Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-04
Sunday Morning Talk
Clear Eyes Versus Muddy Ones.

In well-known boys school 1t has
been the custom for many years for the
pupils to come together just before bed
time. After few minutes pleasant chat
each boy walks up to the head master to
say good night. Invariably he takes each
lad by the hand and looks him straight in
the eye. This procedure Is meant to be
something more than decorous ceremony
properly rounding out the days work. The
theory behind tho custom Is that II any
boy has an unconfessed transgression on
his conscience or If his work in class
room or his behavior on the playground
has been that day discreditable the fact
will be revealed as the master looks into
the boys eyes. In place of a steady honest
response of eye to eye there will be evasion
of the direct inquiring look. Then the mas
ter will mark the boy as fit subject for
special oversight and perhaps of inveStiga-
ton.
There is nothing fanciful about this, as
any parent can prove for himself. Indeed,
its applicability to grown men and women
is recognized by all sagacious judges Of
human nature. Said a woman on trial
for her life not long ago, when the jury
was about to be impaneled. The man who
can look me steadily In the eye Is the man
l want on the jury"
IL we OiQ Dut realize tnat the eye registers
the state Of the soul quickly and accurately
might be slower to deviate from the
right path. To think that each one Of us
carries about instrument SO delicate and
exact, SO automatic in its working. makes
us marvel over the mystery Of personality
and the touch Of the free human spirit
upon the outward physical organism in
which 1t Is enshrined.
Evidently a wise Creator intended to
have man fear less the detective and the
policeman than the effects OF WrongdOing
not only upon character. but upon the
countenance The clear eye is the natural
when night comes and we are ashamed to
look our best friend squarely in the eye,
we would better scan the days record to
discover and confess our shortcomings be-
fore we sleep That Is the only sure recipe
for awakening with clear eyes tomorrow
morning
An inventor has recently announced that
he has perfected a camera that will photo
Of death. from the body. 1t will be some
time we fancy before such a device will
come into universal use. In fact. the mere
thought Of 1t might well give some OF US
small soul want to have any outward like
ness OF it pass down to his posterity?
What would be the representation to the
eye Of the greedy lustful soul? Oh. no,
let US not add to the terrors OF death an
other. induced by the prospect Of having
our soul photographed by some relentless
scientist or commercially minded proprietor
Of a picture gallery.
Nevertheless. there Is a solemn truth In
the idea that inward qualities tend to find
expression in something tangible. We have
not yet penetrated all the mysteries In
volved in the close union Of spirit and mat
ter, but that there Is action and reaction
between them cannot be gainsaid. Behave
like brute and your countenanoe begins
to take on british characteristics. Live
like a saint and your very presence will
carry with 1t the fragrance of gracious
and beautiful life. The angel Is within US.
He may be buried deep now. but give him
a chance and he will make himself seen
and felt.
Is this not what Jesus meant when he
said THE light of the body is the eye;
If, therefore, thine eye be single, thy whole
body shall be full of light"
THE PARSON