The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-10-15
ANNUAL GRAFTON,
BY e. e. HILLIARD, ESQ,
Delivered Before the North Carolina
Press Association at Winston
Salem, August II, 1891.
4 ~ -TWLI

Salem, August 12, 1891.
ny = :cc1ftHn n OLLOWING
%5Ss.S is the annual
- Y ssSSS Grafton delivered
- IesssST,aft before the North
! !. :. !" ]. ! {" | !:
II 4 t<s,.lEsek1 w Carolina Press
f iIs.gYI MSGs Association at its
S. EI VSEssS,, late meeting in
+: "F1,ZlSaS Winston--S Salem,
\=[<11x1yfsNs1IGtsss August II, 8o1,
NNfasS#- BYE. E. Hilliard,
~'@As Esq, editor Of
the Scotland Neck Democrat Its ex
cellence of merit is the only apology
we offer for devoting so much of our
space to a single article this week.
Read it and judge for yourself. After
a few brief Introductory remarks by
President Caldwell, of the Statesville
Landmark, Mr.. Hilliard spoke as
follows
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN Having
had no opportunity OF speaking per-
sonally to the members of the North
Carolina Press Association, desire to
thank them now for the honor they
conferred upon me at their meeting in
Durham last year. Being a stranger
to many of them and having just be-
come a member of the Association,
the honor of being elected to meet the
duties of this particular hour was all
the more appreciated. And l do not
wish to be considered divulger Of
family secrets, brethren of the Associa
ton, when | assure you that of the
few preferences shown me in my life,
l remember only one that was more
highly appreciated. promise you that
But tell you what I've learned at home,
Or what was taught me when at school
| While sitting on a bench or stool"
With these brief preliminaries, l
shall attempt to " draw new circle"
and this shall be the theme for my re-
marks tonight.
DRAW A NEW CIRCLE.
Everyone knows the meaning of
circle. The teacher draws a circle on
the black k-board, for instance, and asks
the most primary pupil to draw one
too The pupil readily understands
| that he is asked to draw one like the
teacher has drawn-one of exactly the
same size, or larger or smaller one.
And by "draw new circle,' with
the idea before me tonight, l mean
draw a larger one always.
And how beautifully does this idea
of expansion accord with our observa
tions in the physical world! On the
universe for His blackboard, Gods own
hand drawing we see, penciled with
the crayon of power, teaching men
the fitness and beauty there are
in wellrounded development.
Drop a pebble into the lake, and
the rippling wavelets spread out in
every direction in circles of uniform
distance from the breaking of the
water The boy on the hilltop hal
looing to his neighbor lads in the
calm OF the evening or morning twi
light, may be heard as far one way as
the other The air-waves move from
the centre, or disturbing force, equi-
distant in all directions. And SO it
is with most of the forcesr-esistance
being equal on all sides, they expand
themselves in circles.
In the great laws of creation God
seems to have put His fngermarks on
all His works in circles and cycles of
beauty. When we look out in early
morn upon the horizon, as the grey
streamers, light of the new day, begin
to illumine the earth, the world is seen in
a perfect circle. And as the king Of day
subdues the lesser lights in his appoint
ed course, he must do it by moving in a
circle-otherwis ne would disturb the
harmony of the spheres. The sun him
self is circle of light, and the silver
moon beams forth her mellow rays in
her gentle reflections from a surface
whose true and full form is circle.
And SO on through the entire system
of all the spheres Of Gods great handi-
work, we think of them and know of
them only as circles, moving on in
their appointed orbits around the
throne of the everlasting great / Am.
And in His higher laws of llfe-crea-
ton God moved in the circle of its
crowning the whole realm
of created things, animate and lnanl-
mate, with man, the highest type of
life, master of all and after the image
of Himself And in the still higher |
laws of the spiritual world, He seems
to have moved in circles. After the
fall of man from the holy state Of his
first creation, and after the accumu-
lated wickedness of the ages, in the
fullness of time the great clrcllng om-
niscience and omnipotence of God
spread out into a circle Of gospel truth
with love and redemption that girdled
the world.
And the history of man through the
ages shows that his influence and |
power have gradually expanded into
nobler and better even from
the time when God said to him: "ln |
the sweat Of thy face shalt thou eat
bread" to the closing decade of the
10Th century. In His own works God
gives the model and expects men to !
look for opportunities for expansion,
and draw new circle wherever they |
can. And for success in whatever at !
the circle must be drawn with
a bold and fearless hand. The great
lever of success is conviction of right
and a terrific earnestness in the thing |