Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-12-17


out TO men of his ilk When minis
ter lifts his own church he helps lift
every other Christian church in his
city. When Il noble lawyer is true 10
his clients he has an unconscious Chris
tian influence over his brother lawyers
at the bar. The unconscious influence
Of physician molds other physicians.
the influence q! wives and mothers
spiritually hleSSes the parents OF other
homes as well as the lives of their own
children
The unconscious influence OF a Chris
tian man over the people OF his day and
generation is very great. no matter how
humble the position he occupies But
II the unconscious influence of IL living
man upon his contemporaries is great
Infinitely greater must that influence
lie upon thousands and tens Of thou
sands of men and women and children
after he is dead. How multiplied must
he the echong sounds of his voice long
after the speakers lips themselves have
been sealed in the unbrOken silence of
the tomb,
We say that John Harvard'S life was
mighty life for good. From the little
seed he planted has grown up the
greatest university in all America. He
was Il poor clergyman who died early
in life. but the few hundred dollars
and the library OF 300 books he left to
endOw Harvard college have had IL glO-
rious harvest Thousands upon thou
sands of homes have been blessed by
that college gift long after John Har-
ward passed away. The history OF John
Harvard will yet he the history of ev-
cry true Christian man. AS the shad-
owS OF the hills grow longer and longer
toward the east when the sun sinks
into the west. so the Christian mans
unconscious influence will grow great
err and greater even after his body rests
in the tomb. 1t will grow greater and
greater because it will reach not his
children alone. but his children's chill
dren even unto the tenth generation
and even generations afterward.
An Indian Legend.
There is beautiful Indian legend
about the land of the shadows"
which relates how the living are influ-
encing those who struggle and fight on
this side of the beautiful river of
death" 4 young warrior was about to
be married. hut just before the we'd
ding his bride to he passed away. Her
lover was almost insane with grief.
He would not be and could not be
comforted. AS he was gricving his
life slowly away he heard 10y the camp
fires of his tribe that there was Il path
leading to the south which if followed
would bring traveller TO the land of
the departed spirits. No sooner did
the young chief hear this than he de-
cided to go and seek his lost love. He
journeyed OH and on until he left the
snow covered mountains of the far
north. He journeyed on and on until
all the trees of the forests were full
of singing birds and all the fields We're
fragrant with the incense swinging
flowers.
In that southland instead of the elk
and the moose and the grizzly bear the
fawns came out of the woods to lick
his hand. He journeyed on and on I'M
til he came to great gulf of still wa
tiers. There he found shining white
canoe. into which he stepped and be-
gan to paddle out into the deep. No
sooner did his canoe leave the shore
than another white canoe just like his
own came alongside, in which was she
whom he loved. They padded on and
on toward beautiful island, where
there was palace in which dwelt his
departed bride. AS he came toward
the island and was about to land an
angel stepped forth and said: Nay.
nayi Thou canst not come as yet. She
whom thou lowest will here wait for
thee Go back to the land from whence
thou earnest There thou must live and
rule over thy people for many years.
Live as she would have thee live: then.
when thy work is done. and well done.
thou mayest return to thy loved one.
who here will wait for thee" AS in the
Indian legend, so must it be with us.
If we are bereaved. as was the Indian
warrior. let us live as our departed
ones would have us live II we are tax
en- away, as was the Indian maiden to
the land of the shadows" then those
whom we have left behind will be liv-
ing out the teachings and the exam
Piles Of our earthly lives. a redeemed
immortals earthly unconscious influ-
ence never dies. May Christ help us all
to do the work he has given us
copyright 1904 by Louis Klopschl