more slowly than usual. How I hate this everlasting practising! I wish there were no such things as pianos in the world!"
"Why, Ellen!" said mama, who had entered the room in time to hear the last sentence. "A year ago you were coaxing father to buy you a piano. Are you growing tired of it so soon?"
The little girl's face flushed. "I did not know it was such hard work, mama; and I can't bear to stay in the house a whole hour this bright morning, just drumming at exercises. I would like to play pretty pieces."
"You must be patient, dear," answered her mother. "The pretty pieces will come in time. Think how delightful it will be, by and by, to entertain father when he comes home tired from the office! You know how he loves music. So keep up your courage, little daughter, for father's sake."
The words lingered in the child's memory. "For father's sake," she would say to herself when the hours seemed long. And love gave her patience.
Love always brings patience. Life's
exercises are often hard and unmusical.
But, little by little, they are preparing
us for the heavenly harmonies above.
(1916)
LOVE OF CHRIST
After Lafayette's devoted service to our
country, he was equally devoted to the cause
of liberty in France, helping with wise and
unselfish service. But he was opposed bitterly
by the extremists, and driven by them
out of the country, and was imprisoned by
the Emperor of Austria for five years in a
loathsome dungeon at Olmutz. All Europe
was moved to get him released, and his wife
pleaded with ruler after ruler, and at length
was permitted to share his dungeon, which
she did for about two years. His life was
despaired of, but Napoleon Bonaparte compelled
his release. Our Lord shares the
sinner's dungeon, and spares no pain for his
release. (Text.)
(1917)
LOVE OWNS ALL
We can not go so far
That home is out of sight;
The morn, the evening star,
Will say, "Good-day!" "Good-night!"
The heart that loves will never be alone;
All earth, all heaven it reckons as its own.
(1918)
LOVE, PRACTICAL
A dutiful son of his widowed mother once
said, "I love my mother with all my strength."
"How is that?" he was asked. Said he, "I'll
tell you. We live in a tenement, on the top
floor four flights up, with no elevator; and
my mother being busy, I carry up the coal
in a scuttle, and I tell you, it takes all my
strength to do it. (Text.)
(1919)
LOVE, PRESERVATIVE
Botanists tell us that strongly scented
plants are of longer duration than those destitute
of smell.
This is as true in the gardens of soul as in the gardens of nature. Lives fragrant with helpfulness endure. Those wanting in the aroma of love, die. (Text.)—Vyrnwy Morgan, "The Cambro-American Pulpit."
(1920)
LOVE RATHER THAN KNOWLEDGE
"Papa," said the son of Bishop Berkeley,
"what is the meaning of the words 'cherubim'
and 'seraphim' in the Bible?" "Cherubim,"
replied his father, "is a Hebrew word signifying
knowledge; seraphim is another word
of the same language, and signifies flame;
whence it is supposed that the cherubim are
angels who excel in knowledge, and that the
seraphim are angels who excel in loving
God." "I hope, then," said the little boy,
"when I die I shall be a seraph; for I would
rather love God than know all things."
The child had the right sentiment, if
not the right theology.
(1921)
LOVE RECLAIMING
Dr. Felix Adler has brought to light an
old legend of two brothers who lived and
played together. At last one of them left
home and got into evil ways, and finally
was, by an evil magician, changed into a
wolf. For long the bereaved brother sought
the wanderer, and one day returning home
through the woods, he was set on by a wolf,
and by the might of his love under the spell
of that continued gaze the features of the
wolf began to disappear, until at length the
brother was restored to his senses and to his
home.
(1922)
Love, Rewards of—See Resignation.
LOVE, THE LANGUAGE OF
When William Duncan went among the
Alaskan Indians to convert them to Christianity,
he won them first by his kindness.
