Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1910-05-12


OF good fortune. II must tap on
wood" says some one who has Just
stated that he has been specially ex-
empt from bad luck" or illness. The
phrase is quite harmless, and this II
not for the purpose Of undertaking q
crusade against H. Only there are
people who could not make them
selves use the phrase because II In
wolves n state OF mind which they
never for a moment agree with. Good
fortune does not seem to them to have
anything spooky or uncanny about II.
while this phrase implies that when
anything good has happened to us
II II by a sort OF freak OF nature which
may cease to work In our behalf at
any moment II we show that we like
II. We may brighten 1t on. II Is prob
ably BY some oversight that this piece
OF welfare fell into our possession. and
the true owner OF II might want Il
back at any moment II he knew how
much value we attach to II. The idea
seems to be that the more We like q
thing. the more certain II IL to be
short-Iived and precarious. or that II
we express ourselves as greatly
pleased our pleasure Is quite certain
10 come to an end. We may be as
bold as we like In proclaiming our
misfortunes and no danger OF their
going: but n we let on about our Joys
We had better do II under our breath.
HsIfHesthen Conceptions.
This is not to say for a moment that
these who loosely use the phrase re-
ferred to go through any such process
OF analysis about II as this. or that In
many cases they really mean this. II
Is only that lurking behind the phrase
there are at work a lot Of half-heathen
There Is a subtle suggestion OF some
thing which clouds and poisons the
soul when II gets possession OF us. and
that is the belief that We are welcome
to our troubles. but that our good
things are besrudsed us. and are Of
uncertain tenure. Let that thought
color our mind, and we have the most
exact opposite OF the truth that we
can possibly get hold OF. That is the
heathen's outlook. and II makes the
misery OF his life. His gods are
treacherous and arbitrary. he can
never know Just what they will
do. and they are capable of any
thing But the Christian knows.
II he knows anything. that God loves
his children. and that II 10 far more
likely that good will continue than
that evil will. II may be a very slight
thing one way or the other. this laugh
ing phrase. but there is many a man
who could not use II without putting
on something that he does not feel
Just because II would belle all bis
deepest convictions about life and
God.
Make Public Your Happiness.
Such as these feel that II some great
happiness has come to them. that Of
all things Is the thing to let people
know about. A little shy and embar.
raised they might be about publishing
some ilLturn they had had: they
would feel. perhaps. that they had
exaggerated the Importance OF II. and
would keep still In the belief that
probably II would turn out to be some
thing not worth mentioning. But to
have had year OF uninterrupted
health o. TO have or to have gone six
years without sick day.-this would
be something about which they could
not honestly keep silence. For the al
Tentative OF tapping wood Is thanking
God. The bad days are almost GER
tain 10 pass OF: but in the happy ones
they feel that they have now gotten
hold OF the real permanent substance
of life. When things have gone well
with them, they do not feel that the
best thing to do is to get ready for
them to go wrong. They are not sus-
picious OF their happiness, and they
like TO tell about II. II now and again
they seem bit boastful. why. so did
the Psalmists when ever so little a
rift pierced their clouds, They may
brag just little bit. but Il will be
about the better side OF life, and they
Will not reserve their eloquence for
HES worst passages. And when God
has given them something to enjoy
freely. like children they suppose that
their father has been very glad to do
II, and they do not eye IL az II IL were
a prelude TO something quite the oppo-
site
The one who is prepared for more
good and more grace is far more like
ly not TO meet with disappointment
than the one who Is always expecting
reverses and trouble. His blessings
he takes as things God loves TO give.
his chastenings as things God has to
give. II God has shown him some
thing that Just fills his heart and does
him good. he thinks IL is more than
likely that the Heavenly Father Is sui.
Recently like an earthly father to do
that same thing good many times
more. And so he meets the constant
Gift OF life's good things without sus.
pieion. and fixes his mind more upon
what their coming means than upon
the time when they may be with.
drawn.-sunday School Times.
peiuoe Of Sin.
Tho raaI Chrfasta--