Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-06-09
Seligiutts department.
ssWHAT DID HE DO?,,

a good man, and by those who knew his
value as Christian and a citizen, as
we'll as by those who loved him as
relative and friend, his death was deeply
lamented. His life had not been a
public one. Most of his days had been
spent in the quiet of a sequestered home.
There he attended to his daily duties,
reared his family, worshiped God, and
served his day and generation. There
he died and was buried.
When mother who knew and loved
him was expressing her sorrow over the
announcement of his decease, and de-
scribing the value of his life, her son
looked up and asked, "But what did he
do?" His inquiry was both denial
and an interrogation. He meant to say
he had done nothing, and that therefore
he need not be missed and mourned in
departing; and to ask that if he had
accomplished anything worthy of praise,
it might be told to him. His mind was
full of the thought that if man edo"
anything he must be known in public,
and that his name must be connected
with the striking achievements and con-
spicuous results of the generation with
which he has acted.
1t is natural to have such feeling,
and under the particular influences of
this age and of our methods of acting
and estimating it is almost inevitable.
We insensibly feel that the man of worth
must be man of publicity. We give
no credit to the Importance of those who
live outside the range of newspaper
notoriety. This is natural, and yet il
is wrong. 1t is not necessary that Ole
shall be widely known and gazetted
before he shall be entitled to the repu.
tation of having lived valuable life
and of having benefcently impressed his
fellow-men. In quiet places, pursuing
his way purely and peacefully living
honestly in the sight of all men, and
honoring God by life of devotion tc
his gospel, he may be more truly useful
than many others who are living in the
eve of the public. And no lesson needs
to be more insisted on in these day.
than the simple one that if men o.
women, even though they be in thu
humblest situations, will be true to thei
environments. they will receive tn
swell done" of heaven. 1t is not pub
llcity, it is faith in Christ and devotion
to his name, that brings the heavenl.
recognition.
The aged man concerning whom tn
above question was asked had done thi
much he had provided for himself
home; reared his children in comfort
intelligence and plety sent son to tn
ministry; conducted himself so as t
command the respect and veneration 0
the best of his nelghbors; proved hi
piety so that they who knew him praye
his prayers and he died at last in flu
faith in his Redeemer and hope Q
heaven. 1t was enough. 1t was inf
nitely more than many another doe
who, living through conspicuous an
advertised career, dies amid the applaus
of his fellows.
The tall flag or rush grows up by tn
roadway in the Summer, and no travele
passes it without remarking upon il
hasty growth and unusual size. 1t ha
battled with the winds, it has faunte
garish flower, and it has afforded
resting-place for bird that chose it fC
its nest. That is all and it falls unde
,, the early frost and disappears. Th
grass-blade on the hillside, although s
much smaller has had much noble
mission. No one ever stopped to see {
praise it, and afforded no special attrac
ton or help to any one, not even birC
But it was one of those which gave tn
slope its verdant beauty which swee
ened the Summer air with fragranc,
and which made the landscape rich an
joyous under the Summer sun. Like i
the quiet life. lived among many otht
similar lives, is valuable one. And
will be remembered as beautiful an
bene6cent when many noisy and prom
> inent one, like the coarse rush of IL
roadway, has sunk into the dust an
oblivion.-United Presbyterian.