The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1911-12-08
| RELIGION
| AND FUN
By DR.. William S. Jacobs
| Pastor of First Presbyterian Church.
Houston. Texas

The world generally respects long
faced Christians, and some have the
Idea that they are more pious because
of this But | don't like that kind of
man. You remember the poet was
once calling il, 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
throu gh it with a smile
| have had some experience with
this matter. When l was in college,
when | needed help and encourage
ment, did not go to the auStere man,
but to the man with the smile. 1t
seemed | coul1 approach him easier.
| have had some experience along
these lines stree | have been in the
ministry. Many men with sorrows and
trouble have come to me for advice
and assistance, and | do not believe
1t was because of any profound I'M
preston / had made upon them by
profound exposition, but because | had
met them with a smile, and they felt
they could come If the little bit Of
good / can do inside the church was
all that | could do | would resign
from the ministry and take up secu-
lar calling. Preaching sermons 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 sermons | 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 on
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.
l think we have grown more and more
into incorporating sorrows into our
faces, voices and manners.
What kind of a memory do you wish
to leave? Are you going to leave
your friends a happy thought that
will strengthen them and comfort
them after you are gone? This busi-
ness of long-facedness is one-half self
ishness and one-half a lie. If your
soul Is as sorrowful as your face ap-
pears, you are not content. The more
l see of Iong-faced piety. the more
convinced l am that it Is not genuine.
I 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 Episcopalian or as the
silence of the Presbyterian. but 1t
leans something. wish enough
Methodists would join my church to
furnish an amen corner. / like for
rou to respond when | talk. Some
times | see someone nod his head and
see that have met with his ap-
oval, And then again see another
stake his head, and know he doesn't
bslieve IT. At any rate, whether you
like it or not. like the response. as
| feel we are talking and there Is
some thing between us.
There is as much religion in happi-
as in sorrow. | say there is more.
There should be only one kind of sor-
row, and that Is godly 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
smile If we only look at 1t in the
right way every sorrow has its mean
ing. The bitterest sorrows Of my life
have been my greatest opportunities.
They have enabled me to find myself.
to see whether was right or wrong.
Christians ought not to sorrow as
those with no hope. but they should
rejoice. Have you ever noticed how
serious sin is? Who are the people
who laugh" They are the people who
have down il their hearts the con-
sciousness of purity and right living.
The happier side of life is the tri-
umpudQl, tu0 OluSl lotoiiStiS' "A ioho
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. even 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 possi-
bility G., joy
Some men 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 1t
place or resurrection? will let you
answer the question. The Bible says:
MAKE a joyful noise unto the Lord.
But this doesn't mean snickering in
church
Let me impress this thought upon
Won. Go into the world and see how
happy you can be and make 1t. Gods
idea was to make US eternally happy
and not eternally sorrowful.