preaching m is not
the main work. The meaningless of
words. Any man can say things; any
man can preach. If | had nothing to
do but get up l could get
them up by the barrel. My opportunity
for real work is to go and meet peo-
pie with burdens on their hearts. and
to help them.
We find out a great many things
about the world when we get out in it.
After all. it was not the sermon OF
the mount, but his life In the valley
and on the seashore that gives us
our conception of Christ. All the world
is trying to get away from its. sorrow.
I think We ave grown more aid
into Incorporating sorrows n our
faces, voices and
What kind OF a memory do you wish
to leave? Are you going to leave
your friends a happy thought that
will strengthen them aid comfort
them after you are gomez This bust
ness of long-facedness is one-half self
ishness and one-half 3 lie. If your
soul is as sorrowful ar our face ap-
pears, you are not content. The mor
1 see Of l~ong-faced piety. the more
convinced l am thar it is moi genuine.
1 always had respect for the Methodist
amen" 1t is a sort OF applause al
lowed in church, which serves to en-
courage the speaker and help him
along 1t may not be as formal as
the amen of the E~piscopalian or as the
silence of the. Presbyterian. but it
Leans something. | wish enough
Methodists would join my church to
furnish an amen corner. T like for
you 70 respond when [ talk. Some
times / e someone nod his head and
l see hat I lave met with his ap-
prevail. And then again / e another
shake his head, and l know he doesn't
believe it. At n rate, whether you
like it or not, / like the response. as
l feel We are talking and there is
something between US.
There is as much religion in happt.
as In SORROW. | say there is more.
There should be only one kind of sor.
row, and that is cody sorrow. And
there is more reason for godly hap
piness than sorrow. After all. there
is not very much to worry about in
this world. if We will but keep up a
smile. If We only look at it in the
right way every sorrow has it's mean
ing. The bitterest sorrows of my life
have been my greatest opportunities.
They have enabled me to find myself.
to see whether l was right or wrong.
| Christians ought not to sorrow as
those with no hope. but they should
rejoice. Have o eve noticed how
serious sin is? Who are the people
who laugh" They are the people who
have down in their hearts the con
seriousness of purity n right living.
The happier sid of life is the tri-
umphant. the other fatalistic. A long
face is an indication Of defeat and
despair. The Christian needs no long
face. The man on the way to inherit
a great fortune does not stop to grieve
over a dime lost in the sand. So with
the Christian. He ought to go laugh.
ing as he walks. ever to the tomb.
making stepping stones Of grave
stones to higher things. If you are
on the way to your Inheritance, you
should be happy. Next to the gift OF
immortality is the gift of the posi-
bility & JOY
Some mon ask. what about Gods
house? Is it a place for laughter and
merriment? What does the church
stand for? Is It a morgue, or is it a
place or resurrection? I will let you
answer the question. h Bible says:
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord"
But this doesn't mean snickering in
church.
Let me impress this thought upon
you Go into the world and see how
happy you can be inc make it. Gods
idea was to make us e~ternally happy
and not eternally sorrowful.
The Name Above Every Name.