The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-03-15

Terse Comments on the Uniform
Prayer Meeting Topic of the Young
Peoples Societies-Christian En-
deavor, etc.-For March II: THE
Act of Living With Others" 1 Pc
ter 3:8-16.
The higher law by which Chris
tians should live with one another is
the law of charity. By the rule of
love We surrender our right to speak
harsh words of another, even if they
are true. This forbearance, which is
a plant of slow growth, and needing
to be watered by grace. marks one as
being of Christ's husbandry. Only di-
vine enabling makes possible the love-
ruled life.
A word of comfort costs no more
than word of complaint And it
means more than gold 10 the receiver.
Without descending to insincerity, it
is possible to speak a word of praise
to somebody every day The helpers
who are all about us, whose ministry
we enjoy, these cherish the kind word
above wages The street car conductor
is as pleased as he is surprised over
a thank you" The grocer remem-
bers an appreciative word longer than
a complaint. There are little children
all along the way of life whose days
may be frightened by glad greeting
AS the once popular Christian En-
deavor refrain had it, let US
Scatter the sunshine,
All along the way.
Cheer and bless and brighten,
Every passing way.
AS there is naught that wounds the
tender heart of Christ more than the
countless forms of selfishness on the
part of the people whom He came to
save, SO there is nothing that more
truly commends the gospel to the
world than the quiet self-deniaIs of
Christ's followers. He who was in
carnate unselfishness sees something
of His own image in every deed of
Christian self-denial.
The command to grow in grace"
lis not an indefinite or Impractical
teaching. 1t means to do more of
those things that belong to grace
1t entails the thinking less of self,
the serving of others, the losing of
ones self, and the fulfilling of the
Masters plain commands. If you are
doing this, you may know that you
are growing in grace.
To care for "a weary mothers
baby, to cheer the loneliness of
fretful invalid, to do commonplace
kindness to a thankless neighbor, or
to keep a turbulent home quiet and
losing ones life, but it is the divine
way. 1t is only thus that life is truly
found.
Sorrow teaches sympathy. Only
the soul that has suffered can be a
brother to the soul that is suffering.
Ability to enter into another's feel
ings, and to lift up the hearts that
are bowed down, is one of the les
sons learned in the school of the
worthwhile life. Because Jesus was
a man of sorrows, every suffering soul
Ia In
kin.
The business of being a hermit, a
pioneer or prophet in the wilder
Individualism grows more difficult
ever year. The department store
idea is coming to dominate retail
business; and all life as well. Every
persol ality is linked up with a null
titude of interests. Living is becom-s
ing more and more complicated; and
ever ybody's dependence upon a COM
pick social system is steadily increas-
ing. The tendency of all this is to
convertionalize life. It is not easy
to be ones self Like the standard
parts of automobiles, human beings
show q tendency to become standard
lied fragments of great social ma
chine The trend of the times is
forcing US to live and work more
closely with our fellowmen. This
timely topic calls upon us to consider
how we may cooperate with our
fellows.
Somewhere commonplace woman
was given fame by being described on
her tombstone thus: "She was SO
pleasant to live with That phrase
which might with equal applicability,
be cut int a million tombstones, has
been given currency by many writer's
It is worth quoting For that test
probes the depths of character: are
we easy to live with? This ability to
get along serenely with other people
is r1ore desirable than some of the
ornate social graces. It bespeaks q