The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-01-28


The warnings OF the still small voice
That pleads of me a better choice
Than things l now hold dear.
Helpless ] call on Thee:
Open my ears, o Lord, to hear,
Strengthen my feet. my footsteps cheer
And make my blind eyes see.
Frank Beard. in Rams Horn.
Use Your Innusnce For Good.
Doubtless in the great day when the
books arc opened we shall be amazed to
learn that the weight of our influence did
not lie in the direction we had fancied. and
perhaps prided ourselves IL did. but in m
altogether different direction. II VIC could
but get this clearly into our consciousness
It would seem % though we would take
more pains with what we are than with
what we say or seem.
The little careless word when we are of
guard may undo q lifetime of earnest,
would.be hclpfulress. The men who think
more OF the forms and ceremonies Of life,
as did the disciples who hushed back Bar
timaeus, than Of bringing a soul near to its
their own danger in the battle than Of win.
ming tie promised land for themselves and
their children. may write volumes on the
subject OF mission work for Christ, may
speak knowingly Of courage in general, but
II they tail at the unobtrusive test moment
they might as well have kept still.
At certain places in the Alps travellers
are warned to keep absolute silence az they
pass; the great belts Of ice and snow are
so evenly balanced on the mountain heights
above that a shout, the report Of q gun, or
even sometimes, in that unbrokcn solitude,
nuiet rs death, q word trembling out into
the air will cause sufficient jar to set in
motion en- avalanche. So, about US all the
wavering between life and death. A word,
a touch. will turn the current toward heav-
en- or on the downward way.
Sometimes it is but n spirit Of light and
subtle mockery that keeps a soul back
from the Masters side. where is healing
and sight: sometimes it is but 4 lazy indif-
ference that cares not to speak the little
word OF encouragement. or to take the
side with the brave Calebs who stand
alone and are willing to 60 on with the
Lords work, and at our hesitation others
who were ready to join them fall back
and are afraid.
1t is a principle Of eternal and universal
application that men, in their occupation,
their speech. their manner. their rerv in
ne-most thoughts, do not live unto them.
selves.
We are built Of two sets OF nerves-af.
ferent and cFcrcnt. One is receiving and
one distributing. Now, only rs both work
perfectly is there life. lie. the giving be
lost-what is it? Paralysis-death. So il
n man he trying TO refuse his influence
to the world or his fellow men, let him BE-
ware: it cannot DC done; it is death. As
long as onc lives. out from his life goes an
influence. and that influence is either help
inr on or discouracing others.
1t was q striking remark Of q man on
his death bed, "Oh, that my influence
coulI be gathered up and buried with
me-" It could not be. 1t still survives
him, working, and will work for centuries
to come. He could not put forth his dying
hand and arrest it. It was too late. He
had put in motion an agency he could not
control.
Hugh Black says: 1T must always be a
solemn things for q man to ask what he
has done with this dread power CT inlu.
detted to us-for good or for evil? Have
we put on his armor, ard sent him opt
with courage and strength to the battle?
Or have We dragged him down from the
heights to which he INC aspired? We
are face to face here with the tragic posi-
biiities of human intercourse"
4 ship in n voyage under sunny skies
and with f~avorins winds for days was sud.
denly plunged into a wall of fog. dense as
smoke or steam. The wind grew chill and
piercing in an hour. The mercury in the
thermometer shrank in the tube. The
commander paced the bridge with anxious
eyes. A lookout keen and quick was kent.
What did it all mean? Was it only the
leather bucket over the ships side, and as
It came up the officer OF deck plunged a
thermometer into it and earnestly scanned
it's reading. An iceberg lay of the wealth
er bow! The most dreadful Of all the
dreadful dangers OF the sea. Now that
iceberg, If it had been of the thinking
sort. may have said to himself. I'll have
nothing to do with anybody; ! don't care
what people think OF me. I don't bother
anybody. and I won't let anybody bother
me. PT keep to myself" All. but there
was the trouble. It couldn't keep 81 It.
self. And no more can one OF these moral
or social icebergs who drift to and fro
upon the tide of everyday life. Si!ert. sci.
fish, unapproachable. they pride them.
selves upon keeping aloof from every one.
They do business. it is true, they. so into
company. but they are determined to live
Every one feels it when they enter a room.
Yon can tell instinctively when you come
within the range of influence of such n So
cial iceberg. The air is chill nil about
them. The frost OF their selfshness nips
in its bud the expression on the part OF
other people Of many n kindly word, and
makes and keeps the other lives. that are
compelled by force Of circumstances, TO be
as barren and ~frlitless as their own.-New
York Mail and Exr:ess.