The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1900-12-01
THE POWER OF GOOD WORDS.

A few words often preach better
than long discourses. Words of
wisdom bcdded III the common con-
seriousness have an immense propul-
siye force. They are alive, in some
sense they breathe and palpitate.
The sententiousness of the Bible |
has been one of the causes Of its
vast and abiding power. It's quot
ableDess in short sentences has
made Of it a whole literature, lit
tie compact library held in millions
of minds. The preachers words,
his amplifications and expansions,
often leave the text where it was, $500
nugget of pure gold, saying all
in the narrowest compass, portable,
adequate, ready to be stored in the
poorest memory, and brought forth
for ready application, when needed.
The point, directness, and simple
ity Of texts have given them cir
culating power that nothing but
money equals. The most ignorant
have some of them stored in the,
mind, if even in a rnuti1ated form.
They may become hackneyed, not
from too frequent repetition Of
prosy sentences, where the dizziness
of the setting takes from the 1ustre
of the jewel. But the moment they
are disengaged and the time comes
to use them upon the quick of con-
science or experience, they regain
their pulsating life. They sting
and bite, they torment or comfort.
They are with us as prods or whips,
they console or soothe to rest, or
drop balm into secret wounds. ID
In daily life they add emphasis
to a thousand things that, though
commonplace in themselves, are
capable of heightening and idea1iz-
ing under the subtle process of
transference or the reflected light
thrown from some great thought,
some deep spiritual suggestion.
There is danger that in the over
flow of a vast wash Of so-called lit
erature the immense moral and
spiritual value of the concentrated
and powerful words contained in
the Bible may more or less come to
: be neglected. Those who were lit
orally brought up on this strong
: diet were the best educated of thei1
. day. This nourishing food made
grand and sable characters, based
on firm, if sometimes craggy, foun'
) dations. They have a grandeur O.
l outline that time cannot diminish
| If their view of life was too serious
! it was still noble. If they were
stern and unrelenting, they were
still brave and heroic. The Bible
. men Of other times have become
the giants of ours.
S Place this old book alongside The
c mass of children's literature of til,
3 day, and how it rises like a noun
: tain peak of truth and reality above
a the confused mole-hills of our mod
d ern world! Endless riches are still
a unmined between its covers. There
e is still new light to break out o
4 Scripture, even in our day. FoI
d the capital wherewith to begin life
l. for culture in the best form of writ
= ing, the grand style, that direct
: simple, and cogent form of speech
t that is most easily learned and long
!, est remembered, it remains pre.em
i inent. .s..-.,~ .l...t.s. = ,...
/ Praise Of this old familiar book
t may seem outworn. Is:it not com
e mended every Sunday in thousand:
S of pulpits? Is it worshipped as &
superstitious object by millions o
S people? Has not this worship oft
: en- taken the form of a servile, ig
i norant, and debased cu1tl Have
e not innumerable errors and fallacie.
< and false creeds and false GODS beer
}, based upon the book, using it t
o ends degrading and wicked? Thes'
e things are true, but they prove it
n real value. A book that could
a withstand so much and still tri