The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-07-27
BILL ARP'S TALK.
He Disputes an old Saying.
atlanta Constitution.

He Disputes an old Saying.
atlanta Constitution.
The wise man said that "a living dog
is better than dead lion," and he ex-
plains by saying that "the living know
they must die, but the dead know not
anything, neither have they any more a
reward and the memory of them is for.
gotten"
That msy be true in the abstract, but
still would rather be dead lion than
the average dog. Dead lions are scarce,
but living dogs are numerous. Dead
lions were once alive and if we compare
them with human they were a power in
the land and the memory of them is not
forgotten.
Obituaries, epitaphs and eulogies upon
the desd are to the average reader un-
welcome literature. Biography will
do pretty we'll, but an obituary comes so
close on to the funeral that it smacks Of
death, and death is never welcome SUBJ
ject. We haven't got time to consider
death. We will see the old fellow later.
But when great men or good men pass
away it as we'll for us to stop little
while snd contemplate their lives. We
don't know what comfort it will give
them in the spirit world-whether any
or none-or whether they hear US or not
or can read our thoughts but there is
enough in nature and revelation for US
to believe that the spirits of the dead are
very near US and are intensely concerned
in everything that We do. But whether
ne believe this or not, it is good for the
living to contemplate the life work of
good men and good women who have
gone before. Whether they be few or
many, they are saviors Of all the rest
the hostages who secure peace and good
government and give protection to life,
liberty and property. A cynical, skepti.
cal man may sneer at religion and the
church but he wouldent dare to live in
a community if every member of the
church were to move out of it. A few
men would have saved Sodom and it is
the few that save every town and city.
Leaving out of the question the grace OF
God, there is the reverence which the
bad have for the good, that is like bal
snce wheel and establishes law and or.
der. The example and influence of one
good strong man in a community is
more potent than that of fifty wicked
ones. This is the natural tribute ofevil
to good. Even the devil has respect for
virtue in all its forms. Truth and JUS
tice, chastity and temperance stand alone,
but vice has to have many props and
even then it is always falling. "Murder
will out" "One lie calls for another"
Good men are SCARCE. You can count
them easily in every community. I mean
the men of principle, the men you can
trust in all emergencies, the men of
truth, whose word is as good as their
bond, the men who stand firm in war
and in peace, in fire and in food, in fa-
mine and pestilence, in poverty and
riches, always the same and always
true. How many such are in Carriers
vile, how many in Rome, how many in
Atlanta?
Suppose there was sign of fire and
birthstone unless ne found fifty in our
town, and old Father Abraham began to
look around, who would he take? Sup
pose be wanted 100 at Rome, could be
get them? Could he get 500 in Allan
ia, if he we're to ransack every church
aud then run his seine through the opera
house, while the high kicking is going
on? It's men he demands, not women;
women would save us, but good men,
pure men are scarce. They are scarce,
but they are precious. They make but
little noise, but they are seen and known
by the old and the young, and their in
auence prevades the community. When
such a man dies he is missed. There is
q loss-a loss of citizenship, and the dev'
il is happy and will fill the place if he
can.
was thinking about the death ofjust
such man, my friend and kinsman in
Rome. In all the relations of life Hen
ry Norton was a success, q model. 1t
was good thing that he was born and
lived fifty years to illustrate our best
humanity. He was no saint-he mas
boy, and then man, then soldier, and
then husband, and father, and cit
izen, and all his mature age gentle
man and a Christian. How easily he
moved along the line-the liue of duty.
It seemed to be no trouble for him to do
right, fos he had no policy; he had a
mortal principle to govern him and it
gave him no strain. 1t save him pleas
ure and made him cheerful and sociable
and kind. he was welcome everywhere.
What beautiful commentary on his
life to see his aged father almost smil'
ing through his tears and hear him say,
"Henry WAS good boy. He was always
good boy. he never gave me or hin
mother any trouble or anxiety. I never
thought he would beat me there, but he
has-a little-just little. I'll see him
again in few days"
What a record for a son "He never
gave me or his mother any trouble" l
wish that it was mine. I wish that it
was every boys. How it would disperse
the dark shadows that hover and brood
over the parents hearts-hover and
brood until they would break if they
a.. Jou o1J 70 th or