The Washington herald., 1922-07-29
Obedience Will Bring Relief
To Sorrow, Declares Bryan
Seek Kingdom of God First and all Other Good
Things Will Be Added, He Says.
Advocates Simple Life.
By WILLIAM ,. BRYAN.

book of Ezra that we study To-Day
are a hailelujah chorus. They give
us one of the most exultant lessons
in the Bible; they make plain how
each and every one of US can live.
here and now. the life of delight.
A people released from bondage,
after being chastened by adversely,
set out from Babylon to Jerusalem,
in fulfillment of prophecy. to re-
build the temple of the living God.
With a zeal deepened by suffering
and enlarged by renewed devotion.
the children Of Israel begin their
Joyous task.
And when the builders laid the
foundation of the temple of the
Lord, they set the priests in their
apparel with trumpets, and the
Levites the sons Of Asaph with
cymbals, to praise the Lord. after
the ordinance of David king Of
Israel. And they sang together by
course in praising and giving
thanks unto the Lord; because He
Is good, for His mercy endureth
forever toward Israel. And all the
people shouted with a great shout.
when they praised the Lord"
1t makes a great difference
whether the worker Is happy or
sullen. Only willing workers can
do their best; VIII IN willingness
rises into JOY, work ceases to be
work. Hence, the Importance of
choosing a work in which one
takes pleasure and pride. No one
can make much of a success out
of any work so long as 1t In
drudgery to him: one seldom fails
where his heart is in his work.
More Music In Field of Industry.
Just now our country and the
world need more music in the field
of industry.
The antagonism between en-
ployer and employe is one of the
most unfavorable signs of the pres
ent day. There Is a growing class
consciousness among the members
of the two groups known as capt.
talists and laborers-that is. think
ing in terms of class rather than
in terms of the whole. There is
even an increasing dread of what
many regard as an inevitable con-
f1ict.
So long as this condition exists
the laborer cannot give to society
the maximum of his producing
power; neither can the employer
supply the highest organizing and
directing ability. The future can
not be entirely bright until these
two classes are brought into har-
monious cooperation. 1t is the
business of the church to reconcile
differences by the establishment of
justice and the cultivation of the
spirit of brotherhood.
The doctrine of Investigation be-
fore war, now embodied in treaties
between this country and -three-quar-
ters of the world. should be applied
at home. Investigation before strike
Or lockort-not compulsory arbitra-
tion. but investigation with indepen-
dence Of action reserved-would go
far toward removing suspicion and
esta ablishing that friendship which is
essential to the best results. 1t would
speak peace to the industrial world
Tasks of Largest Satisfaction.
While every one should be busy,
every one has right to choose the
largest work that he can dot is his
duty to do so. Only when each one
is engaged in the largest task with
ing his reach can the total work done
by all reach its maximum. Between
two tasks of equal size one has a right
to choose that which is most con-
genial to his taste, for here, too, he
Is employing his energies to the best
advantage.
This does not mean that he should
refuse small tasks when large ones
are not available or that he should
turn down nsuspleasant tasks and spend
his time in idleness, waiting for some
thing he likes; small tasks grow into
large ones as the talents are en-
ployed. and unpleasant tasks become
bearable when they are the only ones
in sight.
or all the tasks. the unselfish ones
yield the largest satisfaction. There
is an alloy in all that we do for our
selves alone. 1T is more blessed to
give than to receive" as any one can
testify who has tried both. The Chill
dren of Israel were engaged in more
than an altruistic work; 1t was a re-
ligious undertaking, and religion
touches the deepest springs in our
lives.
A Great Day.
But many of the priests and Le-
vites and chief Of the fathers, who
were ancient men. that had seen the
first house. when the foundation Of
this house was laid before their eyes,
wept with loud voice; and many
shouted aloud for joy
They wept and shouted together;
the fountains Of joy and the wells OF
sorrow are not far apart. Our emo
tions are often mixed; we weep when
overwhelmed with grief. and tears
often furnish an outlet for our fesi-
ings when We are happy"
Here we have the old and the young
working together; memories crowd in
upon the old and their hearts are un-
able to express the satisfaction that
they feel. The young, with no men,
ories Of the past. live in the present
and In their visions of the future
their JOY finds an outlet In noise. To
the old II was another passover: to
the young it was more like our Fourth
Of July-a national birthday.
The text tells us that the shouts of
JOY and the noise of the weeping were
so mingled that those who We're afar
on could not separate the sounds. II
was a great day. such as few have
seen. for days are made by the events