The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1898-02-25
SOME RAMBLING THOUGHTS.
BY "NEMo."


The "silent influence"-whata world
of satisfaction there is in the idea! 1t
brings us all in as one in the onward
work of the world. The "silent influ-
ence,' soft as snow flake, gentle as a
summer zephyr, despised as an earth
worm, unheeded as blade Of grass, is
what is doing the work of the world
Mightier than monarchs is the quiet
thought of the people, passing from
hamlet to hamlet and growing as it
passes; more enduring than noun tains
are the personal and national virtues
that are quietly and silently taught
and lived by unknown men and wo-
men; more persistent than death are
the silent works done generation after
generation by the humble and unseen
done because they were right to be
done, and not because they were to be
either seen or praised of men.
Humble ones everywhere, the "silent
influence" and knowledge of its gran
deur in all history, all progress, all
morals-makes the humblest of us hum
BILE ones proud to live and eager for
more Of the patient plodding to which
we have hitherto been confined. We
are part of the great human body, as
much as the invisible oxygen in us is
part of us, and like it we are exercising
definite influence for good in our race
no matter how small or insignificant
may be our effort towards wisdom and
righteousness of life.
~
Purpose in life is like the sunshine
that comes over the hills to make the
way clear after night of doubt and
wandering. l am not surprised that
many people find existence altogether
too confusing and give up in despair
tits because they get into the maze OF
life and lose hold upon the one thread
that will guide them out into freedom
that thread is purpose. Like the early
alchemists who always had one thing
lacking when they tried to transmutt
metal, many of us are seeking the phil.
osoper's stone that shall turn to fine
gold the days and hours that are allotted
to US Failure follows failure, failure
lives with us, failure nauseates us be-
cause the one thing lacking is purpose.
Good, sincere, honest purpose is more to
be desired than great riches, and strong.
er to sweep difficulty out of the way is
it than muscle. But the possession OF
clear purpose does not necessarily mean
that all difficulties will disappear
Such are good for us and test our pur-
pose as to whether it has the genuine
ring of pure metal about it.
Iassume that the preceding paragraph
will be regarded as applying most def.
nitely to young men out in the worlds
work. But do not want it so applied
That's too narrow way of regarding it
1t applies to us all, as l shall show.
Weary widow, with heart crushed
by strange and terrible affliction, left
perhaps with small children to sustain,
none of them able to help with the fam
lily purse, except to help empty it-look
back at the first few hours of your be.
reavement and recall how the almost
fierce resolve to bring them up well in
spite Of every obstacle, brought some
measure of quiet orderliness to your
brain and has made the struggle seem
worth while ever since.
Aged pilgrim, whose beetling brow is
covered with the SHOWS of LIES winter
lift up your head into the sunshine, lei
its glories linger around your tempest
worn face, that the young may look uI
to you as guide aud an encouragement
that they may see what it is to have
borne the conflict and resisted the
storm, to stand at the last strongly
quietly, brightly in The midst Of light
that seems to grow more beautiful a:
You sink away into the night. Purpose
is still yours to enjoy; the purpose tC
guide and encourage others. That will
make the lastdays as beautiful for good
as permanently useful as any that have
gene before, since you know not what