The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1914-10-08
SATURDAY.
SEPM0NSE<ISgEaE!AA9
BY N;.7I:.AN
REySAMUELW. pURvIS.D.D.
THE HIDDEN SAcKCLOTH.

upon his fesh."-2 Kings. vi. 70
A siege is horrible thing. The be
sieger becomes blood lustful beast.
the besieged frantic animal. Benha-
dad. the Syrian. besieged Ismnria. ana
the resultant famine was so awful
that two mothers entered into Il hide
GUS compact to kill their babies on
successive days for food. One mother
performed her part Of the bargain. hut
when the turn of the second came
she refused and hid her baby. In re-
morseful fury the first mother hurried
to King .Jehoram and poured out her
tale in his Mortified ears He was so
affected by the shocking recital that he
tore his garments asunder impulsively.
when curious thing took place. THE
people looked, and behold. he had
sackeloth within upon his flesh 1t
was revelation. 1t had never oc-
Cured to them that their king was
anything but a purple wearing. self
loving monarch Now they see him
wearing, grief garments In their sin
cerest and most painful form. The
Samaritans must have thought better
of their king after that
Paradins the SackeIoth.
Our eyes and senses are offended
every day by the cruel seltishness OF
men who are looking out for number
one only. and women who spend their
all in dress and entertainments con
slant ministering to self. What dis
play some folks make of their sack
cloth! They tell the neighborhood
Everyone knows their personal all
meIts, affections and poverty. Shall
low streams are noisy. 4 deep river
Is quiet, especially near the sea. Most
of lis talk too much with men. too
| little with God. Yet there are many
who. like the ancient king. are secretly
wearing sackcloth. They greet you
with smile and apparent cheerfulness
| possibly sometimes their manner Is
bit constrained. or you surprise them
! in tears. but underneath the smile and
chat and cheer secret care is gnaw
! ing with unreienting pain. This Is
| often in unexpected places. The rich.
the privileged. the gifted. men Of
genius und splendid ability. back OF
wealth. honors and medals may wear
sackcloth Carlyle said. Genius Is a
ship OH fire ut sea for the entertain
ment of spectators on shore" The bril-
liant costume ut banquet and ball may
cover an Irritating. decorating sack
cloth Kings in Europe have scores OF
regimental uniforms, but there's sack
cloth under most Of them. Three Of
our presidents have died from the rs
sassin's bullet. one even now carries II
ballet in his body. Our greatest mil
Honaire was tortured with indigestion
Hidden Fires.
Some sackcloth is self imposed I've
/ known men and women who were
| wearing sackcloth- to atone for some
SIN. Like DIR. Johnson standing bare
headed in the rain In the market place
In Lichfield. where years before he
had spoken harshly to his old father
know Il daughter who makes daily
trips to cemetery with flowers for
the same reason Many gift to
charity is because the giver is wear.
ing sackcloth. The conscience fund
Mt Washington eases irritation to some
Much religious observance is an effor,
In that direction. Sometimes the sins
of others-drink, drugs. gambling
make us writhe in unsought and un
merited anguish. Only the Almighty
knows the torture Of a suicidal mania
dread of insanity, the hell OF jealousy
that gnaws and eats like hidden fire
Who can calculate the misery caused
by financial wrongs. wrecked reputa
tons. sights. hurts. injusticcs under
circumstances that compel you to keeI
silent? Folks sec your panied look anf
tear stained face. discerning ones note
your III concealed anguish. but the.
assign some other cause. Many suffer
from loveless marriage. which de
velops into brutal. unsympathetit
husband nagging, selfish. extrava
CANT wife beautiful house on til.
avenue may conceal n domestic trag
edy. quarreling parents, u fool son. ar
erring daughter. Not many sackcloth.
are so hard to wear.
A Thorn In the Flesh.
listened last night to Il master mint