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SPEAK KINDLY

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Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 3, 1881

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 7, No. 9.

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SPEAK KINDLY.

A young lady had gone out walking. She forgot to take her purse with her, and had no money in her pocket. Presently she met a little girl with a basket on her arm.
"Please, Miss, will you buy something from my basket?" said the little girl, showing a variety of book-marks, watch-cases, needle-books, etc.
"I'm sorry I can't buy anything to-day," said the young lady. "I haven't any money with me. Your things look very pretty." She stopped a moment and spoke a few kind words to the little girl; and then as she passed she said again: "I'm sorry I can't buy anything from you to-day."
"Oh, Miss!" said the little girl, "you've done me just as much good as if you had. Most persons that I meet say, 'Get away with you!' but you have spoken kindly and gently to me, and I feel a heap better."
That was "considering the poor." How little does it cost to do that! Let us learn to speak kindly and gently to the poor and the suffering. If we have nothing else to give, let us at least give them our sympathy.
"Speak gently, kindly, to the poor, Let no harsh words be heard; They have enough they must endure, Without an unkind word. "Speak gently; for 'tis like the Lord, Whose accents, meek and mild, Bespoke him as the Son of God, The gracious, holy child."