The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-04-23
Don't Drift.

Don't Drift.
Fifty years ago q small schooner was
launched at Gloucester, Mass, which LOT
forty summers did good service as fishing
emack off the Atlantic coast. Latteriy the
craft was used in the coasting trade. The
other day the schooner, says the Sun, was
drifting along in q fiat calm in Penobscot
Bay, when Suddenly almost every seam
and butt appeared to open," and the an
Gent little craft went down SO quickly
That her crew had barely time to escape In
their boat" According to the skipper the
craft dissolved" 1t was a case OF nant''
'HI The interest Of this incident, however,
lies largely in the fact that it was this
schooner the Amy knight, which figured
in Kipline's Captain Courageous" as a
craft that was always breaking adrift-an
erratic and undependable member OF the
6shine feet. In the loss of the Amy
KNIGHT disappears the last OF some twenty
historic little vessels mentioned in Hip
lings story.
The fisher folk Of Maine, it is true claim
that Kipling was wrong in his estimate OF
the qualities of this boat. Nevertheless, the
whole story suggests a moral. There are
people who may be Gkened to boats always
breaking adrift. They never, stay out long,
They never tie up to anything, and one
cannot tie up to them. =,
This tendency, to drift Is observable IN
the peaceful affairs of life, and is also illus;
trated in the realm OF theories and beliefs
Certain people never can be depended upon
to do any one thing long. They snirk re.
sponsibilities, civil, social or religious, OF
Il tkey assume them soon tire of the work
and prove unfaithful TO the trust. There
are men OF whom it VII never do to make
trustees of anything under the sun, for,
however much Of confidence is reposed IN
them, they, will surely sooner or later de-
sert their first charge in favor OF. some
newer attraction. Many of the accidents
or losses which are reported in the papers
are attributable to the lack of fduciary in
stinct and interest on the part OF indirid
uals who have never learned the important
lesson of remaining at the post Of duty un'
til relieved by higher authority.
There ia also not little drifting to be
observed in the sphere of theory and be
lief. Many people do not know what they
believe two hours running. Their theories,
like the divine mercies, are new every
morning and fresh every evening. To such
O settled creed is like black buoy-some
thing from which to steer away.
This tendency to drift, when persisted in
for awhile, readily becomes an almost un'
controllable habit. That was the trouble
according to kiplins, with the Amy Knight
she would break away from her moorinss
Unrest of mind, impatience of control, ire
sponsiveness to duty, eagerness for novelty
pride of opinion, all these frames and few
ers, II allowed to run their course will In
evitably wreck the usefulness of the most
promising life. Nothing is ever gained BY
drifting over the tossing waters OF ife'i
mysterious sea. The soul Of man cannot
afford to be q mere derelict upon the
ocean. There are voyages to be sailed ano
ports to be made, under prescribed law'
Of navigation. II chart and compass-pro
vided by Gods Word and Spirit-are dis
regarded, dire disaster will result. Tht
soul that allows the spirit of unrest so tt
possess it as to wrest it from all safe moo,
ings and to sweep it rudderless out to sea
will end at last as did the Gloucester Graf
in sudden and irretrievable ruin. Beware
of the first tendency to drift. Cultivate
the habit not Of nervous scurrying aftel
novelty, but of careful and constant at
tention to truth, and to the practical re
sponsibi!ities which spring from its accept
ance. In order that your life may be sue
cessful, steady it.-New York Observer.