Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1906-05-10
were hanged about his neck and that
he were drowned in the depth of the

he were drowned in the depth of the
sea-
But there are multitudes who do good
and intend to do it. The world is full!
of them: teachers of truth, sisters OF
mercy" life savers and philanthropists:
who speak the seasonable word (which
is like apples Of gold in baskets OF
silver" and who eagerly stretch forth
the helping hand. To such the word of
the Master applies. "Inasmuch as We
have done it unto one of the least of
these, ye have done it unto, Me-"
The second kind of influence is auto
matte. And this is by far the largest
force in life. For influence does not
wait to be exerted, it exerts itself
whether we will or not. I used to go
fishing for trout in clear stream
among the Pocono Hills; but when
was last there the waters were dull
and dark, and my errand was vain.
The man who had built paper mill
up above did not mean to kill the fish:
nevertheless. the refuse had effectually
accomplished it. John Mills. who
translated Chambers Encyclopedia into
French in 1743. was moved by nothing,
worse than the thought Of personal,
gain. But when, with that end in
view, he enlisted the services of Vol;
taire, Rousseau. Diderot and others OF
! that infidel group. he set in operation.
forces which fifty years later brought
on the Reign Of Terror. It is THUS that
men do evil without intending it.
The third kind of influence is pos
thumous. A man who had lived an
evil life said on his deathbed, II wish
you could gather up my influence and
bury it with me-" Alas! that could not
be. His body might lie in the sepul-
cher and his name be forgotten. but
''the evil a man does lives after him."
Of all the things that followed Jero-
boam not one was so alive as Jero-
boam himself. though he had peen
gathered unto his fathers" for
through Nadab and Baasha and Ella
| and Zimri and the others he was still
! making Israel to SIM
| And the influence Of right-living men
is likewise immortal: "they do rest
| from their labors. but their works do
! follow them." The odor Of the spike.
/, nard, with which an unknown woman
| once anointed the feet of Jesus, has
| come down through the centuries. her
deed being told "as memorial Of her."
So the dead are really the living. We
are guided by the memory Of those
whom we have slowed and lost
awhile" Goodness is 'proof against
the tooth Of time and the raisure OF
oblivion" If fixed star were to be
extinguished in the distant heavens. it
/ would be a million years before the
] people of this world would discover it
Its light would still be shining on,
So when good man dies,
For years beyond our ken
The light he leava- s5.ilnd him lies
Upce: Inc paths of men.
The lesson is plain. Let us look to
our influence! But how? The secret
of doing good is being good. Can men
gather grapes Of thorns or figs Of
thistles? "a good man out of the
treasure of his heart bringeth forth
good fruit" Our influence is never
better than our character, and charac-
ter has it's seat and centre in the heart.
It we would set ourselves right in the
matter, the first thing to do is to come
to Christ, that we may rid ourselves OF
sin; and all the rest is following Him
that is, to believe His teaching, to do
His work and to be like Him. Light
cannot help shining. It sounds no
trumpets, waves no banners, makes
no announcement of it's coming, but
just comes. LET your light so shine
before men that they may see your
good works and glorify Cod"
o may join t. ,ir invisible
Of those immo lad who live again
| In minds made er by their presence;
live
In pulses stirred to generosity,
In deeds Of daring rectitude, in scorn
| For miserable aims that end with self,
L Tn re- hal fI,0 1nh3
like stars,
And with their mild persistence urge man..
search
| To vaster issues.