The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-14

TfHE Psalmist asks of jehovah,
{ What is man. that thou art mind
full of him, and the son of man,
that thou vistest hlm?" And answering
his own question he adds. "For thou hast
made him little lower than the angels.
and hast crowned him with glory and
henor."
, Miracle of miracles is mani Most help
less of all Gods creatures in infancy;
most powerful when fully developed, and
Interesting always What unfathomed
possibilities are wrapped within the swad-
ding clothes that enfold an infantl Who
can measure child's influence for veal
or woe? Before it can lisp word, it
mas brought to one woman the sweet
consciousness of motherhood, and it has
given to one man the added strength
that comes with sense of responsibility.
Before the tiny hands can lift a feathers
weight they have drawn two hearts closer
together and its innocent prattle echoes
through two lives Every day that child
In It's. growth touches and changes some
one;- mot year in all its history but that
1t leaves an impress upon the race. What
lncalcuable space between statue, how
ever faultless the workmanship, and a
human being "aname with the passion
of eternity"
II the statue cannot, like a human
being, bring the gray nairs of a parent
IN sorrow to the grave,' or devastate
nation, or with murderous hand extin-
suish the vital spark in a fellow being,
lister to suffering mankind, nor scatter
sladness "o'er smiling land, nor yet
claim the blessings promised ip. the Ser
mon on the Mount. Only to han made
III the Divine likeness, is given the aw-
fu power to choose between measureless
success and immeasurable Woe
Man shares with the animal physical
nature-he has body. the citadel of the
mind, the temporary tenement of the soul.
1t is necessary that this link in the end
less chain that connects the generations
past with the generations yet to come
shall be made as strong as conditions,
heredity and environment will permit. All
of us inlNrit both Weaknesses and ele-
ments of strength 1t is within our power
ITO conserve and TO increase the strength
that has come down to us, and it is also
within our power to dssipate the phys-
cal fortune which we have received.
II civilization can be, defned-and L
know of no better definition-as the har-
inonius development of the human race,
physically mentally and morally, then
each Individual. whether his influence is
pereeptible or not, raises the level of the
civilization of his age just in proportion
as he contributes to the worlds work a
body mind and heart capable of max
imum effort. No one lives unto himself
each human being to every other human
being is one that cannot be severed
Every kind of sport, every form of ex-
ercise that contributes to the develop
ment of the body, without mental deter
ioration or an impairment of the moral
forces, can be encouraged. Not only does
the body demand attention in the grow
Ing years, but it requires continuous care
throughout the entire life stunted
body Is the penalty for overworlx In the
enid weak body the penalty of lack
of exercise, but natures punishments are
not visited upon youth alone The over
worked or underfed man or woman can
not escape natures penalty, neither can
''OsS SSSoPe wiz, idHcyiiS themselves
more fortunate, invite the evils of idle
ness and overfeeding
II any one suposes that education should
relieve him from a personal knowledge
of bread-labor-''the primary struggle
with nature"-he is in grievous error At
present the strength of the race is ma
terially lessened by the decay consequent
upon the idleness of those who have
come to regard physical toll as disgrace
tunless endured for amusemenO, and the
average length of life is shortened by
those who convert the normal function
of eating into gluttony. In the care of