Stray Thoughts [pp. 390-392]

THE LADIES' REPOSITOR r.
TRAY THOUGHTS.
KINDNESS.-No man hath measured the power of
kindness, for it is boundless; no man hath seen its
death, for it is eternal. In all ages of the world, in
every clime, among every kind, it hath shone out a
bright and beautiful star, a beaming glory!
Look at the case of Saul and David. Bitter and
blasting jealousy filled the heart of Saul, and "he
sought to take the young man's life." With hellish
hate he hunted him, even to the dens and caves of
the earth. But David conquered his enemy-even
the proud spirit of haughty Saul he humbled. And
how? Not with sword and spear, not with harsh
words and coarse contumely-for these did never
touch the heart with gentle influence. No; but with
a weapon, simple as the shepherd's sling, yet sure as
the arrow of death.'T was kindness! This killed
rankling hatred, and left Saul to live. And when it
had done its work Saul said to David, "Thou art
more righteous than I, for thou hast rewarded me
good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil." Was not
here a victory, more glorious, more godlike than a
Wellington ever knew?
See Joseph in the hands of his wicked brethren.
For a few pieces of paltry silver they sold him into
Egypt. Providence, in kindness, broke the bands
which held him in slavery, and made him a ruler
there. Famine spread over the land her dark mantle,
and the cruel brethren of Joseph hungered. They
went to Egypt for corn. And now' how acted Joseph? More than once he filled their sacks and returned them their money; and then he made himself
known! "'I am Joseph, your brother, whom ye sold
into Egypt!" Here was kindness-forgiveness. And
it crushed to death the spirit of jealousy that had
once made him a slave. He had conquered!
Come farther down in the world's history, and tell
me what word of all those spoken by the "meek and
lowly Jesus," the "Prince of Peace," the "Savior of
the world," was best calculated to soften and subdue
the hard hearts of his persecutors? Are we not
asked to listen to the soft, sweet tones of that voice"Father, forgive them?" 0, here was kindness!
THY KINGDOM COME.-Every body who reads
this has been taught to pray daily, "Thy kingdom
come." Now if we hear a man swear in the streets,
we think it very wrong, and say he takes God's name
in vain. But there's a twenty times worse way of
taking his name in vain than that. It is, to ask God
for what we do;'t waznt. He does n't like that sort
of prayer. If you do n't want a thing, do n't ask for
it; such asking is the worst mockery of your King
you can mock him with; the soldiers striking him on
the head with a reed was nothing to that. If you do
not wish for his kingdom, do n't pray for it. But if
you do, you must do more than pray for it; you must
workl for it. And to work for it you must know what
it is; we have all prayed for it many a day without
thinking. Observe, it is a kingdom that is to come to
us; we are not to go to it. Also, it is not to be a
kingdom of the dead, but of the living. Also, it is
not to come all at once, but quietly; nobody knows
how. "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation." Also, it is not to come outside of us;
"the kingdom of Christ is within you." And being
within us, it is not a thing to be seen, but to be felt;
and though it brings all substance of good with it, it
does not consist in that; "the kingdom of heaven is
not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace,
and joy in the Holy Ghost;" joy, that is to say, in
the holy, healthful, and hopeful spirit. Now, if we
want to work for this kingdom, and bring it, and enter
into it, there's just one condition to be first accepted.
You must enter it as little children, or not at all.
"Whosoever will not receive it as a little child shall
not enter therein." And again, "Suffer little children
to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is
the kingdom of heaven."
OfsucA, observe. Not of children themselves, but
of such as children. I believe most mothers who
read that text think that all heaven is to be full of
babies. But that's not so. There will be children
there, but the hoary head is the crown. "Length of
days, long life, and peace," that is the blessing, not to
die in babyhood. Children die, but for their parents'
sins; God means them to live, but he can't let them
always; then they have their earlier place in heaven;
and the little child of David, vainly prayed for-the
little child of Jeroboam, killed by its mother's step
on its own threshold-they will be there. But weary
old David, and weary oi' Barzillai, having learned
children's lessons at last, will be there too; and the
one question for us all, young or old, is, have we
learned our child's lesson? It is the character of
children we want and must gain at our peril.-Ruskin.
INDOLENCE AND INDUSTRY.-A little indolence, a
brief vacuity of thought, may enervate the mind for
the labor of a whole day. If you feel its poppy influences spreading over you, start up and shake yourself. Be intent about something, however trivial it
may seem, and the insidious languor will soon pass
away. John Leech, in one of his sketches, has well
illustrated the distinction between croaking idleness
and self-contented activity. Two young men have
gone out to spend their annual holiday in fishing.
The rain begins to pour down in torrents. One of
them throws aside his rod, but the other continues to
fish with stern determination. "Do come home,"
says the croaker. "Well," says the happy fellow, "I
never see such a precious disagreeable old chap; you
come out for a day's pleasure, and you are always for
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