Pueblo chieftain., 1921-11-26
A SHIPwRECK, A SNAKE,
A SAINT


is the time that l am surest to give
to charity; when I'm hardest hit my
self, then I mako my greatest effort to
do something for somebody else. For
l don't want my own troubles to de-
stroy my perspective or duh my sense
Of obligation to others. Just because
l happen to be knocked out in any
way is no reason why ! should go back
on the world; that is the very time to
prove that am not entirely dominated
by my own troubles"
That sort of creed rather applies
TO the conduct of the Apostle Paul,
when cast up by an angry sea, amid
the wreckage of his vessel, upon the
rocky shores of the Island of Malta
where, by the way, Just to link tho
Lesson with the news, the people were
a few days ago granted a new charter
OF self government by Great Britain
after a period OF unrest and disturb
ance. Starting out as despised prisoner
in chains. and ending up as practical
captain OF the ship and commander OF
the troop. the great missionary turn
ed At once to humble eervice, gather-
ing wood for the common fire by which
the drenched company were warming
themselves in the chill November wind.
REAL AND SHAM DIGNITY
When We were boys, building bon
fires OH the vacant lots, we had
slogan, chip or run"-that is, con-
tribute a share of fue' or get out. Paul
was the sort OF honorable soul who,
whether at the tent-makers task.
aboard storm tossed craft or in an
adventure by land. bore full snare
OF responsibility and effort. He was no
social shirker warming himself by
fires of other mems building. Any one
so minded. can find material for fun
discussion In this incidental glimpse
of our hero when shipwrecked on
Malta.
1-hi. ..,.. hod - ,-.ncb d;rpf,x, that
he did not need to think about II. 1
heard General charles G. Dawes once
say, There Is nothing so really digni-
fled and great as simple naturalness.
AS We see all sorts of persons, from
diplomats at the Washington Confer
snce to actresses In the meanest road
company, jealously watching out for
their own place of precedence and their
own honor we may recall the great
est human being since Jesus Christ,
moving actively about. despite his age
and broken health. gathering firewood
for n crowd. many OF whom were cow
ardly ingrates, like the sailors VINO
had tried to desert the SHY in its hour
OF greatest danger.
Service is the great panacca for trou-
bic. When hard times of any sort over
take us, as the shlpwrcck overlook
Paul and his company, then is the hour
to get busy at deeds OF helpfulness.
Only a weakling or /. craven slinks
away and sulks In selfish sorrow. As
tho familiar lines OF Edmund Vance
Cook have it,
ibid you tackle tho trouble that came
your way
with n resolutc bcart and cheerful
Or hide your face from the light o. day
With a craven soul and fearful?
Oh, q troubles ton. or a troubles An
ounce.
Or a trouble Is what you make It,
And It isn't the fact that You're hurt
that counts,
But only. how did you take IT."
A GENTLEMAN's CHANCE
By way OF this trivial task OF serv-
ing the common fire. Paul came into
great opportunity. There Is no other
way. A brilliant young British officer.
recovered from his war wound. was
stationed at an easy post in an inianu
English city. I found him bitterly re-
beilious at the inadcauacy OF his task;
he felt that the War off!ce should
give him a rank and chance worthicr
OF his proved powers. Yet when l
pointed out to him the remarkable
openings fight where he was living. for
just the sort OF service OF which nc
was most cspable-work that would
fundamentally further the winning of
the par-he would have none OF It
He wanted n position. rather than an
opportunity. Not for him the pndir-
rified gathering OF sticks for tho com
mon llrS OIL pNlrlpNlrfrt ana WIT iu'tsNs
he wanted n situation as official over
seer OF firewood collectors, ny just tho
difference between his attitude and
that Of the shipwrcckcd apostle on
Malta did my friend fall short Of great
moss.
4 mans chance Is "the mex, thing"
o. IL is nothing During tho rroquois
Thcster fire IN Chicago n college stu
den, with his own hands carried
.wcn,y-eisht women and children TO
safety: but IN 40 doing Inhaled the
furner that shortly aftervard caused
his death. When one commiserated hi,
untimeiy end tho young man replied.
~ ask no sympathy or pity. Some mon
get their chance at fifty. some at forty.
some at thirty. I got mine at twenty.
and am happy tn die There l. the
flavor of Pauls. Il am ready" about
that.
A LITTLE SNAKE AND A Rig
SERVICE
A dramatic incident bcfcll while the
shipwrccked crowd. in the cold and
rain. WAS covering about the fire.
Paul carried n bundle of sticks TO add
70 tho flame. and among them. un-
noticed. was viper. The warmth re-
vfvcd II. and II stuck its vcnomous
fangs into the withcrcd hand of tho
Apostle. Horror-eyed. the natives
looked for him to fall dead. victim
o, tn" divine puniffhment. When he
merely shco. off the creature into the
fire (which act some ssntimentalists
would not he ahov" calling cruelty to
snimalsD. the tickle crowd decided
that this shipwrecked stranger was
god
Possibly as result OF this or be-
cause OF what Ccnturian Julius re-
ported of him to hir fellow Roman
officials. Paul and his party were hos
pitahly 'entertsincd for three days In
the home of the highest Roman dig
nitBry in Malta. The gracious ack-