| Show IN homemakers PAGE alarie M ogden MEETING SORROW 0 by suzanne claire dean in the light of asia by sir ed win arnold we find the story of gautama buddha in one of the first books of this remarkable life it is related that there came to the gentle teacher a young mother with her babe in her arms to beg that the teacher heal the little child who had been bitten by a insect buddha knew that the child was dead but he knew much more than that fact so he told the mother to goto her neighbors and get from the one in whose home there had not ben dath er cr sorrow a tola of mustard seed that she may give to the child the faithful mother called at each home and asked for tola of mustard seed and in this instance sir edwin arnold adds that the poor are eager to share with the poor so they hasten to bring it to her she askco have you had no sorrow and the answer in each one was the same oh yes my child has died oh yes the mastor master between the seed time and the harvest has gone she returned to the buddha with her sad story and he spoke to her with a strange oriental gentleness and said my child I 1 knew I 1 knew you could not find in all the country round one home in which sorrow had not entered they would give you more than a tola of mustard seed to assuage your agony but none could give as you asket for all have sorrow and so your sorrow is in the knowing a trifle less beca because you share what all the world shares with you we regret that we must give you this story from memory because wo find that this is one of the books left in a box in southern california but the story is familiar and so poignant the understanding der standing today as we write that we feel the meting melting of a great sorrow has perhaps fitted us to write briefly on this sub eject As mortals we meet sorrow in many ways but there is in the world nol no NEW sorrow some heart has parted with someone in whom rests every human relationship tion ship one heart aches for a child a mother a friend in whom every hope is centered but after all it is not new it is not the first time that heart has been called to ache in just the way that ours may ache and this being true what shall be our attitude it is left for us to meet this sorrow a little more bravely a little more courageously a great deal more compassionately than it has evor been met in such a time before and why is that true that we may leavea behind as we pass along the journey that which will serve to be a blessing and a help to some one else we need not have passed through exactly the same ordeals to lie be able to understand der stand but the thing that is necessary is that we have passed through an ordeal having touched the depths of suffering having tasted the last drop in the cup so that we know that the last drop in any cup however bitter has become sweet by the touch of the divine presence and knowing this we can share with the world the divine remedy it was said of one we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirri ties but was in all points tempt ed like as we are yet wi without hout sin this is tho tribute of the great apostle paul whose understanding and love yet without having known as did the disciples the one great high prinst priest compares to our own exper experience bence of knowing it is today the one thing that relieves life of its hopelessness sorrow of its agony and death of its danger which so many feel and are bewildered the saving power of jesus christ is for every need if the world could or would learn this great truth what misery it would be spared it is said in certain circles that in the world today are three great christians persons who by bravery c courage cs urage compassion have become truly christ like one of these is toyohiko kagawa of japan who has but recently be n released from a military prison after being charged with an attempt to defeat the militaristic powers it would be vain to attempt to relate any detail of this remarkable and sublime christian As we write word comes of addi ional significance onci of the joys of each new year has been the kagawa calendar which has contained much of the spirit of this great man last year friends in this country prepared the calendar this year it is stated the japanese government will not permit any material to leave its shores for tho the creating of this hitherto remarkable christian calendar we must needs remember the great mc message sage love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you that you may be sons of your father in heaven e p moffitt translation ka kagawa awa has literally given himself body mind and spirit to the welfare of the world in the name of jesus rUh christ rist in this service he has contracted disease and lives a life of constant devotion while dwelling in a body with scarce scarcely ly a sound organ he has for years faced blindness being entirely gone and only using the other by means of a pow aeiful lens now due undoubtedly to this roc cent experience he is in great danger his important of cooperation all forms of christian teaching goes forward an item of a despatch rather naively contains this comment dr kagawa is spending his spare time memorizing the epistles of paul against the day when he may be totally blind proverbs contains this sentence the spirit of man is the candle of the lord truly this is so happy and blessed blis sed is every individual who knows this great truth 0 the hard way has always been bacri and always will be the happy way to any success and any w worthy orthy achievement the way ahead is to have a plan a philosophy of life and the wilt will to stick to it until the rewards begin to roll in try many things anything if they are decent and honest let natural inclinations take their course the arrival half ball so important as the way you get ahert george matthew adams 0 my times are in thy hands 0 lord go thou with me and I 1 am safe and above all make me useful in promoting thy cause of peace and goodwill among men david Livingst livingstone cne 0 life is a great bundle of little things oliver wendell holmes |
