The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1903-06-18
What Have You Done?

yerV mOQeSC rs " lis NOIuS, cflucuCC " dS
not lacking that he had done something.
The old apostle lived in an age when it
cost something in the way OF effort and
sacrifice to defend principles, and he was
engaged in work that invited danger
and persecution, but he possessed the cour-
age and determination to do the WORK
planned, and as result his name has
come down through the centuries and his
memory is cherished to-day because he
ACCOMPLISHED something for humanity at
a time when the world needed conscien-
tious workmen. When he said to the
officer, II am man" he emphasized in
short terse sentence the dignity of man
hood and when he added that he was
Jew of NO mean city he expressed loyalty
to his race and to his home. The char
acter of the old veteran who gave his llte
in defense of truth has been studied ana
eulogized ever since his name and the
record of his life became history. That
he lived to purpose and done something
is acknowledged by all who have given
anv attention to his life and work.
1t was worth something in the olden
times to be able to say, Il am man." 1t
is worth more to-day because OF the
greater opportunities that come to human
experience The world has never needed
men more than it needs them at the pres
ent time. There is no lack of imitation
but there is shortage of the genuine, and
the shortage is apparent in every depart
ment of endeavOr There are many homes
where the head of the family is repre-
sented by frame to hang clothes on. He
may not be drunkard or prohigate.
That isn't always necessary to make him
a nonenity. He may possess morality and
make noisy profession of piety and still
be nothing but clothes horse. His wife
is better acquainted with him than the
church and in spite of the wealth of love
she bestows upon him she is conscious Of
the fact that he is but the shadow of a
man. He may be too lazy to work, too
tired to entertain an opinion of his own,
too brutal to be tolerated, or too pure to
assume responsibility; in either case he is
not man and has no right to claim the
title.
Every home should have at the head of it
| a full-f1edged man, possessed of character
enough to command not only the love but
respect of his wife and confidence of his
children. The honeymoon will not dis
| appear as quickly from the horizon when
the kindly word and gentle tone
which won the heart in the days of court,
ship becomes mellow with the years
instead of harsh and discordant and when
the little courtesies blend with every day
experience in old time gallantry.
There is scarcity of men in all com
munities. Men who take an interest in
public welfare and who are willing to de-
vote thought and intelligent action to
| working out results for the public good
There are three classes of men who make
up the body polite. One the lawless
| irresponsible class; another the indiffer-
| ent or holy class; citizens who acknowl.
edge and assume personal responsibility
The two extremes frequently hold the
balance of power, as was the case In the
recent city elections. If the time ever
comes when majority of the voters
adopt as a motto, Il am man" city
governments will be transformed and a
practical reform era established.
The business and industrial world needs
more men in every department. There
is q surplus of machines, hut shortage
of men who think and act for themselves.
The young man who starts out as a clerk
or Office boy satisfied to peform in a
given number of hours simply the work
placed before him will always be depend
dent upon some other brain to direct him,
and before he reaches middle life he will
become an automaton. he may be faith
full without being progressive, and the
opportunities of life that were never
more abundant than to-day will pass
him without being discovered. A faith
full machine accomplishes good work, but
aggressive manhood provides the work.
In Chicago factory visitor was inter-
ested in watching the lemployes as they
strung along in from 7.30 to $50 in the
morning. He said to the proprietor,
"How do these men work?" "Oh," he re-
piled, "they work by the piece, and the
union only permits them to turn out q
certain amount of goods in day, and if
they are skillful six or eight hours is all
the time they need, and then," he added,
"some of them are satisfied to work three
or four hours day, just enough to keep
them in whiskey" The conditions in
the labor world contribute nothing to in
dependent, self respecting manhood and
tation with but little to show in the way
of accomplishment. Manhood means
more than profession. 1t means more than
fame or ability, and vastly more than
simple honesty. At its best state it
means the development Of the best that
humanity possesses. The full stature of
man with faculties consecrated to ser
vice represents the highest type that the
race produces.
What hast thou done?" is pertinent
question, but it should be asked in all
seriousness and soberly considered by
every individual life. This is an age of
accomplishments and the battle field is
open to all contestants. Victories are
won in the open arena and there are no
favored classes. The largest measure of
success is not contained in bank account,
neither is it measured by fame or popu
larity. 1t lies within the grasp of the
most lowly, and is not controlled by en-
vironment. The work of life is close at
hand, and its mission faithfully performed
day by day leads to destiny. The ques-
tion, "What hast thou done?" comes to
people who are on the down hill side of
life with more or less regret, for the re-
Prospect is not always satisfying. The
more important question for young people
with history yet unwritten is, What do
you propose to do?" 1t is easy to drift
with the tide down through the years and
do nothing worthy of the name, but it is
possible to brace up against it and with
a fixed purpose and strong determination
work out destiny and win many of the
prizes. H.
Driven to Desperation.
Living at an out of the way place, remote
from civilization, a family is often driven
to desperation in case of accident, result
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