The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-10-09

Influence Is AL powerful. and ever on
the job
Every one yields a cudgel or sheds a
ray OF light.
Well may we ask ourselves If our influ-
ence is great or small-for good or I'll.
Man curses and the boy copies; hs
drones a hymn and his companion walks
with solomon beside the stiu waters and
restoreth his soul"
The editor In his sanctum scra Wis a
few lines on local option and the popu-
lace arises early, drinks Ia his dope, and
then dopes itself with another drink.
As Eve in her day prevailed upon
Father Adam to bite the apple. so to-day
her counterpart enthrals mere man and
he bites until he learns he's bit
Here we read the parable OF the prodi-
gal son. and there We see the spectacle
Of doting mother shielding a criminal
Of the deepest die.
The churchman breaches on the evils
OF narcotics" yet smokes a mild cigar:
/ his son rtcites the shorter catechism from
A 10 lizard, and yet. after carelessly
wrecking his pleymate's kite, says. The
wind just did IT." Who can say which IS
the more consistent?
The world wresks with vengeance for
the malefactor. yet panders at The feet Of
pTinceIy~ parleyvoos.
Man dies. the money marts shudder; ere
his corpse Is borne TO the broken plot the
family plots 10 break his will; lis OF 10
avail. for. though ne be buried deep, his
influence reigns supreme III a dull drab
on the parchment, written there by his
own hand
Mark you we'll, You. in your small
way, have an influence 10 cultivate; dress
in the garb Of neat conceit and groom
with the wisdom Of savant.
Let not one stone remain untwned
To WELD a righteous power,
That when the pickering shadows fall
In that weird, fatal hour.
The world VIII blow in unison
And whisper Ger thy bier.
The good ne did while in the flesh
Cannot be counted here"
CHARLES ALBERT BREWTON.
As King said Well: The spirit of a per-
sons life is ever shedding some power,
a
fragrance upon the air
And as Burke declared: Virtue VIII
catch. as well as vice. by contact; and
the public stock OF honest. manly prin-
cipIe will daily accumulate
A. c. yOYsON.
Drummond had a clear idea Of the
power of influence when he wrote the
following beautiful words:
There is only one great character IN
the world that can really draw out ell
that is best in men. He Is so far above
all others In influencing men for good
that he stands alone" 30
That man was the founder OF Christian
ity. To be Christian man is to have
that character for our ideal in life, 70 live
under its influence, to do what He would
wish us to do, to live the kind of life lie
would have lived In our house and had
He our days routine to go through.
WALTER $. EATHERLY.
Influence. like our shadow. is something
intangible, inexplicable. from which We
can never be divorced; it follows Us
everywhere. Frightening. uplifting broad
ening and blessing other lives: or, with
its baneful effects in its depressing dark
ening, deteriorating tendency. equally az
deeply forceful
No character can be a negative either
it is being built upward or downward,
and as it is the only possession we can
take with US when We enter the great
/ beyond. let us pause and ask ourselves
| If we fully realize the nature OF the infiu-
ence We are daily welding. of its power
| full. far-reaehing consequences on the
hourly contact with imperishable souls.
| No life. however simple and insignificant,
| is without this subtle penetrating efiiuvia
emanating from each. frequently with 40
conscious thought or control, but silently.
effectively working for good or evil
/ Which is il? May We al thoroughly
realize the importance 81 tie power Of our
/ influence. of which We have small con-
ception. build for eternity. and hriag this
| beautiful world nearer heaven.
] Mrs. CLARA F. WILLIAMS.