The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-07-10
Shading Hands.

DIR. JOHN HALL dlscourses In re
cent number Of the New York OBJ
serUer upon Certain Secondary Means
of Grace" They are friendly letters,
shaking hands and kind words. We
quote what he says on the use of the
hands in social Christian influence, as
we think it particularly needed in
some places:
There are great varieties in the ways
of shaking hands, produced. no doubt,
by temperament, example, education
ia manners, aud other Influences. One
method Is to shake arms and shout
ders 1t suggests dislocation, and Is
continued indefinitely, accompanied
with gurgling, vehement flow OF
| queries that cannot wait for an an
swer. This method obtains in Ire
land. 1t is met with in the North of
Scotland. A variety of it has been
imported, and may be met with out
| West In this country. Another and
| OBJ site form is confined to the hands,
and omits the shaking. The digits
touch as the fins of two fishes might
touch, and then, left to the operation
of gravItation, fall. This may be met
III England and in good society "
everywhere. There is UiG nledjG-a
golden mean--in which both verb and
noun have their place. 1t is Shaking
hands with firm, fearless grasp, and
a little heart tingling down to the
6nger-tips.
[ maintain that shaking of hands,
rightly administered, is a means OF
grace. You, my dear sir, are estab-
lished, and every one knows you to
be a solid man. There is a man be-
side you just fighting his battle and
making his way. You know him and
nod to him. Take him by the hand
: my dear sir. 1t will do him good
and if he was cast down a little, as
men will sometimes be, it may en-
courage him. ''0ur minister shook
} hands with me" What made that
: hulking fellow, too big to be boy
p too raw to be a man, announce tha
fact so loudly when he went home
The truth is, for sensible effects OF
him it was more than the sermon
John Smith has been hard drinker
r but is trying fairly to get out of 1t
Going down the village street, ht
meets Mr.. Brown, who is boss " a
=, . the works above" Mr.. Brow
Q shakes hands with Mr.. Smith,
in sight of the entire village. Doe
/ that do Smith any good? | tell yo1
y it is as good to him as one of Nh
a Coughs admirable lectures. 1t say
e as plainly as if Mr.. Brown had writ
G ten it: " Mr.. Smith, you have onl
: to take care Of yourself, and you viii
e be respectable man in spite of all.
" That makes Smith stronger; and whel
e he goes to church next Sabbath, ant
looks over at MIR. Brown, he will fin,
it easier to believe Gods most lovin
Word: Their sins and their in
n EQUITIES [ will remember no more.
= So shake hands and be friends "a
market, on the street, and above all, a
, church. l presume the apostle mean
something when he said: Greet al
e the brethren with an holy kiss.
S Some people quit church for want 0
) this means of grace. Everybody look
: as if just returned from the Mort
Y Pole and there had not been tim
e to thaw, and the deacon, who run
e the church" (if anything so lifeles
e can be said to run), had been in CON
t. mand of the party. I suspect tn
r. boys sometimes say: Well, [ CUES
e | ought to be good, but if | ever do,
n won't be long with the deacon.
r They wait, poor boys, till some on
comes along auth hedrt-getting n
good in the meantime-whose genia
: life-like ways make them feel kin
&c of good, and they catch the inspire
" ton and run with gladness in til
- way of Gods commandments"