West-Jersey pioneer., 1871-10-27
UN1NTENDED INFLUENCE,
BIZ WILLIAM A1KMAN, D. D.

Dlu you ever STOP 10 explain tue ei
feet which the mere presence of some
persons has upon you? They may no
speak word, scarcely give you a look
yet they influence you. You feel then
without either touch or sign.
There are persons whom you speak o.
as having a chilling manner, which a
once repels you. The coming Of such !
one iuto circle where moment age
all was cordial sympathy and pleasure
is like the floating of an iceberg into The
tropics; the air becomes hyperboreat
where summer was reigning
So there are thoss whose persona
presence you can well describe iu no 9th
er way than by saying, it is sunny -
They carry with them an air Of health
and joyousness. Their step in the house
makes the children smile and the circle
grow full of talk; it is, even in the sicl
chamber, like breeze of spring, yor
can not tell why, You only know that the
place is brighter for their being there.
This effect of mere air and manner
goes much farther than the emotions
and spirits of those who feel it; it haa
bearing upon character and shapes life
No one can tell bow early it was felt and
how lasting are its results. The infant
in its mothers or its nurses arms is perpet
ally recipient of it. That infsut may
be catching hour by hour the disposition
and character of her upon whose bosom
L L. IL ; sa rsal l.
that he draws from the mothers breast
power is emenating in word and man
ner, nay, in the subtitle unnamed outgo
ings Of thought and feeling from that
bosom, and the little one makes them
part of his life The frelfulness or pet
ulenoe of the mother is seen to repro
ducc itself in the child. Manya mother
who has been impatient and perhaps an
CRY at her infant because it was cross
perhaps, we're she willing, might ind
the cause of it all in her own disposi
ton. How could he catch sunshine out
of cloud? How could he gather ma
terial for smiles out Of the purtufbeG
place where it has been Nesting!
1t is mos, probable that the charsete,
and disposition Of children are formed
more By these silent influences than BY
words and precepts. Indeed, in mul
titudc of cases these latter are wholly
overborne by the former; the direct and
announced teachings are in no direction
the secret but mighty outAowings are in
another. Arctic navigators drifting north
ward sometimes sees huge iceb erg
crashing its way southwark through les
Eelds-tLe unseen under current has 8
mightier hold on it's mass than the SUR.
face drift.
You may call it what yon will, OF you
may be unable to name it at all, yet there
are few who are not cognizant of the in
fuence the simple presence Of certain
persons have upon them. Women know
it, though they may not be able to ex-
plain it. The quick instinct of woman
bow keen it is 10 discern character, and
to recognize it simply by this unseen out
flowing Of the soul! Perhaps it is be.
cause the nature of a true woman is more
keeply sensitive than mans A needle
floating delicately on the waters surface
f els the faintest approach Of magnet.
Laura Bridgeman, the deaf, blind and
dumb girl, was very striking illustrs-
tion of this recognition of unintepded
influence. Before she was taught self
restraint, aud had learned TO guard her
demonstration Of feeling, she would
show, on the moment of introduction,
the m most opposite emotions toward those
who approached her On taking the
and of one person she would st once
dash it from her and turn away with ev-
cry expression of annoyance or, possibly
dss-st; while touching ths hand of an
o'her. she would bold it and endeavos
PASS her own hand caressingly over
the arm and cheek OF its possessor. De-
prived Of the ordinary knowledge, her
abnormal sensitiveness actually felt the
emanstions OF the strangers lifs aud
character
But extreme ipssances need not be
c,ted. Allpesons are more or less affect.
ei BY this occult power. Que man makes
you easy, another disturbs you merely
by his presence, and you may not be able
10 either case to explain the reason; and
what We feel as flowing out from other
men is peIpetuslly streaming out from
ourselves
Every man carries with him power
which be can not but exert. He can not
50 shut his soul within his body that i,
may not so forth. Take ottar of roses
and fold your hands tightly as you may,
will no perfume go forth? The words
of the old Book are true, sOintmen, in
the hand betrayeth itself" The aroma
of your moral life will go out. You may
guard your lips, you may shape with mi
nutist care your sets, bat your inner life
wiil go out and some one will be touch
cd and shaped by it
Heru is new and intense meaning
given to every mans life. 1t is not So
much what be does or what he says that
make his infuence-it ia what he is
That which is within he can not by all
his power keep from 9 ing forth. He
can not help it if he would. 1t streams
out from him like the uuseea magnetism
that it is
Every man is perpetually at work, not
only in hours when he purposely puts
forth bis powers, bu, when most Of all
he is thoughtless of it Indeed the
thoughtleas hour may be the hour OF
most lasting power, since it gives the
truest revelation and throws out ths nos!
subtitle influence
Responsibility goes farther than mos.
men imagine. 1t does not end with
words and acts. He is responsible for
what is within since that will inevitably
go forth for good or i'll.
That unintended power is often the
'rnest influence Of the man as i: is the
mishtiest, 1t may be ,hs reverse oi
what he wishes it to be. His words, bis
acts may be 10 one direction, while the
influence Of his inner self stretches out
il another. Many parent lives down
all his most carefully inculcated lessons
! His silent life is mightier than his spo-
ken words.
What ws-wsatisate be right within.
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