Norwich bulletin., 1915-09-18
Sunday Morning Talk
SISTERS OF cAssANDRA.

How could King Priam's warriors ever have endured the presence of Cassandra during the fabled siege or Troy? The doleful croakings of this prophecies of evil were surely calcu- lated to steal away the courage of everyone who listened to them. The morale of the whole garrison must have been sensibly lowered. The wonder is that some stout hero, with urgent and brave deeds calling him, did not stop long enough in his labors to wiring the lady's dismal neck, on the ground of abating a public nuisance.
 In Paris recently influential wo- men have formed the Society for the Suppression of Pessimists- The or ganization is designed to stop per sons. malicious or otherwise, from spreading broadcast rumors of disas- ters and reverses to the French cause that have no foundation in fact. The women claim that such ground less rumors of disasters not only tend to affect those persons having rela- tives and friends at the front, but exert a depressing effect on the na- tion as a whole. By running down such stories to their source, and by restraining through the courts if nee essary, those who start, them, these patriotic women hope to serve their country as truly as if fighting in the trenches.
 The role of the diseourager Is so ungrateful and useless a one that it seems strange any can be content to people habituaIly act the part They seem able to look on no side but the dark ono. Their influence is in the | direction of doubt and never of hope Continually they rob us of courage and of ambition. We leave their
 presence with lessened sense of our
 own powers and opportunities. Our
 burdens and difficulties seem heavier | than before.
 There are, perhaps, some of these | "croakers' among your acquaint-
 ances. To croak the dictionary tells
 us, is ito complain unreasonably; tc make a harsh sound, like that of a frog, or raven, or person afflicted with | extreme hoarseness." Hoarseness gets into the dispositions as we'll as into
 the voices of croakers. The frog ii
 in their minds as well as in the at-
 mosphere., They carry their clouds with them.
 It is the privilege of anyone to bt an encourager rather than discour.
 ager. Neither great gifts, wealth mol
 social prominence, must be pos.
 sessed before one may practise ana word. to add an impulse of courage
 to the spent or down-hearted Is no Ionly a Christian privilege, it is { Christian duty. The prophet Isaial describes ideal conditions when he\ re lates of a people: They helped
 everyone his neighbor; and every on
 said to his brother. Be of good cour age" No wonder that every nobl enterprise fourished when such
 spirit prevailed!
 sl Anyone conscious of settling int } the mental mood of Cassandra shoul take himself or herself resolutely il !, band. The habit of pessimism mus be fought like any other bad habit It makes an untold difference in tn } happiness and in the popularity O the individual whether he learns t look on the bright side. or is usuall , wrapped in gloomy forebodings. } It is not impossible for even , chronic pessimist to gain the bette } outlook. The spirit of gloom may b
 cast out if we make up our minds [
 do +. Le us turn with determine purpose to the brighter side of lift 3 Let us heartily believe in the friend liness of a universe in which "a ? things work together for good 3 them that love God"
 u THE PARsON.