Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-12
Sunday Morning Talk.
The Earned Increment.
Every little hit
Added to what you've got
NaEaS i,rSf a 1iffla hit moro +"

Makes JUST u little DIT more.
Seldom do l take the refrain of popu-
lar song as text for my little homily.
but the catchy and CHEEKY little jingle
just quoted has so much real philosophy
and good sense in 1t that 1t makes a fine
starter for a word about the earned in
crements of life. The single tax people
talk a great deal about the unearned
increment of property and they may have
some basis of justice for their conten-
ton, but we will not undertake here in
midsummer to solve problems of political
economy. Rather let us have a friendly
and familiar talk. as We lie on the green.
sward few minutes. about normal in.
creases Of personal power. The entire
difference between the growing man and
the stagnant or dwindling man is that
the former. keenly appreciative of what
he possesses. is constantly striving TO
add to his store. You have an inheritance
of fairly good health You are thankful
for IT. but you want for yourself and your
children a still stronger physique. Well.
then. late hours, fancy foods, reforming
dress. things like these have to be sac
rificed. 1t is marvellous how some per-
sons who have inherited weak or dis
eased constitutions have by self-denial,
by exercise, by watchfulness. succeeded
in greatly lettering their inheritance.
Our truth finds conspicuous illustration
in the realm of intellectual possessions.
Another school year has recently been
completed. For some the end of school
life has come. With them the fight will
be to hold on to what they have of
knowledge. of trained perception. OF
studious habits and to make a little
| further Roadway day by day. Now and
| then you meet man altogether unin-
| teresting and APPARENTLY uncultured and
| you learn after a while that he gradu-
| ated from a f1rst-class college ten or
| twenty years ago What! you say.
THAT stick. that dull, devitalized fellow
| lac ho
not value what his alma mater gave him
sufficiently to build upon 1t and to take
| in and assimilate the knowledge and cul-
ture that have been within his grasp all
| these years.
Our capacity for making and holding
| friends needs also constant exercise. That
trait is conspicuous in men like Prof.
| Henry Drummond and women like Alice
| Freeman Palmer, the former president
| of Wellesley College They found as they
grew older their fellow men and women
interesting. responsive inspiring. Let us
never think that we have friends enough
or that We are sufficiently friendly to
| those whom we now have.
| Our reputation and influence may be
| enhanced by this same disposition to go
on from where we now are. It's great
mistake to say. II don't care what peo-
pie think of me-" 1t Is pity. in the
freedom and abandon Of summer holidays.
to throw dignity. consistency and even
| reputation to the winds. AS rule ones
| reputation reflects his character, though
there are occasional striking exceptions
| to the rule. But you do not want to
throw away either deliberately or
thoughtlessly the good will of the COM
munity, the chance you have to help and
! perhaps save another human being.
And there is one more personal pos
| session which, in order to be kept, needs
to be enlarged. That Is your personal
faith. ''Oh. but haven't any," you say.
| But the deepest conviction of your heart
bellies yourself-depreciatfng remark. You
do believe in something outside of your
self and greater Cherish and nurture
that thought of God. of Jesus Christ. of
duty of Immortality, of course. of
your fellow men. You are the owner to-
day of valuable possessions Waste them
not Build upon them SO that at the
| end you can say my talent has gained
| at least another talent
| THE PARSON.