The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1899-01-13

take possession of those once Spa nish
colonies we invite foreign interference,
and enter upon career that will finally
be the demolition OF this government.
Both positions are immeasurabIe mis-
takes. God has SET apart this continent
for free government. and the triumphs
Of Christianity, and we may take either
the first or the secoLd course without
ruin. We may say TO those Islands,
I'VE do not want you. but we have set
you free; now stay free, While we see
that the Spanish panther never again
puts its paw on your neck, or we may
invite the annexation Of Cuba and Porto
Rico. and say 10 the Philippines: Get
ready. by education and good morals,
for free government. and a. the right
time you shall be one Of our territories
on the way TO be one of our states"
And there is no power in Europe, Asia
or Africa or all combined that could
harm this nation in its worldwide en-
deavor. God is on the side Of the right
and by earnest imploratiOn for Divine
guidance on the part of this nation we
will be led to do the right. We are on
the brink of nothing. There is no
frightful crisis. Tkis train of repub-
lican and democratic institutions is
through train. and all we want is 10
have the engineer and the brakeman
and the conductor attend TO their busI-
ness and the passengers keep their
places. We want men in this nation
with faith enough for all. We want
here and there a David worth 10000
men.
A vast majority of men have no sur
plus of confidence for others and hardly
enough confidence for themselves,
They go through life saying depressing
things and doing depressing things
They chill prayer meetings. discourage
charitable institutions, injure com-
merce and kill churches. They blow out
lights when they ought 10 be kindling
them. They hover around a dull fire
on their own hearth and take up so
much room that no one Gan catch the
least ca!oric. instead of stirring the
hearth into a blaze, the crackle of
whose backlog would invite the whole
neighborhood o come in 10 feel the
abounding warmth and see the trains
fguratiOn Of the faces. As we all have
10 guess a great deal about the future,
let us guess something good. for it will
be more encouraging and the guess will
be just as apt to come true. What a lot
Of ingrates the Lord has at His table
people who have had three meals n day
for so years and yet fear that they viii
soon have to rattle their knife and tork
on an empty linn ,,ri.,,z.' t.J.v ,u.'rt-
have had, winter and spring and sum |
mer and fall, clothing for 60 years. but |
expect an empty wardrobe shortly! |
How many have lived under free insti- |
tutions all their days, but fear that the |
United States may be telescoppd in |
some foreign collision! Oh, but the |
taxes have gone up! Yes, but. thank |
God. it is easier, with money, TO pay the |
taxes now that they are up than it was
without money TO pay the taxes when |
they were down. We want a few men |
who have faith in God and that mighty |
future which holds several things. |
among them a millennium. Colum.
banus said to his friend: "Deicous |
why are you always smiling?" The re-
ply was: because 10 one can take my
God from mel" We want more men TO
feel that they have a mission 10 cheer |
others and 10 draw up the corners of |
peoples mouths which have long while |
been drawn down-more Davids who |
can shepherd whole flocks of brigh, |
hopes and play a harp of encourage
ment and strike down a Goliath Of de- |
spair, and of whom we can say: Thou |
art worth 100000 Of u.s."
l admit that this thought of my text,
fully carried out, would change many |
of the worlds statistics. Suppose a vii |
lage is said to have 1000 inhabitants |
and that one-half of them-namely 500 |
have for years been becoming less in |
body, and through niggardiness and
less in soul. Each one Of |
these is only one-half of what he once |
was, or one-baIf of what she once was. |
The original 500 have been reduced one |
half in moral quality, and are really |
only $50. Suppose that the other 500 |
have maintained their original status
and are neither better nor worse. Then |
he entire population of that village is
$50. But suppose another village of
200, and 500 of them as the years go
by, through mental and spiritual cul-
ure, augment themselves until they
are really twice the men and women
hey originally were. and the other 500 |
remain unchanged and are neither bet
er nor worse, then the population of
hat village is 1900. Meanness is sub
traction and nobility is addition. Ac-
eording as yon rise in the scale of holi-
ness and generosity and conservation,
you are worth or 10 or so or 100 or .0OO |
,r 10000.
Notice, my friend. that this David
strategist, minstrel. master of
blank verse and stone singer at the
giant, whom the soldiers of the text es-
imated clear up into the thousandfold
Of usefulness. oD this particular occa-
ion staid at home or in his place of
emporary residence. Gen. JoaU, Gen
Abishai and Gen lttai. who commanded |
he boys in the right wing and left wing
md center, did their work bravely and
eft $4,000 of the Lords enemies dead on
he field. and many of the survivors got
,ntangled in the woods of Enhran
md mixed up in the bushes. and STUN
oled over the stumps of trees. and fell
nto bogs. aud were devoured by wild
beasts which seized them in the thick
rs. But David did his work a. home.
We all huzZa for heroes who have been
q battle, and on their return what pro-
;essions we form. and what triumphal
arches we spring. and what banguets
Se spread, and what garlands we
Sreathe. and what orations we deliver.
md what bells we ring. and what can
1onades we fire! But do we do just