The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-05-01

sal application. am restrained by
the time allotted to this paper, as We'll
as by your patience. to confine myself
tn the potency of the suggestion of
personality.
You see this illustrated daily. You
have seen class of pupils transform
ed in a day by the personality of the
one who sat at the teachers desk.
Power was there intangible and indie
unquestioned.
What is meant by born leader?
Certainly not one who loudly pro-
claims to u listening world: Behold
me! am your leader" ON the con-
trary IL is one from whom there
emanate silently but potently suggest
ions Of ability and perfect trust
worthiness. The false King i'm Ham
let realized this. when ne attempted to
allay his fears with the expressions:
There's such divinity doth hedge a
King
That treason can but peep to what
what 1T would,
Acts little of his will"
The divinity Is i'm kings. but un-
happily for the usurper, he did not
suggest 1t. He tried to assume vir-
tue. but had ii not.
IL We would live worthily and eX-
ert the influence that we should, let
our daily. earnest. and prayerful ef-
fort be to be what we should be. Do
we wish to have those with
whom we associate become
cultivated and refined. let the
exhaltations from our personality
create an atmosphere Of culture and
refinement Do We wish those whom
We influence to become noble. then
let us be noble and the "nobleness
that lies in others sleeping but never
own" Do we wish the characters Of
others to become true. beautiful and
good. We must be what we long to see
others become.
But. you object. this would make
others ideals no higher than our
standards. True. If one is content
ever to attain unto his own ideal or
satisfied to expect Of others nearly as
much as he demands of himself
You will remember that in Les
Miserables Jean Vatican spends but
one evening with Monseigneur Bien-
venu and that during that time the
good Bishop breaches no sermon.
simply lives his life before that hard
ened convict; but during that evening
such virtue emanates from this
great mans personality as to work
a complete revolution In the convict's
character. Victor Hugo does not tell
us the purpose Of his novel; but I
think that We have failed to under
stand the meaning OF his greatest
work, perhaps the greatest Of all
works of fiction. II we do not see
back of this book the potent influence
Of suggestion.
You are thinking now Of the strong
that have Influenced your
life. What was the dominant influence
of such a personality? Did II make
you feel as X you would
like to make money. be an
eloquent advocate in the Courts
Of Justice. be great preacher. lead
armies. become an eminent physician
or did you feel humble In this great
presence and cried aloud for strength
that would enable you not to get, but
to give: not to see how much you
could get out OF life. but how much
you could put into 1t: not TO be min
istered unto. but to minister; not to
Seem. but to be.
Ralph Waldo Emerson-one Of
Americas prOfoundest philosophers.
Is credited with some very wise say
ings. Perhaps the wisest Is: What
you are speaks so loudly that l can
not hear what you say" Will it not
be we'll for us constantly to soliloquize
thus: II must keep ever In mind that,
In my daily association with the pu-
pills. their teach ers. and their parents
what am is now prOclaiming itself
In such clarion tones. is now register
ing such II dominant note. that my
auditors are unable To hear what l
am trying To say. The only way that
! may hope To secure an audience is
To see To IL that I'm what | say and