The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-02-04


direction. We may explode a small
amount OF power In the open ana Il will
produce little effect. But place the same
amount In cartridge, confne 1t there
with the leaden bullet, discharge IL In a
rine and the bullet sped on It's course. d.
| itcteh by the accurately bored barrel
| nrs the mark, mile distant witt,
strength sufficient to kill a mai The
| speto OF an engine does not dspcnd
merely on the size OF It's boilers and the
| amount OF steam IL can generate. II de-
| pends more on the rails over which its
wheels fly and which determine It's course
| and direction
what rife is TO a cartridge and a
track IL 10 a train, conservation TO a hieh
| ana noble purpose Is TO a man. The rife
| does not give the powder it's explosive
power put II does give IL It's efficacy.
The polished rail does not Increase the
quantity OF steam. but by increasing its
efncacy II enlarges It's strength 1t en-
apies the engine to do more OF Just that
thing for which II was constructed
GIVES EFFICACY AND POWER
conservation may not increase the nat
ural strength of man. but Il gives TO
tnat strength all that makes strength de-
sirabe; IL gives efficacy and power and
the ability to do and accomplish.
There Is delicate touch in the story
OF Samson that illustrates this After
Delilah had cut of his locks she awakens
him and says: The Philistines be upon
thee Samson" And he awoke out OF his
sleep and said. al will go out as at other
times and shake myself" But he wist
not that the God was departed from him
He did not feel that his strength had
gone. He had not grown weaker Yet
when he meets the Philistines they bind
HIM and put out his eyes and cas-. him IN
prison. It's efficacy had a. least de-
parted from him and II a means strength
and an engines strength are to be tested
py what they can do. then a loss Of aim
and track. a loss OF conservation and d.
rection is loss OF physical strength.
We are often struck with the fact that
on" man seemingly with little strength
Is able to do what another doAs rot find
possible, although endowed with the ply
sioue OF Samson and the brain of
a Plato.
Many man we'll bred. skilfully edu-
Gated. carefully trained I'm every particu-
lar, fails where another without any of
such help succeeds. The one man relies
on the precedent given him by noble
birth and scholarly training and the
other. feeling the lack OF these things
consecrates himself 10 a noble CAUSE
Where two men are fitted against each
other having equal natural endowments
and tho one relies on his own strength
n
high purpose. you may rest assured that
the last man will win over the hrst.
POWER OF CONSIDERATION.
The power OF conservation Is no value
better revealed than in the story OF Sam
son. IL catches UP his wild rugged
powers and directs them 10 some end.
His strength Is turned against the enc
mics OF his people and he besins their
"a he
truth OF this is witnessed day by day
In the world that lies very near us
There are some rugged characters we
know, almost rough and uncouth. who
seem to accomplish for humanity what
finer. more delicate. even more moral
men do not seem to achieve These men
nave an influence over life that surprises
us. They accomplish an amount OF good
that far surpasses the good done by men
or n much more conventional type.
1T would be an interesting problem to
inquire into the sources from whence
comes the major part of the charity done
In our cities. IL might surprise US to
learn the moral character as Judged by
the standards OF conventional morality.
rncr, en the men e, ,s who give the burden OF the
destitute and depraved.
AN INTERESTING STORY.
IL is said that beggars never solicit
lar church service. II would be an in
teresting story. that OF an intelligent pro-
fessional beggar. who would explain
what type OF man he would most pre-
Ter to accost. This at least would be a
safe conclusion that the great majority
Of good done In this world is done BY
the class OF men consecrated TO nien
ideals OF truth and honor. many of whom
are not strictly moral. and not by that
class OF men. who with Pharisaicai pride
say, II thank God that I am not as other
men are" and who have kenf ALI the
commandments from their youth ap and
nave been so busy doing II they have
had no time to do anything else
These large and generous souls accom-
piish what they do for good. despite their
vices and the limitations these bring. be-
cause with large heartedness and gen
erous impulse they have consecrateo
themselves In their way. after a fashion.
10 the good OF other men, rather than
TO the saving OF their own souls. which |
would mean losing them. So great then |
seems tnis power or conservation that IL |
reckless. immoral life OF the worlds |
Samsons.
THE LOSS OF POWER.
The main emphasis OF our lesson. how. |
but In the lessons drawn for M from, |
n the loss loss OF that power by the breaking
themselves TO God and then
have broken the vow of consecratIon |
they ofi,imss inquire Of themselves how
uaiiy indefinite and uncertain and one
feels that many things have entered into
10. For the sake OF definiteness we
usually assign some cause. however we
say. that We have not used the power
God has given us az n result of the con.
racra finn Vet fhis do~. -. ...--. 1