The Delaware farm and home. (Wilmington, Del.) 1885-19??, 1886-03-11
The Household.
Influence.


Every human being has an influence
for good or evil. We influence by a
smile, word, look, u tone, and q
frown. How much meaning smile
may possess. Smiles are little things
cheap articles, to be fraught with so
many blessings, both to the giver and
the receiver, ripples pleasant to watch
as we stand on the shores of life.
They are the influence ofour higher,
better natures to the emotions OF
the soul. They are CHEEKY necessi-
ties, done up in dimpled envelopes,
that we could i'll afford to lose out
OF our sometimes weary, heavy-laden
and sorrowful existence. What
would VIC do without the smiling in
tluence of people who keep little SER
wants to do great deal of their fine
work, who see without looking, who
carry no heavy weapons, but who
can do wonders with a sling and
stone; who have wonderful way Of
making much out Of smile, word /,
gracious waving of the hand; who
carry a bunch of curiously fashion
ed keys to open all kinds of doors,
whether they be rusty, dusty and
moth-eaten, or shining and polished.
The influence of n word, if it be
kindly spoken, may be powerful for
good, it may cheer discouraged,
Respondent heart, it may turn from
q bad to good purpose, it may be
the turning point in some ones his
tory, it may lead Il soul to God.
If harshiy spoken, it may cause ones
influence to wane, the heart is
wounded, and we may have sent Il
soul farther along on its downward
road to ruin. DO we stop to con
slider how we are influencing?
'Scorn not the slightest word or deed.
Nor deem it void of power,
fruit i'll each wind-wafted seed.
Waiting its natal hour.
A whispered word may touch the heart.
Andcall it back to life;
A look of love bid sin depart,
And Still unholy strife.
No act falls fruitless; none can tell,
How vast its power may be,
Nor what results embodied dwell
Within it silently.
Work and despair not; give the mite
Nor care how small it be:
iod is with all that serve the right.
The holy, true and free. >
The influence of a look is wonder
III. BY simpe uplifting Of the
yes our friends tell us whether they
re pleased or displeased whether
hey care for us or not. The same
With u frown. What darkness
LIQUIDS the brow, what ill-temper
hows itself by a frown. Many a
hild goes astray, not because there
S want of prayer and virtue, but
imply because the influence Of
lome lacks sunshine. 1t needs
miles, not frowns, as much as
lowers need sunbeams. Children
ook little beyond the present influ-
nee. If the influence Of the home
lie is full of discord, full Of touches
# meanness and shabbiness, little
tits of covetousness and penurious-
ess, little exhibitions worldliness
nd gaiety, little indifferences to
he feeling or wishes of others, self
shness and vanity, the home train
lg cannot be good.
A mothers influence is the most
Important of all. How vast. for
God or evil, is her influence. Think
+ the purity of life hers must be to
ring up her children, to mould and
lhuence, to stamp and engrave,
nd make them just what she would
Ike them, and God would have them
0 be. Influence How great is thy
owerl Olympia, the mother of
alexander the Great, was 50 severe
oward him, that his deputy, Anti