Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-04-17
Sunday Morning Talk
THE LAW OF COMPENSATION.

It is related of Phillips Brooks that
sitting in his study one day and see
ing a laborer pass, swinging his din
ner pail, the great preacher remarked:
Il suppose that fellow thinks 1 have
very easy time in here; but 1 con-
fess on my part that 1 often envy
him his freedom from care" One
man had a small wage, hard work in
rain or sunshine, long hours, and few
social responsibilities. The other had
books culture, and the constant care
of a great parish. Each might have
picked out attractions in the situation
of the other.
If we lock carefully at the lots of
men the law of compensation will be
apparent. No one of US has all that
is difficult or at all that is desirable.
There are in our environment hard
and CALLING facts of which our neigh
Dor has no eXperfence-but we have
joys of which likewise he is ignorant.
We look with envy at certain evident
advantages that our neighbor enjoys,
but if we could see other hidden dis
advantages it may be that we should
recoil at the prospect.
A rich man may have a heavily
stocked larder, but it is by no means
certain. that he has appetite or d.
gestion to match. A crust of bread
and real hunger is better combina-
ton than stalled OK. and safety. A
sheltered and easy life is to be dis
counted if accompanied by insomnia.
Few people covet labortous days, but
at least the sleep of a laboring man
lis sweet.
AS matter Of fact the materials Of
happiness are much less unevenly dis
tributed in this world than we i'm
agine. A sort of evening up process
is at work balancing the elements Of
pain and pleasure among the sons
of men. If the grass grow a little
thicker and greener in the next field
the chances are that 1t Is not so
sweet there.
There is a great difference in peo-
pie as to their power to enjoy. One
has many things and another only a
few, but the second man may have
greater spiritual resources, greater
roam the whole field for honey that
another can extract from a single
flower. Little Jimmy Sudds. with a
| few SpoolS and piece OF string, may
have a better time than little Percy
Rocks, with many costly products Of
| the toy shop about him. In this re-
gard men are but children Of a larger
growth. There is a kindly provision
| of nature by which the balance of
| happiness is preserved. More gen.
orally than we think this distribution
! of the bare and the blessing . OF
/
sophical formula, Six OF one and half
4 a dozen of the other
! If the compensation is law Of life it
4 is vel flor US to. recognize 1t. Let
/ US cease groaning over the dark spots
and pick out the bright ones. IL the
balance seems to have, swung against
| US let us seek those elements that
even the matter up. Let lis not depre-
ciate or underestimate the other fell
lows blessings, but let us appreciate
and exalt our own. II our good things
are few let US make the most and
the best of them. Intensive methods
1 may be applied to other pursuits than
i farming.
/ 4 have learned in whatsoever state
am Herewith to be content de-
| clares the Apostle. There Is always
something to be thankful for in the
| most dismal situation. The vacuum
| of lack or loss may be filled If the
tide gates of life are not kept shut
and bolted. The divine purpose is
not to give us poverty and death, but
to give US life, and that abundantly.
! THE PARSON.