Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1904-05-11
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influence.

| MISS 6mmh lucker, the evan.
gelist, relates that as she was once rid.
ing on the st. John's river in Florids
the boat came almost to q sudden
stiffness. When she asked fellow.
passenger what was the matter sh.
was shown some leaves of the water
hyacinth on the surface of the water
/ Some years ago an Englishmar
immigrated to Florida and brough,
with him one bulb of the much cher,
ished house plant. His garden wai
on the bank of q river which was Q
tributary to the st. johns; and the
climate being mild and the soil damp
he .,lanted the hyacinth in his gar
den. II soon spread until he found
it necessary to exterminste Il. He
dug up the plants and threw then,
into the river. Down to the ST.
Johns and then down the st. Johns
the hyaointh has spread until it has
become great impeachment to navi-
cation. Congress has already appro-
priated $25,000 for its determination
and 100000 has been asked for.
All this is the work of one little
plant for only few years.
This illustrates what influence one
evil thought or one evil deed may
have on the life of person. An
invitation to take social drink has
led to many drunkard's grave. An
invitation to join in q social game oi
cards has led to the ruin, Of many
young men and some young women.
Some little evil in the heart grows
into great proportions and then tits
hard to overcome it. Boys, beware
of evil influences.
For several weeks the Sunday
schools have been studying the lives
of Joseph and Moses, and the interest
of the pupils has been enlisted in the
Nile, the most remarkable river on
earth. With the exception of the
Missouri MISSISSIPPI; it is the longest
river in the world, being nearly four
thousand miles in length. For fifteen
hundred miles it traverses desert
country, in which it does not receive
a single tributary. This part of the
Nile valley is the richest and most
productive country in all the world,
caused by the annual overflow of the
river.
The annual rise and fall of this
river is one of the greatest marvels
in physical geography. The rise in
the lower Nile begins in the latter
part. OF June and reaches it's greatest
height about the first of October,
and the waters recede by the last of
November. For many ages the time
of the year the rise begins and the
time it reaches it's greatest height
varied but few hours; and the height
reached by the water has varied but
few inches. In this annual overflow
the river spreads over large terri
tory and enriches the country by
depositing a layer of black mud.
After the waters recede the farmers
SOW the seed, often without blowing
it, sometimes driving flock of sheep
over it to tramp the grain in the
mud, and it produces abundant har-
vests.
There are many people in the
world whose lives are like the river
Nile. They do not confine their
sphere of activity to small and mar
row channel, but spread their influ-
ence, carrying benedictions and
blessings wherever they 60. AS the
Nile carries fertility to the soil and
increase it's productive capacity, SO
they enrich society and add to the
happiness of those with whom they
come in contact. They give thei.
time, their best efforts and their
means to make mankind happier and
better. They exemplify the words
of our Saviour, "It is more blessed
to give than to receive"
There is no class that the illustra-
tion of the Nile more fitly represents
than the unseltsh missionary who
leaves parents, brothers, sisters,
friends, a comfortable home, cultured
and refined society, and goes to some
uncivilized coun try, to live among
and labor for people in intellectual
and spiritual darkness.
But this class of people is not con-
fined to foreign missionaries. In all
legitimate vocations there are unset
fish men and women who are WELD
ing a great influence for good. In
nearly every school there are some
pupils whose purity of life and devo-
tion to duty cheer and make glad the
heart of the teacher. In nearly
every church there are some whose
lives are an inspiration TO the church.
In many homes there are children
who give much thoughtful considera-
tion to means for making other mem
bers of the family happy.
There is another kind of stream
which, unlike the Nile, carries de.
struction and death with it's overflows
Instead of enriching the soil it carries
away that within it's reach. This
fifty symbolizes the selfish man who
does all in his power to come in DOS.
session of all in his reach, but who
never gives back anything.
Another kind of river is dull and
sluggish, surrounded by swamps and
stagnant pools, and carries along it's
way disease, sickness and death.
This is like that class of people who
congregate to drink, gamble and
emit foai bTeeZes from their tongues,
whose thoughts, whose deeds and
whose influence are evil.
Reader, to which class of these do
You belong, and what kind of influ-
ence is your life exerting ?-S. G.
Parish.