Where Duty Lies.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2084, 14 November 1885, Page 2 (Supplement)

Where Duty Lies.

Do we heed tho homely adage, handed down from days of yore, " Ere you sweep your neighbour's dwelling, oleir the rubbish from yonr door," Lot no filth, no rust there gather — leave no traces of deaay — Plaok np every word unsightly, brash the fallen leaves away ? If we faithfully hire laboured thus to sweep without, within, Fluoked up envy, evil-speaking, malioe, eaoh besetting sin, Weeds that by the sacred portals of the inner temple grow, Poisonous weeds the heart defiling, bearing bitterness and woe ; Then, perchance, we may have leisure o'er oar neighbour watoh to keep; All the work assigned as finished, wa before his door may sweep ; Show him where the mosses dinging— tokens ever of deoay ; Where the thistles, thiokly springing, daily must be cleared away. Bat, alas! oar work negleotlng, oft we mount the judgment seat, With hit failings, his omissions, we our weary brother greet ; In some hidden nook forgotten, searohing with a oareful eye, We the springing weeds disoover— some slight blemish there descry. For his elothfulnesf, his blindness, we our brother harshly ohide ; Glorying in oar strength and wisdom, we oondemn him in our prido ; Ask not why he has neglected thus before his door to sweep, Why grown careless, he has slumbered, failed his garden plot to keep. On the judgment seat still sitting, we no helping hand extend To assist our weaker brother his shortcomings to amend ; For his weruineas, hit {altering, we no aweet compassion show ; From our store no oordial bring him, no encouragements bestow. But while busied with our neighbour, urging him in ceaeeles care, Calling to the thoughtless idlers to their labour to repair, Lo 1 unseen, the d«st has gathered, weeds are growing where of yore Flowerets rare and sweet were blooming when we swept before our door. Ah 1 how easy o'er our brother faithful ward and watch to keep ; But, alas I before our dwelling hard indeed to daily sweep ; Harder than to share the confliot, "by the stuff" at home to stay— Easier far to sit in judgment than to humbly watch and pray.