Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1902-12-19


turned 20 my grandfather and said.
David. that speech of DE Wits must
have sounded quite well when he spoke
it"
Then came the depressing Influences
OF his college and seminary life. With
but one exception all his professors
tried 20 instill into my fathers brain
the idea that he could never preach.
He was SO discouraged that he deter
mined TO 90 to foreign field and be a
missionary. He thought that perha Us
the heather Chinee" or the Fiji island
ers might be persuaded TO listen to his
preaching IL he were only able to get
into n region where no white man had
ever been before. The most surprised
being in the seminary-and nearly all
the students were dumfounded-was
young De Witt Talmage when he re
ceived call to the church and parson.
age at Belleville, n. j. The solemn ad.
vice which the New Brunswick profess.
or gave. You Will have to change your
style. Mr.. Talmage; you will have &c
change your style" found its echo In
the advice OF old DIR. Thomas De Witt
of the Collegiate church OF New York
city. After my father had been n short
time in the ministry this great and
good man. DR.. De Witt. after whom
my father was named, sent this mes
sage TO him: "Tell my namesake never
to allow his sermons to be published
He may be able to preach, but he GER
tainly does not know how to write"
The effect OF all this depressing and
deprecisting advice was such that my
father was never able to fully shake
Off the discouragements or his youth.
Ny mother had to urge him on and on
or without doubt I'm those first years of
struggle he would have given up the
fight and gone into the law. So, my
friends. I urge you never to discourage
a young man. You may be mistaken in
anticipating his failure. Rather cheer
him with commentator whenever IT is
possible. Who can tell whether at the
end OF his career his Divine Master
may not pronounce upon his service the
"well done" with which he rewards his
faithful stewards?
announcement Wanted.
Some years ago by an explosion Of
fredamp four miners were entombed In
a coal mine near Scranton. Pa. Their
friends worked whole night and n
day trying 10 liberate the imprisoned
men. At last the rescuers were about
to give UP In despair. Just then the
youngest member OF the firm rapidly
drove up In a buggy. AS he leaped out
he cried: Boys, you have done well!
1t Is only little work morel Come on,
boys, and In a short time we will get
those poor fellows freew He threw off
his coat and grabbed n pick md began
10 strike the rock. At the sound of his
reassuring voice and example the other
men went TO work with renewed encr-
W. The entombod men were soon safe
In the arms of thor wives and children.
Today the vast majority OF our rela-
tives do not need words OF depreciation.
Like those miners. digging for their
entombed companions, they want
words OF encouragement. words OF good
cheer, words of inspiration. words of
assurance, that If they only trust God
and do right certain success will come
to every one OF them. Their success
may not necessarily come right away,
but true success will surely come In
time.
Discouraging depreciation is often
found in the dealings OF employers
with their employees. Many men and
women who are ut the head OF large es-
adjustments do not like TO commend
their employees. They say II you
praise n clerk even n little that clerk
will get too good an opinion OF himself
and will ask for an increase OF salary.
Or. IL you praise an employee. some
rival Arm will hear OF the commenda-
ton and come and steal your man
away. Thus some men never speak
kindly TO those who are in their en-
ploy. They chronically and systematic
ally growl and find fault with every
body and everything. Their doctrine ia
bSat when an employee is afraid OF los
log his position he will work harder
AID more faithfully than IL the head
OF the firm commended him for every
thing he did well.
Now, such a course as that is not
honest or just. The Bible distinctly
says that every laborer is worthy OF his
hire. II man il paid what he ought
10 be paid for doing his work, there
is no need 10 fear that he Will not do as
good work with n few words OF COM
mendation as with the depressing eff
fscts OF unjust and systematic depre-
citation. j tell you candidly and ear
nestly that chronic fault finding has the
same effect in factory or n store as
the cold. dark, drizzling days of No
vember have upon the floral world.
while words of kindness and apprecia-
ton have the same inspiration upon
the tagging energies OF the employees
as the inspiring strains OF the regf-
mental bands had upon the despairing
spirits OF the French soldiers when
they were scaling the Alps for their
great Italian victories During the last
days OF that awful ascent, when the
French cannon had to be dra gged up
by the ropes held in the soldiers bleed
ing hands, Napoleon Bonaparte COM
manded his musicians to keep on play
ing the most inspiring patriotic airs.
So the employers words OF commenda-
ton sound in the ears OF the worker
like the notes OF sweetest and most
inspiring music. which will make the
employees sometimes even double their
energies TO merit the appreciation
which their employers have expressed.
The Spirit OF Depreciation.
But though words or commentator
may have such beneficent results in the
employers dealings with employees.
yet II is the settled policy OF many a
business man not only to say nothing
pleasant TO his employees. but also 10
make his clerks live upon as small a
salary rs possible until he is by force
OF circumstances compelled to pay
them more. am sorry TO say, too, that
this spirit OF depreciation, this reluc-
tance TO recognize and reward merit.
Is sometimes seen In the relation of a
church to its minister, although, thank
God, most congregations are not selfish
and are giving their pastors all the en-
couragement and financial support that
they can. A selfish congregation will
start IN with system OF fault finding.
1t will grind the minister down ond