Page:MyPrayerBookHappinessInGoodness.djvu/84

 beautiful than  considerateness  for  others  when  we  ourselves are  unhappy?

o be  subject  to  low  spirits  is  a  sad  liability. Yet, to a  vigorous,  manly  heart,  it  may  be  a  very  complete sanctification. What can  be  more  unkind  than to communicate  our  low  spirits  to  others,  to  go  about the world  like  demons,  poisoning  the  fountains  of  joy? Have I  more  light  because  I  have  managed  to  involve those I  love  in  the  same  gloom  as  myself? Is it  not pleasant to  see  the  sun  shining  on  the  mountains,  even though we  have  none  of  it  down  in  our  valley? Oh, the littleness  and  the  meanness  of  that  sickly  appetite for sympathy  which  will  not  let  us  keep  our  tiny  Lilliputian sorrows  to  ourselves  I  Why  must  we  go  sneaking about,  like  some  dishonorable  insect,  and  feed  our darkness on  other  people's  light? We hardly  know in all  this  whether  to  be  more  disgusted  with  the  meanness, or  more  indignant  at  the  selfishness,  or  more  sorrowful at  the  sin. The thoughts  of  the  dying  mother are all  concentrated  on  her  new-born  child. It is  a beautiful  emblem  of  unselfish  holiness. So also  let  us hide  our  pains  and  sorrows. But while  we  hide  them, let them  also  be  spurs  within  us  to  urge  us  on  to  all manner of  overflowing  kindness  and  sunny  humor to those  around  us. When the  very  darkness  within us creates  a  sunshine  around  us,  then  has  the  spirit  of Jesus  taken  possession  of  our  souls.

indness is  the  turf  of  the  spiritual  world  whereon the sheep  of  Christ  feed  quietly  beneath  the  Shepherd's eye.