The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-04-22
RELIGIOUS READING.
SERMONS IN FACES.

SERMONS IN FACES.
A poet has made the whole world gladly
conscious that there are sermons in the
stones:" but who shall immortalize the in
fnitely more significant thought that every
human face is living, breathing, eloquent
sermon forever preaching itself into the eyes
and souls Of men, and repeating with every
glance its lesson Of love, Of hope. of warn
ing, Of despair? For there never yet was a
face that did not carry some spiritual
message. Its prevailing. dominant eX-
preston Is always a moral force. The
saint whose face shines with the bene-
diction Of loving soul, and the
forlorn wretch upon whose brow Is stamped
the misery Of crime and hate, are both
preachers Of silent spiritual lessons. The
one face wins, the other warns but both
proclaim the beauty and the worth of holi-
ness. There are some preaching faces whose
text seems to be, Joy unto the Lord ~ How
they 20 about with their silent, shining proc
lamations of optimism! The very sunshine
Of life Is In them, and flows out to all who
will receive it. A sunshiny face in the
world is as good and helpful as any cheer
Ing book or poem; and the man or
woman who possesses it, though they may
spend their DAYS In the humblest employ
ment is doing the same kind of work as
Phillips Brooks or a Frederick Faber. Books
are not the only things that are read. There
Is poetry and an eloquence of the human
face, in comparison with which books are
often but slow and dull interpreters. Not
every one can preach the optimism OF life
with voice or pen, but who is there who
cannot preach 1t with loving, cheerful coun-
tenance? Let your face be sermon OF Joy.
Some faces are always beaming with a ten
der charitableness, that wins men where
spoken sermons are merest chaff. Give
reyivalist or mission worker one Of these
sermon faces, full Of Gods love, and he will
lead men to the feet Of Christ, though the
words OF his preaching be but commonplace
and uninspired. Those who have read ,Eliz-
abeth Stuart Phelps "A Singular Life" will
remember that she gives her young preach
er-hero face Of this type; and the very
children Of the slums crowd to his chapel
and cluster lovingly about him, as If he
were some beautiful angel-vision. Then
there Is the face that breaches purity and
high ideals. All What rare, precious
face Is this in the world 1t belongs
mostly to the saintlike women, whom one
worships as spontaneously, as reverently
as he lifts his eyes to the stars. What
host of crimes have been slain with shame
at the sight Of pure woman's shining face
The light Of those blameless eyes Is like an
arrow, white as sunbeam, piercing to the
very soul. Never was there sermon writ
ten that could preach purity like the noble
innocence and trust of woman's face. If
the soul is right within, the countenance will
preach Gods truth and Gods love as long
as life lasts. D and night, in church, or
shop, or street-everywhere, at all times
the helpful, inspiring sermon will 90 forth.
Always the same truth, always the same
spirit shining there It is the iteration of
the message that tells. The face does not
preach one doctrine today, another tomor-
row. 1t breaches character; and character
Is established, vitalized righteousness.