Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1908-03-18
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvOR.
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
Beginning March %, 1908.
BY REV. S. u. DOYLE.

BY REV s. u DOYLE.
Topic.-The wise use of infuence.-Ecci,
~, 8. 10; Prov. xvii 6. 3. 10. IL. 10.
The wise use of influence is most
important topic. Our lives are nodded
very much by those under whose In
duence we come, and we also have an
influence upon others. There is no one
without influence We sometimes for
get this fact and are therefore reck-
less and careless before others and fire.
quently exert a bad influence upon
others when we do not intend. Thsre
are those also who actually believe that
they exert no influence upon others
and 1t matters not what they do except
as it concerns themselves. In speak
ing of this class at meeting in Wheel
ing, W. Va. the late DR.. De Witt Tai
mage said that he had seen wooden
Indian in front of a cigar store on
Market street, Then he asked, What
was it there for?" and answered by
saying. ITO influence men to go ii
and buy cigars The application made
was that unless his hearers were less
consequential than wooden Indian
they did exert an influence upon some
one. The humbest person may he
yielding a tremendous influence upon
some one.
Moreover. all exert an unconscious
influence. This is one of the important
factors to be taken into account When
we do not know it we may be exerting
the best or the worst influence. y
prominent church member in Philadel-
phia, who was moderate drinker,
once stepped into a saloon and took
one drink and walked out again. A
young man of the same church I'M
known to him saw him. He said 10
himself, 'If Mr. So-and-so can drink.
20 may l." He soon became fire.
uuenter of the saloon. But he had not
the will power to drink moderately
and in three years filed a drunkard }
grave, the result of an unconscious
influence.
We never know who sees us, and
therefore our lives should ring true at
Ill times. We may not only injure
others, but God sees US at all times
and will hold US to account for evil
doing, whether seen or unseen.
But we may influence others for
eood as well as for evil This should
be our constant aim. A father took his
little boy into saloon. He was abor+
to order glass Of whisky when II :
bartender said to the boy. "My little
man, what will you takey' He prompt
h replied, 'I'll take what father
takes" Then the father said. I'm take
q glass Of water" For once at least
the boy Influenced his father to the
good. Good lives are always uplifting
mankind. We may think that men
give little heed to what we are. but we
are mistaken. Many person has been
led to the Christian life by the actions
q Christians, and it is sad, but true.
that many others have been turned
from our religion by the inconsistent
cies of Christians. 1t should not be so.
Christ, not Christians, is or ideal. But
It is true. and perhaps naturally so.
Let us examine ourselves and our
companions and weigh the influence
from both sides. If they are draggi- =
us down. let us forsake them. If W
are influencing them for evil. let us /. .
ourselves and them with US.
BIBLE READINGS.
Job iv. II: Prov /, 1916; xviii, "a:
xiv. 1, 2; Dan. xii, 1-3; Jas. V. 10, 90:
Ps. cxix, 10; Matt. V, 16: Rom. xiv.
1923.