Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-01-30
ACCOMAC c. H. VA SATURDAY, JANUARY &c. 1904

Thomas a Kempls' limitation" and
Farrar's Life of Christ" and the bi-
oeraphIes of Livingstone and Brainerd
and Gordon and set Of Parker's "Peo-
ple's Bible;" II | see your music rack
filled with the masterpieces OF the
great religious compositions, such as
Handeps Messiah" and Wagners
"Parsifap and Flotow's Martha" and
Mendelssohn's "Elijah" or Paul" II
see standing in the corners OF the IL
brary the plaster casts OF sucn pieces
of sculpture as that Of Michael Ange-
los David" or Moses" l am con-
pelled to believe that some pure, noDie
spirit has been living In and doTninat-
ing that home. So, by the Language
Of action" when find a man longing
TO be In the house of God on the SAD
bath day, when l see that man, week
after week, sitting In a conspicuous
place at the midweek prayer meeting
when | find him continually seeking
the great religious gatherings when
every little while take place In large
city; when find him, daily and week
ly and yearly, associating with men
and women noted for their Christian
integrity, I am compelled to believe
that that man wants to be good and to
live pure life. On the other hand,
when see a man conspicuous for his
absence from all good affiliations his
actions inform me as plainly as MS
words could do that his character Is
Just tho opposite Of what 1t ought to
be.
Character judged by Associates
The father of a great English preach
er taught this lesson to his son. some
time after his son, then very young
man. was married his father visited
him. After he had passed through and
examined the different rooms OF the
house he said: my son, there Is one
mistake about your home. l see moth
ing In the furniture, in pictures upon
the walls or books upon the table 10
lead me, II l was a stranger TO thls
home. to Judge whether you belonged
to God or TO the devil. In every room
and upon every wall you should al
ways have something to prove to your
guests that you are a child Of God. A
mans Christian life should be mani
tested in the furniture of his house as
well as by his outside surrounding"
What that Christian parent said In rel
erence to a mans domestic life Is es-
sentially true in reference to his out
side human affiliations. A wlcKeu
mans inner character can nearly al
ways be judged by his conspicuous
avoidance Of noble associates. By your
intimate friends your Christian life IS
to be Judged as well as by the words
that you speak.
But wicked mans actions have
positive as we'll as a negative Hgnin-
canoe. II by the absence from all goou
associates a mans character rests un-
der dark cloud, then by his bold and
reckless defiance of all the great moral
influences of the day his wicked LIE is
to be judged also. 1t is one act 10 SID
in secret and to be ashamed OF your
sins. II is a far more heinous act to
publicly parade your sins and come &c
a depraved condition, In which you &c
not seem to care what people may sey
in reference to your life or how by
your bold example they may be leo
astray through your evil conduct.
Depravity Hidden.
This indictment against the actions
of an evil mans life is the more posi-
tive because, even in the lowest forms
of outward vice, by the Language oi
action" the wicked man nearly always
wants to appear little better than ~
really is. Theodore Roosevelt, who hat
been a student Of beasts and birds and
flowers, says that this characteristic u
appear better than they are is not al
WAYS true of all the inhabitants OF the
natural world as It is Of men. Once
when visiting Nashville, Tenn, h'
heard a mocking bird, whose reputa
ton for the most part rests purely
upon his ability for mimicry, I'LL
whole night with sweetest music. UpoI
the tree Just outside his opened window
the president saw and heard him
Sometimes" wrote Mr.. Roosevelt, "h'
would perch motionless for many min
utes, his body quivering and thrilling
with the outpour of music. Then h'
would drop softly from twig to twii
until the lowest limb was reached
when he would rise flutterlng and leap
ing through the branches, his SON.
never ceasing for an instant until b
reached the summit Of the tree ant
launched into the warm, scent ladel
air, floating in spirals with outstretche'
wings, until, as II spent, he sank gent,
back into the tree and down througl
the branches, while his song rose Int
an ecstasy Of ardor and passion" Tha
midnight song seems to have given tn
president a higher appreciation OF tn
powers Of the mocklng bird. The song
ster, warbling in the darkness and 8
lence of the night, showed that 1t ha
more harmony and melody in its bein
than its hearer had previously suppo'
ed. But, unhappily, the converse
generally true of human beings. 1t
their better nature that they show VI
der observation. 1t Is when they thin
that their friends do not see or hea
them that their worst characteristic
are displayed. Many man whose III
when under observation is irreproaci
able shows, when the restraints of pul
lie opinion are removed, a capacity fC
heinous and bestial sin.
The Wicked Worse Than They Seen
As a wicked person is nearly alway
; worse than he seems, put this blur
, question to you: "Oh sinner, with fr
; ward lips, how dare you desecra'
; Gods holy Sabbath? How dare yo
|, without blush upon your cheek.