The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1899-09-20
REFLECTION ON 70 YEARS.
THE REV. j, W. sANpELL IS NOW
20 YEARS OLD,

Magnolia, Miss, Sep. is, 1899. |
Seventy years ago today this
writer was born about three miles
from this place. Great changes
have taken place since that time.
Think of the babe just born and
the man at the age of three
score years and ten. The
thought is sufficient reason for
reflection. II we consider the
physical, social, political and re-
ligious changes directly related
to the period included in this
thought it assumes a magnitude
beyond the conception OF an or
binary finite being, and yet a
day, or an event seventy years
ago has its peculiar relation to
the things that have occurred
since that time. The scars OF
the little infant are still to be
seen on the members of the body
Of the man. The moral influences
that were brought TO bear on the
child have left their marks on the
life in manhood. The family al
tar, the closet devotion, the study
of the word of God, ths teaching
and example of pious parents
have impressed in childhood the
principles that enter into and
form the character OF true man.
hood. am largely indebted 10
my parents for what | am today.
Let self have no more space
in this paper than is ne 3essary to
magnify the grace Of God in my
life. 1t would not be wise to say
it was better to be born in 1929
than in 1890, or to say OF the
times then and now, that the for
mer times were better than these.
| am glad that ! was born when
was, and that | live in these
times.
AS contact with the elements
Of the material world left marks
of the material, so contact with
the elements of the spiritual
world left marks OF the spiritual;
therefore a man is carnally mind
ed or spiritually minded in ac-
cordance with the choice he
makes of his association. The
voluntary choice To serve God is
the first thing a human being
ought to do as a religious act OF
a free will. My earliest memo-
ries are related to moral actions,
and | can now see effects that
have been produced by causes
from the early part of my life TO
the present. There has been
great progress in almost every
thing we can think of in this
country for the improvement of
mankind. Organizations for 30 :
cial, educational, religious and
political enterprises have multi
piled at greater rate than ever
before in the same length Of time.
Invention and discoveries in arts
I
and sciences have given wonder
full facilities for the accomplish
ment Of Gods purpose in the
creation of man. The log school
house has given place to the col
lege, the three RS of the three
months school to the large course
of study and the long time to
complete the college work. In a
few miles Of my birthplace there
are now eleven churches where
there was not one seventy years
ago. At that time the people
| gathered at school houses and
private residences for the public
worship of God, sometimes they
resorted to the "groyes, Code
first temples. /" But their worship
was acceptable, and the gospel
preached by his servants was the
power Of God unto salvation, and
converts to the faith multiplied in
those days.
The style Of living-diet, dress,
| a bor, everything
was so different from what it il
now, a mere mention of these
things must suffice for the pur.
Epose Of this paper. At this periot
/ | am impressed with the impor'
tance Of adhering strictly to righ
principles in politics and religion
Men will differ in their opinions
and occasion for strife will come
but there is no place in the gos