The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-08-13

hear strange voices that are sounding
''The Call of the Good" They are the
voices of prayer, of love, of tenderness
with which our mothers and our fathers
gave us to God when we were very lit
tie children. Friends, cannot you hear
these voices? Just put your hand to the
back of your ear and in Gods name lis
ten. Yes, those voices, those loving
voices, those voices of parental prayer,
of early childhood, uttered perhaps over
our cradles, are now calling us to the
higher life.
Call of the Living.
But we do not have to listen to 1.-THE
Call of the Good in echoes alone. We
do not have to hear this call to the
better life simply in the voices of dead
ancestors and in parental pleadings
and the wooing of childhood hours.
We can hear 1t also in the good deeds
of the concecrated men and women
around us. All, how many we can hear
If we are only willing to open our ears
and listen to them!
Noblities and sacrifices of human
life for the good of their fellow men
are everywhere sounding I enter the
physicians office. and what do I find?
Mean, contemplate, selfish and blood
thirsty vampires" says some cynic.
1.-The doctors as a class will not only
drain you of your blood, but they will
rob you of every dollar they can" Oh,
no. my cynical friend. That Is not what
/ find, as rule, in the PHYSICIANS office.
There / find as noble a class of men as
ever lived, men who are doing one-third,
perhaps one-half, of their work for moth
Ing, or perhaps even less than nothing.
I go to the great Chicago surgeon, DR..
l..
young girl suffering. She has not a
cent VIII you operate on her for moth
ing?' 1T WILL" says DR.. Murphy. Send
her down" And send her down l did. |
go to the brilliant Massachusetts lawyer,
George F. Hoar, and say: Mr.. Hoar
your country needs you. VIII you live
and die poor man? VIII you live in a
boarding house In Washington upon a
meagre salary so that you may leave
your country rich heritage OF a life sac
rificed for duty's sake?" The young law
yer, George f. Hoar, answers, IT will"
Senator Hoar lived and died financially
poor man.
l enter the study Of the great French
author lola | say. "Mr. lola, there is
a young man, Alfred Dreyfus by name,
| who has been unjustly condemned and
sent to Devils island. He never has COM
mitted a crime; neither have his accusers
brought forth one proof of crime VIII
yoI throw your influence against the
ripgleaders of the French army? VIII you
be cursed and be crucifed and sent to
prison for Justices sake while you stab
to death the niquities that are Destroy
ing the French government" Emile lola
answers, Il will" go into the college
class room and say to some of the bright
est students sitting there: young men.
will you fit yourself for service in for
eign missionary fields? VIII you give
your lives up to God and humanity for a
mere pittance Of a salary and be sepa-
rated from all the opportunities of wealth
that you could win at the bar or In the
msaical profession or behind the mer-
chants counter?' No sooner do / speak
II an scores and hundreds of young men
raise their hands and cry
II will II my God and nv country
need me, I am ready to lay down nv life
in their service. 1 Will l will,e Oh the
noble sacrifices for Justice and honor and
truth Christ and country and home and
loved ones we can see on every handi ia
not these inspire you and me to answer
"The Call OF the Good? Do thew NOT
bid you say. Il VIII; yes. In Gods name.
l will live the higher sacrificial life for
others"
Changed and Purified.
But, after all L believe the praatost
"CalI Of the Good" comes from tha 80
timony of men and women who were
once, as wild beasts OF passion ar,i,,s :,
over the mountains Of sin, carrying death
ana terror everywhere, but who, by the
changed. Their voice was once the ,,a,os
Of hate; now It Is the voice OF love rhs,r
eyes were once bloodshot and their hands