167 Sermon Illustrations on Contentment

The idea has been transmitted from generation to generation, that happiness is one large and beautiful precious stone, — a single gem, so rare that all search after it is vain, all effort for it hopeless. It is not so. Happiness is a mosaic, composed of many smaller stones. Each, taken apart and viewed singly, may be of little value; but when all are grouped together, and judiciously combined and set, they form a pleasing and graceful whole, — a costly jewel. Trample not under foot, then, the little pleasures which a gracious Providence scatters in the daily path, and which, in eager search after some great and exciting joy, we are so apt to overlook.

I earn that I eat, get that I wear, owe no man hate, envy no man's happiness, glad of other men's good, and content with my harm. Shakespeare.

If happiness were an attainment of the mind, to be acquired, as a science or an art is learned from the master, no place could contain the numbers that would flock to the school. But there is no such school: each must learn the lesson by himself.

The bride that hath good cheers within, and good musicke, and a good bridegroome with her, may be merrie, though the hail chance to rattle upon the tiles without upon her weddings-day. Though the world should rattle about his ears, a man may sit merrie that sits at the feast of a good conscience. There is no heaven so cleere as a good conscience. J. Stoughton.

Industry need not wish; and he that lives upon hopes will die fasting. There are no gains without pains; then help hands, for I have no lands; or, if I have, they are smartly taxed. He that hath a trade hath an estate; and he that hath a calling hath an office of profit and honor: but then the trade must be worked at, and the calling followed, or neither the estate nor the office will enable us to pay our taxes. If we are industrious, we shall never starve; for, at the workingman's house, Hunger looks in, but dares not enter. Nor will the bailiff or the constable enter; for industry pays debts while despair increaseth them. Franklin.

Hugolin, King Edward's chamberlain, one day took some money out of a coffer in the king's bed-chamber, leaving it open; the king being then on his couch. A young man who waited on the king, believing him to be asleep, put his hand into the coffer, took out a handful of gold, went away, and hid it; he then returned a second time, took another handful; and again a third time: on which the king cried out, "Nay! thou art too covetous! Take what thou hast, and be content; for, if Hugolin come, he will not leave thee one penny." Whereupon the young man ran out of the room, and escaped. When Hugolin returned, he began to lament himself because of the robbery. "Hold thy peace!" replied the king: "perhaps he who hath taken it hath more need of it than we have. What is left is sufficient for us."

— Mrs. Jameson

MISERY, Confession of What a situation is that of the great! They only live in the future, and are only happy in hope. There is no peace in ambition: it is always gloomy, and often unreasonably so. The kindness of the king, the regards of the courtiers, the attachment of my domestics, and the fidelity of a large number of friends, make me happy no longer. I have caused my house at Paris to be magnificently furnished: well, that pleased me for two days. My residence at Bellevue is charming; and I alone cannot endure it. Benevolent people relate to me all the news and adventures of Paris: they think I listen; but when they have done, I ask them what they said. In a word, I do not live: I am dead before my time. I have no interest in the world. Every thing conspires to imbitter my life.

— Madame De Pompadour

Hamet and Raschid, two neighboring shepherds of India, in a time of great drought, made a request each of the Genius of Distribution: Hamet for a little brook which would never dry in summer, and in winter never overflow. Immediately the genius caused the fountain to bubble at his feet, and scatter its rills over the meadows: the flowers renewed their fragrance, the trees spread a greener foliage, and the flocks and herds quenched their thirst. Raschid, not satisfied with Hamet's moderate request, desired the genius to turn the Ganges through his grounds, with all its waters and all their inhabitants. As Raschid was looking with contempt upon Hamet and his small request, he heard, on a sudden, the roar of torrents, and saw a mighty stream come rolling on, which was the Ganges broken loose from its bounds. The flood rolled forward into the lands of Raschid: his plantations were torn up, his flocks overwhelmed, he was swept away before it, and a crocodilo devoured him.

— Dr. Johnson

Wilberforce remarked, "I can scarcely understand why my life is spared so long, except it be to show that a man can be as happy without a fortune as with one." And soon after, when his only surviving daughter died, he writes, "I have often heard that sailors on a voyage will drink, 'Friends astern!' till they are half way over; then, 'Friends ahead!' With me it has been 'Friends ahead!' this long time."

A curious instance of a change of instinct is mentioned by Darwin. The bees carried to Barbadoe nd the Western Islands ceased to lay up money after the first year. They found the weather so fine, and the materials for honey to plentiful, that they became exceedingly proliferate, and ate up their capital, worked no more, and amused themselves by flying about the sugar-houses, and stinging the negroes.

— Biblical Treasury

I take him to be the truly rich man that lives upon what he has, owes nothing, and is contented; for there is no determinate sum of money, nor quantity of estate, that can make a man rich, since no man is truly rich that has not so much as perfectly satiates his desire of having more; for the desire of more is want, and want is poverty.

— Howe

There is a story of an old farmer whose little boy came to him one morning, and said, "Father, the old black sheep has brought a pair of twin lambs." — "Good! that is the most profitable sheep I ever owned." — "But, father, one of the lambs is dead." — "All right, my son: the other will do better." — "But both of them are dead." — "It's just as well: the old sheep will get fat now." — "But, father, the old sheep is dead too." — "I am glad of it: she was a troublesome old thing, always the ringleader of the flock."

The late Stephen Girard, when surrounded by immense wealth, and supposed to be taking supreme delight in its accumulation, wrote thus to a friend: "As to myself, I live like a galley-slave, constantly occupied, and often passing the night without sleeping. I am wrapped in a labyrinth of affairs, and worn out with care. I do not value fortune. The love of labor is my highest emotion. When I rise in the morning, my only effort is to labor so hard during the day, that, when night comes, I may be enabled to sleep soundly."

When Napoleon returned to his palace, immediately after his defeat at Waterloo, he continued many hours without taking any refreshment. One of the grooms of the chamber ventured to serve up some coffee, in his cabinet, by the hands of a child, whom Napoleon had occasionally distinguished by his notice. The emperor sat motionless, with his hands spread over his eyes. The page stood patiently before him, gazing with infantine curiosity on an image which presented so strong a contrast to his own figure of simplicity and peace; at last the little attendant presented his tray, exclaiming, in the familiarity of an age which knows so little distinctions, "Eat, sire; it will do you good." The emperor looked at him, and asked, "Do you not belong to Gonesse?" (a village near Paris.)

"No, sire, I come from Pierrefite."

"Where your parents have a cottage and some acres of land?"

"Yes, sire." "There is happiness," replied the man who was still the emperor of France and king of Italy.

Cato, a pattern of moderation, was very early taught the happy art of contentment, by the following circumstance:—Near his country seat was a cottage, formerly belonging to Marius Curius, who was thrice honored with a triumph. Cato often walked thither, and reflecting on the smallness of the farm and the meanness of the dwelling, used to meditate on the peculiar virtues of the man, who, though he was the most illustrious character in Rome, had subdued the fiercest nations, and driven Pyrrhus out of Italy, cultivated this the infidel replied, "The Deacon professes just what the rest of you do but he lives also such a life, that it makes me feel bad here" (putting his hand upon his heart) "to run my mill while he is passing."

# DERATION.

youth pledged his honor for the fulfilment of his promise; and, when he became an orphan, punctually performed it. At first, he was not disposed to improve the minutes of solitude, but in time various reflections arose in his mind; the world was withdrawn; his conscience awoke; it reproved him for having slighted a parent who had done so much for his welfare; it renewed the impression of his dying scene; it gradually pointed him to a supreme Cause, a future judgment, and a solemn eternity. God was pleased to sanctify these solitary moments, and to strengthen his convictions. Retirement effected what advice could not do, and a real and permanent change took place. He quitted his companions, and reformed his conduct; virtue and piety filled up the rest of his days, and stamped sincerity on his repentance. To say all in a word—he lived and died a Christian.

# ENTMENT.

little spot of ground with his own hands, and, after three triumphs, retired to his own cottage. Here the ambassadors of the Samnites found him in the chimney-corner dressing turnips, and offered him a large present of gold; but he absolutely refused it, remarking, "A man, who can be satisfied with such a supper, has no need of gold: and I think it more glorious to conquer the possessors of it, than to possess it myself." Full of these thoughts, Cato returned home; and taking a view of his own estate, his servants, and his manner of life, increased his labor, and retrenched his expenses

BOY.—A king, walking out one morning, met a lad at the stable door, and asked him, "Well boy, what do you do? what do they pay you?" "I help in the stable," replied the lad; "but I have nothing except victuals and clothes." "Be content," replied the king, "I have no more." All that the richest possess beyond food, rainment, and habitation, they have but the keeping, or the disposing, not the present enjoyment of. A plough-boy, who thinks and feels correctly, has enough to make him contented: and if a king have a discontented spirit, he will find some plea for indulging it.

“It is a great blessing to possess what one wishes,” said some one to an ancient philosopher, who replied, “It is a greater blessing still, not to desire what one does not possess.”

Two gardeners, who were neighbors, had their crops of early peas killed by frost; one of them came to condole with the other on this misfortune. "Ah!" cried he, "how unfortunate we have been, neighbor! do you know I have done nothing but fret ever since. But you seem to have a fine healthy crop coming up already; what are these?" "These!" cried the other gardener, "why these are what I sowed immediately after my loss." "What! coming up already?" cried the fretter. "Yes; while you were fretting, I was working." "What! don't you fret when you have a loss?" "Yes; but I always put it off until after I have repaired the mischief." "Why then you have no need to fret at all." "True," replied the industrious gardener; "and that's the very reason."

# ENDSHIP.

remain as hostage for his return, under equal forfeiture of life. Pythias heard the conditions, and did not wait for an application upon the part of Damon: he instantly offered himself as security for his friend; which being accepted, Damon was immediately set at liberty. The king and all the courtiers were astonished at this action; and therefore, when the day of execution drew near. FRÆNDSHIP.

his majesty had the curiosity to visit Pythias in his confinement. After some conversation on the subject of friendship, in which the tyrant delivered it as his opinion, that self-interest was the sole mover of human actions; as for virtue, friendship, benevolence, love of one's country, and the like, he looked upon them as terms invented by the wise to keep in awe and impose upon the weak, "My lord," said Pythias, with a firm voice and noble aspect, "I would it were possible that I might suffer a thousand deaths, rather than my friend should fail in any article of his honor. He cannot fail therein, my lord: I am as confident of his virtue, as I am of my own existence. But I pray, I beseech the gods, to preserve the life and integrity of my Damon together: oppose him, ye winds, prevent the eagerness and impatience of his honorable endeavors, and suffer him not to arrive, till by death I have redeemed a life a thousand times of more consequence, of more value, than my own; more estimable to his lovely wife, to his precious little children, to his friends, to his country. Oh leave me not to die the worst of deaths in my Damon." Dionysius was awed and confounded by the dignity of these sentiments, and by the manner in which they were uttered: he felt his heart struck by a slight sense of invading truth: but it served rather to perplex than undeceive him. The fatal day arrived. Pythias was brought forth, and walked amidst the guards with a serious but satisfied air, to the place of execution. Dionysius was already there, he was exalted on a moving throne, which was drawn by six white horses, and sat pensive and attentive to the prisoner. Pythias came, he vaulted lightly on the scaffold, and beholding for some time the apparatus of his death, he turned with a placid countenance, and addressed the spectators: "My prayers are heard," he cried, "the gods are propitious; you know, my friends, that the winds have been contrary till yesterday. Damon could not come, he could not conquer impossibilities; he will be here to-morrow, and the blood which is shed to-day shall have ransomed the life of my FRÆNDSHIP.

friend. Oh, could I erase from your besoins every doubt, every mean suspicion of the honor of the man for whom I am about to suffer, I should go to my death, even as I would to my bridal. Be it sufficient in the mean time, that my friend will be found noble; that his truth is unimpeachable; that he will speedily prove it; that he is now on his way, hurrying on, accusing himself, the adverse elements, and the gods: but I haste to prevent his speed; executioner do your office." As he pronounced the last words, a buzz began to rise among the remotest of the people; a distant voice was heard, the crowd caught the words, and "Stop, stop the execution!" was repeated by the whole assembly: a man came at full speed: the throng gave way to his approach: he was mounted on a steed of foam: in an instant he was off his horse, on the scaffold, and clasped Pythias in his arms. "You are safe," he cried, "you are safe, my friend, my beloved friend: the gods be praised, you are safe, I now have nothing but death to suffer, and am delivered from the anguish of those reproaches which I gave myself for having endangered a life so much dearer than my own." Pale, cold, and halfspeechless in the arms of his Damon, Pythias replied in broken accents, "Fatal haste! Cruel impatience! What envious powers have wrought impossibilities in your favor! But I will not be wholly disappointed. Since I cannot die to save, I will not survive you." Dionysius heard, beheld, and considered all with astonishment. His heart was touched, he wept, and leaving his throne, he ascended the scaffold: "Live, live, ye incomparable pair!" cried he: "ye have borne unquestionable testimony to the existence of virtue; and that virtue equally evinces the existence of a God to reward it. Live happily, and with renown: and, Oh! form me by your precepts, as ye have invited me by your example, to be worthy of the participation of so sacred a friendship."

The happiness to be derived from retirement from the bustle of the city, to the peaceful and rural scenes of the country, is more in idea, than it often proves to be in reality. A tradesman in London, who had risen to wealth from the humble ranks of life, resolved to retire to the country to enjoy, undisturbed, the rest of his life. For this purpose, he purchased an estate and mansion in a sequestered corner in the country, and took possession of it. While the alterations and improvements which he directed to be made were going on, the noise of hammers, saws, chisels, etc. around him, kept him in good spirits. But when his improvements were finished, and his workmen discharged, the stillness every where disconcerted him, and he felt quite miserable. He was obliged to have recourse to a smith upon his estate for relief to his mind, and he actually engaged to blow the bellows for a certain number of hours in the day. In a short time this ceased to afford the relief he desired; he returned to London, and acted as a gratuitous assistant to his own clerk, to whom he had given up his business.

The owner of a small country estate decided to sell his property, and consulted an estate agent in the nearest town about the matter. After visiting the place, the agent wrote a description of it, and submitted it to his client for approval.

“Read that again,” said the owner, closing his eyes and leaning back in his chair contentedly.

After the second reading he was silent a few moments, and then said thoughtfully: “I don’t think I’ll sell. I’ve been looking for that kind of a place all my life, but until you read that description I didn’t know I had it! No; I won’t sell now.”

If we could see our own blessings as others see them, would it not add to our contentment with our lot?

The common problem, yours, mine, every one’s, Is--not to fancy what were fair in life Provided it could be--but, finding first What may be; then find how to make it fair Up to our means; a very different thing!

— BROWNING

Judge Noah Davis, when asked by a company of American brother lawyers as to the comparative advantages of different periods of life, replied, with his usual calm simplicity of manner, as follows:

“In the warm season of the year it is my delight to be in the country; and every pleasant evening while I am there I love to sit at the window and look upon some beautiful trees which grow near my house. The murmuring of the wind through the branches, the gentle play of the leaves, and the flickering of light upon them when the moon is up, fill me with an indescribable pleasure. As the autumn comes on, I feel very sad to see these leaves falling one by one; but when they are all gone, I find that they were only a screen before my eyes; for I experience a new and higher satisfaction as I gaze through the naked branches at the glorious stars beyond.” (Text.)--CROAKE JAMES, “Curiosities of Law and Lawyers.”

There is a story of an old woman who was very uncomfortable in her temper. She was always fretting and worrying and complaining. Nothing ever went right with her, and everybody was tired of her continual crossness and grumbling.

At last, late in her life, there came a change over her, and this cross, crabbed old woman grew gentle, patient and amiable. She was so altered from her former self that one of her neighbors took courage to ask her how it was that she, who had always found life so full of prickles, now seemed to touch the smooth and pleasant side of everything.

“Well,” said she, “I’ll tell you how it is. I’ve been all my life a-struggling and a-striving for a contented mind, and now I’ve made up my mind to sit down contented without it.”

The time has not yet come when man may plow the atmosphere for rain as he plows the soil for crops. If mines must be worked and towns built in arid regions, let promoters of these schemes be required to build aqueducts and bore wells sufficient in advance to supply the needed water, not waiting until droughts come and the people die. Every place on this globe has its rainy years and its dry years. Areas of cold and heat, wind and calm, rain and drought, appear and move and disappear in irregular succession. We must prepare for them and provide against disaster. We can not control the weather, but we may control ourselves.

It is the way with all ambitions not to satisfy when they are achieved. Here is a poem by Grantland Rice teaching this truth:

The little boy smiled in his sleep that night, As he wandered to Twilight Town; And his face lit up with a heavenly light Through the shadows that drifted down; But he woke next morning with tear-stained eye In the light of the gray dawn’s gleam, And out from the stillness we heard him cry, “I’ve lost my dream--my dream!”

And he told us then, in his childish way, Of the wonderful dream he’d known, He had wandered away from the land of play To the distant Land of the Grown; He had won his share of the fame and fight In the struggle and toil of men; And he sobbed and sighed in the breaking light, “I want my dream again!”

As the years passed by the little boy grew Till he came to the Land of the Grown; And the dream of his early youth came true-- The dream that he thought had flown; Yet once again he smiled in his sleep-- Smiled on till the gray dawn’s gleam When those near by might have heard him weep: “I want my dream--my dream!”

For he dreamed of the yesterdays of youth, And the smile on a mother’s face; A hearth of old-time faith and truth In the light of an old home place; He had won his share of the fame and fight In the struggle and toil of men-- Yet he sobbed and sighed, in the breaking light: “I want my dream again!”

--_The Tennesseean._