The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1907-08-01


dainty, He did not mean longer life,
but life overfowing, rich in content
and extent, with far horizons and
wide outlook. Just this Browning
emphasizes when he says:
God gives each man one life, like e lamp,
Then gives that lamp due measure of oil;
Lamp lighted, hold high, wave wide.
All very fine, you say, for the man
who happens to have been endowed
with personality! But how about the
hundred men who do not strike an
observer as being somebody, who
haven't the gift of personal magne-
tism? Well, my answer is that per-
sonality is not all endowment; it may
be acquired, or more accurately yet,
developed. When the spring comes
and the suns rays fall more warmly,
the grass and leaves begin to grow.
There are seeds in the ground and
life-dormant and waiting to be
stirred. The sun might shine mil
lion years, hot as midsummer, and
without those seeds lying there wait
ing, no fair garment Of verdure
would ever clothe the bare, brown
body of earth. And vice versa. Just
so, we notice now and again a former
stenographer and private secretary
to presidents becomes a Cabinet OIL
Ger. Partly it is from native endoW-
ment, and partly from the wakenlng
influence of association with great
men. Character is not taught, but
caught; not fully inborn, nor spring
ing, full armed, like Minerva from
Jove's head, but wakened, reused,
kindled by the contagious touch OF
another of a little longer develop
ment, and maybe, of larger growth.
Yet after all, this is the fine funda-
mental truth of life. Every man is
of unique value, has rare CLEAN OF
virtue for his own, his point of view,
his individual work and message,
which no other man can have had.
His business in life is to live that
out, build it up, utter it, make 1t ef-
fective.
How shall he do it? BY getting
out where the sun can strike down
to those seeds that are waiting in
him; that means: make helpful
friendships, listen to wise teachers,
keep high company with men who
have deeps and heights about them.
Read Pauls prayer written to the
men in Thessalonica: "The very God
Of peace sanctify you wholly (set you
apart, distinguish you in every great
way), and I pray God your whole
body, soul and spirit be kept without
blemish even in the presence OF
Christ. Faithful is he who hath
promised, who also will do it." Just
to this point was Emerson speaking
when he said: "Follow God, and
where you go men shall think they
walk in hallowed cathedrals." Phil
lips Brooks puts it: ''The influence OF
a man whose heart God hath touched
is like a breeze of fresh air let into
heated and sitting room" You are
a lamp of three wicks-body, soul
(mind) and spirit. Let God light
them (most likely He has already);
now you turn them up; keep them
trimmed, let them blaze wherever
you are, throwing out your cheer,
your light, your beacon message in
your time. Then, ''as one fame kin
dleth another nor groweth less there
BY" so shall your life kindle, waken,
rouse others.
In everyday terms, what does it
mean? My body; honor it, build it
up, keep it undishonored. BY noble
uses, make it to become sanctuary.
Build thee more stately mansions, oh my
soul,
While the swift seasons roll,
Leave thy low-vaulted past.
Let each new temple nobler than the last,
Shut thee from heaven by dome more
vast,
Till thou at length art free.
Leaving thine outgrown shell
By life's unresting sea.
My mind; mediate, store it with
true thoughts, pure thoughts,
thoughts fit to treasure up; let it
keep company with the noblest men
of the ages, whose wisdom, vision
and profitable experience may be
made my own by an hours reading
every day; let me prepare myself to
recognize, appreciate, respond to and
succeed the truest, most devoted and
helpful spirits of all the days past
and present, and finally keep my
eyes on the stainless peaks where
Christ is.
split, liz" ASaI q WIN ~ 49,"
All generous impulses, all chivalrous
motives, all noble aspirations, all
love of beauty and truth and good
ness; every hatred Of weakness and
wrong, every fine portrait of mem
ory and ideal! Oh, match this spirit
with all the best about you; open it
to Him who knows what is in man,
and who alone has grace to bestow
and loving power of mastery to de-
velop your unawakened best. And
always remember how He reckons in
the yearnings, the unuttered and un-
utterable aspirations there:
All instincts immature, all purposes un-
sure.
That weighed not as his work, yet swelled
the mans amount,
Thoughts hardly to be packed into single
Fancies that broke through language and
escaped,
All T could never be, all men ignored in
me,
This I was worth to him, -:
Whose wheel the pitcher shaped. ~
TNSs