The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1914-12-05
SATURDAY. NEfEfT
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BY. i.:z.<4 49, ~. ~
REgSAMUEL ". PURvIS.D.D.
DISAGREEABLENEsS OF DUTY.

Text Therefore we ought,"-Heb. II. L
There's something about words that
gives them personality. Grin. smile,
crash. roar. boom-each has its own
dress on. There's an appearance to
the word duty too It's prim and
severe when it's feminine grim and
austere when It's masculine-that is. it
duty" has any gender. THAT which
one Is bound by any natural, legal or
moral obligation to pay. do or per-
form, says my dictionary. see. Its
significance becomes apparent. II is
conduct that Is owing, "due." to some
one or something Duty Is formuat-
ed oughtness-that eternal must"
therefore we ought" says the text.
We Know Our Duty.
Wasn't 1t Samantha who said, "I al
lus know my duty cause hate IT so?''
| guess she was right. we.know our
duty by our frank instructive antipathy
to IL. In all the bright lexicon OF
youth l always found duty" the hard
est word to pronounce. But thank
goodness for the heroic streak in us
that makes us do our duty, pleasant
or unpleasant We are not jelly IL
we do sometimes seem without yerte-
brae. Duty is tonic for our sickly
souls. 1t alters the perspective of our
view. We ought to do It-therefore It
Is right. When there are carrots ON
the parsonage table my boy Bob eats
them first, not because he likes them,
but because he feels he must. Bravo,
Bob! His mother that day secretly
gives him a larger helping of des-
sert.
UnavoidsbIsness of Duty.
Folks there are who slip away from
duty by denying It, Quite a sugges-
tion. The best way to overcome .
truth is to ignore 1t. l have done
It myself. When duty was pricking
me sore 1 have shaken my head
doggedly. "'Tain't my place to do
that! Ananias! No. rather grand
child of JONAH No one can run away
from duty, because conscience goes
with him. Javert never hung closer
10 Vatican. Most of us are skilled In
dressing up our excuses for escaping
duty. We shift the burden on to our
neighbor, our destiny. heredity, ell
vironment, temperament, the devil or
3 nad D,.A IA
The ostrich has nice feathers, but It
isn't noted for wisdom. What artless
folks the priest and Levite who pass
ed by on the other side" were. think
frequently we make our own Difficult
. ties. After all the important question
is not what the duty is or how it came.
but what we think about that duty
that makes us afraid of 1t. A recent
book on dogs says: Don't be afraid
or dogs. Don't run-they'll snip you.
Walk toward them confidently. Smile.
He'll wag his tail, which Is n dogs
way of saying, Pardon me, was mis-
taken. I've some duties and some
church members | am going to try
that on.
"Brother. It's My Duty"
Duties sometimes conflict. A son
lives with his wife and his mother.
The debt he owes to the woman who
bore him and cared for him for thrice
seven years. and the woman for whom
he has vowed to forsake all others
what shall he do? A lad was to he
shot for sleeping on picket duty. His
little sister came down from Vermont
to plead for the boy. Great generals
said his death was necessary for the
discipline and safety of the Union
army. What was Lincolns duty-sign
the death warrant or the reprieve?
Ones honor or the duty of silence I'M
der Drovocation? In the dull drah
monotony of everyday life what we
want to do or ought to do? How about
mistaken duties? Live with bad hus-
band or hunt up divorce lawyer7
Have you any of those dear brethren
who think it their duty to tell you
what folks say about your | wish
they would think 1t duty to repeat
pleasant things now and then. know
to heaven. but l do hope my mansion
isn't next door to theirs.
The 6luebird of Happiness.
The secret OF happiness is duty done.
That's why some OF us are short on
happiness and long on the things we
ought to have done. Truth must be
presented whether clad in calico or
purple. | suppose duty is dressed most
ly In drab and homespun. This must
be said, "As blessings become brighter
when we are about to lose them, duty
dwindles as we bravely attack it."
Where love actuates the thing Is no
longer duty. If son came back from
the city once year to visit his mother,
and said. I've come to visit you.
mother, because | feel it my duty"
she would reply. Better not come at
ALL" If a young fellow said to his
best girl, "I'm kissing you tonight be-
cause it is my duty" she would flash
back, "I've another fellow who kisses
me because he likes to-" Do you get
that? The moment we like to do q
thing it is no longer duty-it's
pleasure. Try to like the task. smile
Mt 1t. notice 1t smile back Emerson
said, "If there's anything you espe-
sially shrink from doing. do it." There's
soul satisfaction in duty well done.
1t exalts us-it helps others. When
1t is done 1t gives you back more than