Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1894-03-03
AS SEEN IN THE FACE.
THE MAP OF THE MIND DISCUSSED
AT THE TABERNACLE,

Rev. DR.. Talmage Says tho chssrasser Of 10
Countenanoo Is n Mirror Of tao Seal
Most Wonderful of Gods Works,
BROOKLYN, Feb. s5.-In the Brook
Ign Tabernacle this forenoon Rev. Oh.
Talmage chose for the subject of bis
sermon 1.-The Human Face" and held
his great audience fascinated with the
charm of his eloquence as he discoursed
on subject Of universal interest. The
text was Ecclesiastes viii, 1, "a mans
wisdom maketh his face to shine, and
the boldness of his face shall DO chang
ed" or, as it may be rendered, 1.-The
sourness of his face shall be sweetened. f"
Thus little change in our English
translation brings out the better mean
ing of the text, which sets forth that
the character of the face is decided by
the character of the soul. The main
features of our ,countenance were decid-
ed by the Almighty, and we cannot
change them, but Under God we decide
whether we shall have. countenances
benignant or baleful, sour or sweet,
wrathful or genial, benevolentor. mean,
honest or scoundrelly, impudentor mod
est, courageous or cowardly, frank or
sneaking. In all the works of God there
is nothing more wonderful than the hui
man countenance. Though the longest
face is less than 12 inches from the hair
line of the forehead to the bottom OF
the chin and the broadcast face is less
than inches from cheek bone to cheek
bone, yet in that small COMPASS God
hath wrought such differences that the
1000, 900, 600 of the human race may
be distinguished from each other by
, tt;lvssr facial appearances.
AN INDEX OF CHARA CTtER. e,
The face is ordinarily The index of
character. 1t is the throne of Che emo.
lions. 1t is the battlefield of the pas
sions. 1t is the catalogue ofchafactar..
1t is the map OF the mind. II isethe
geography Of the soul. And wiile the,
Lord decides before Our lirfllwhethar
we shall be handsome or honielY re are
by the character we form deciding.
whether our countenanccs shalibepieas
ant or disagreeable. This is 50 snlieh 50.
that some of the most beaUtiIul faces
are unattractive because CT their asyo-
gance or their deceitfulncss, and soates
of the most rugged and irregular fen
lures are attractive because of the kind
ness that shines through them. Accls
dent or sickness or scarifcation may.
veil the face SO that it shall notexpress
the soul, but in the majority Of cases
give me a deliberate look alta man g
countenance and I will tell you whether
he is cynic or an optimist, whether he
is miser or philanthropist, whether
he is noble or ignominious, whether ne
is good or bad. Our first impression Of
a man or woman is generally the accu-.
rate impression. You at the FIRST glance
make up your mind that som man IL
unworthy of your friendship, bat after,
ward, by circumstance zheip ri i;:lsa;
intimate association with him, you
come to like him and trust him, Yet
stay with him long enough, and you
will be compelled to return to your orig
inal estimate of his character, but it.
will be after he has cheated you out of
everything he could lay his hands on.
1t is of Gods mercy that we have these
outside indexes Of character. Phrenol-
ogy is one index, and while it may be
carried to an absurd extent there is no
doubt that you can judge somewhat of
a mans character by the shape of his
head. Palmistry is another index, and
while it may be carried into the fanciful
and necromantic there is no doubt that
certain lines in the palm of the hand
are indicative of mental and moral
traits.