The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-07-25
POWER OF INFLUENCE.
EHe,.t ~ of Silent FOrce-POsitive and
Negative.
BY LUTHER S. BRADLEY.

BY LUTHER s. BRADLEY.
[Baore Palmetto Literary Society, May %,
1901
Every flower that springs out OF the earth,
all vegetable matter OF whatever Kind, pal
takes OF the elements OF the atmosphere by
whi n it is en- nveloped.
A tiny brooklet trickling down the noun.
tain side partakes Of min eral, animal and
vege table matter with which 1t comes In con-
tact along It's whole course TO the ocean. A
cher ical examination of It's mouth VIII de-
velo r the story OF Its march from the noun
Ar finals brought under the influence OF
man. have their disposition completely trans
not an exception TO the rule. There Is that
Will n Is called heredity, and Its power on tne
hum Rn race is great but greater still Is the In
fluei.lce OF man on man.
II, ,ridity indeed Is but the son or consecu'
tivei and aggregated influence.
Personal Influence may bo both positive
and inegative; it may be both positive and
negItive in single being. Good men exert
ever barring his breast to the taunts and leers
of ts1e scofer. ever stopping to grasp the hand
of s&me moral wreck and pointing him TO a
God OF m ercy and pity, exerts an influence
which cannot be calculated in our mortal eX-
iste5 bee. They are, or should be, types OF our
Saw &our, the great exemplar. OF Wnom even
cros3s because he loved him, and God would
mott 3tram mple under foot the smallest blossom
of gbve that ever shed Its fragrance IN the hu'
mafh heart"
Ttie Christian philan thropist exerts posi-
tivA Influence for good, for charity carries
wit It double blessing; 1t softens the heart
OF | he gIver, and touches with divine spark
the poor, needy and hungry recipient, ana and
onl: st the great and final accounting will
the sGm of such an influence be reckoned.
IT, ,le influence of depraved man Is gener.
W wre ps It's coil about the unsuspeotlng and
fro its cover pierces with Its poisonous
fap gs.
mu ity has wrung the heart OF many wife
has sent gray-haired parents TO an unt1mely
gra we; has laid the lash upon thousands OF
bel p less children, and has led victims TO the
wo st OF vice and debasement.
A father's evil habits usually exert posi-
tlv' influence upon his son. We are all IA
mi jar with the story of the man ascending a
daI lgerous mountain pass, who when be was
at ;he most i'm minent point of danger, looked
bat TX and saw his boy following him. and in
gre at dread OF q fatal accident, called 10 him
to oe careful, and we recall the answer OF the
bo 2, Father, / am following In your foot
ste ps.''
he fathers example shapes the sons des-
tiny. and he is superior man whose intelli-
ge ace and manhood can surmount the IA.
thu ,r's evil example and negative Its effects.
No. creature Is so ignticant and debased as
to be without influence.
1T is a startling thought that every outward
| &C of our lives makes Its imprint on some
ore OF our fellow beings, as pebole dropped
| NJ BON the bosom of the placid lake starts in
| N otion wave after wave, rolling higher and
b CHER until 1t breaks upon the shore: So the
good or evil influence of man reaching his
! fellow and by him In turn transmitted TO an
other, will roll on the sea of time until 1t
| breaks upon the shore OF eternity.
Was the influence OF Napoleon buried at
| Helena? IL not Noltare still talking to the
| French people? What was true of these men
| In a great degree is true OF us in less. We
are every day receiving Impressions from
others about us and Transmitting them to
I others.
! Influence unlike almost everything else.
paradoX!cal ~ IL may seem, may be divided
and impaired and yet remain whole In the
one eXertinG it. Among the shadows of the
world Of sinful darkness our struggling lives
arc wandering, lit here and there by some as
| tral light of Almighty grace, which pierces
through the iuterminable gloom. Unobserv.
emily we grope in needless apathy, while far
above our despcable surroundings Whetes
CLEANS the heavenly fires, where darkpeass
d. fades away before the eternal throne OF lI0dk
I there is light. Conditions as distant as zenith
=! from nadir and yet but step divides. FrHtE
man, whose days are az the grass, before Sbet
tale of your life Is told and the efinfuenceSpf
your surroundings has shaped the destiny 6f
woe-cease to wander in your gloom, pause,s
and listen To- the mystic warning that VIII
soon resound as music, and lead you In the
future to an everlasting veal.