The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1885-09-03
CIRCUMSTANCES.
An Abstract of John B. Baugh's Famous
Lecture.

Circumstances is a term so com
mon as TO be on most mems lips
every day. The word is never a
hermit, and is always dependent on
others. 1t is always an adjunct,
and never a principal. Let US see
what there is of interest and value
in this well trodden path. Some
times a trifling circumstance may
give a new turn to ones whole life.
l well remember one night while in
Glasgow, Scotland, l was the guest
of one OF the merchant princes of
that city. / spoke that evening to
$500 people. 1t was my last night
but one in Scotland. When the
lecture was over my friend babe Inc
take my seat in his carriage, while
waiting for the ladies. Several
men and women gathered round to
shake my hand. One of the men
who approached me was covered
with rags and dirt. His face was
almost CHASTITY. His white lips
parted showed me the whittier
tongue Holding out his dirty
trembling hand he asked me, do
you know me?' 1 placed my hand
in his and looked in that miserable
face. | called him by name. In
1912 he andI l worked together in a
book bindery at dorchester. re-
membered him well, for he was a
better workman than l. AS l sat
there in that gorgeous carriage,
drawn by silver caparisoned horses,
surrounded by luxury on every
hand, with the applause of the peo-
pie still ringing in my ears and my
hand still warm with the grasp OF
friends, / could but think of orr
changed condition, of the gulf that
separated us; my mind went back
sixteen years to a single circum-
stance that made the difference: it
was the dart of pen on temper
ance pledge. That changed my
destiny for time and eternity. Cir
cumstances change our relations to
each other. l remembered what an
old colored man once told me. Said
he: Three years ago subscribed
So to the church and everybody
took off their hats when they met
me and called me Brother Dixon
The next year subscribed So, and
they said, How do you do, Dixon?
The next year ] had sickness in the
family and was unable to give a
cent and when they came around
put down nothing. Now they say,
"There goes old niger Dixon
Circumstances often change
quickly. A learned professor met
a sailor on a boat and fell into con-
versation with him. "Have you ev'
err studied the Natural Sciencesg
NO" replied the sailor. "Then
half your life is lost" In few
minutes the boat began to sink ana
the sailor asked the professor, "Can
you swim?" "No," said he. "Then
all your life will be lost" retorted
the sailor.
Facts can never be altered by
circumstances. 1t is an advantage
to be able to make the best of cir
cumstances. Sometimes it is hard
to do this. am reminded of the
old negro woman who was asked
how she could live in such a smoke.
She answered that she was thank
ful to have something to make a
smoke with. Perheps you have
heard of the young man who was
to be married by the Episcopal ser
vice and learned the responses.
Uuluckily he learned the .respon-
ses in the baptismal service, and
when the parson- asked ''Do you
take this woman to be your welded
wife?' the bashful youth responded
81 renounce them ALL" "You are
fool'' interrupted the minister. CAL
this l do belive,'i was the young
mans response. A thoughtless
word has often stained a reputa-
tion and parted friends. Faith has
been changed to doubt through g.
word of scandal and the miserable
mutterings of gossip. The meanes5
thing on earth is q scandalizing,
gossiping man or woman. DONE
touch pure reputation. Charac
ter can never be touched. A man
is what he is, not what men say he
is. Reputation Is for time, but
character is for eternity. Young
men, it is important to keep a clean
record. If you have a spct on it
your enemies will go to it and mag
Nifty it. 1 am 81 year of age. l
lost seven years and more than
wasted it in strong drink. One can
never wholly recover from such a
thing. A stained reputation will
stare you in the face when you
don't want it to. Often an unkind |
word has crushed ambition, and a
generous word has made a man
successful. In 1912, forty-two
years ago last October, on the
morning after l had signed the
pledge l began a terrible struggle,
but l conquered. E. U Baily, city
in London, was once a
prize fighter. 4 map said q kind
word to him when he signed the
pledge and gave him lodging.
budUS6 VI ClICC uSGdHCCS 6OAC-
times occasion change of conduct.
In a sleeping car on one Of our
great railroads was an old bachelor,
and you know some old bachelors
are cross and crusty and most of
them hate babies. On the same
car was a baby who cried and |
yelled to the annoyance of every |
passenger. At last the old bache-
lor, unable to stand it any longer, |
put his head out of the curtains and
said that he wished the mother of
that child would take care of it and
give other people a chance to sleep.
At this the father of the baby step
ped into the aisle saying, "Sir, the
mother of this baby is in her cas-
ket in the baggage car of this train.
l have been travelling for two days
and nights with this infant to take
it and mother to the child's grand
parents. 1 will do my best not to
annoy you, for have not had
sleep since we started.P Instantly
the knoyVledpe Of the circumstances