Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-03-19
EXPRESSION RATHER
THAN SUPPRESSION
Character 10 Made Strong by Express
sion--Suppression Is Always Pre-
carious-The Reason Why We Are
Disappointed-The Style of the Per-
feet Man--The Error of Ones Way
May be Discovered.
BY W. t. williams

by putting forth the best. We may
strive with q great effort, even for a
whole lifetime to suppress the evil
that is within and without, and then
at the end discover that we have ac-'
complished but very little. This is
equivalent to saying that we have
been wasting our energies along the
lines which are not the most benefi-.
cial, and instead Of being joyous in
our endenvors, as we should be, we
realize that we are lacking on every
turn. We are made aware Of the
stern fact that we have not been wise
in our labors. They have been for
the most, part for nought, and when
this sort of thing dawns upon Us, the
danger in which we'stand Is appalling.
We are liable to sink into the abyss
Of despair, crying in the agony of the
soul that deception reigns supreme.
This Ia the negative method Of wrest-
ling with the world and ourselves,
and when our eyes are opened wide
enough to see how little we can
achieve by II, the gulf into which we
have been thrown Is deep and dark.
Our plight Is sad, and very seldom we
are able TO redeem ourselves.
But this Is not the case when we
adopt the positive method with the
same end In view. When we are Civ
ing expression to the best that is in
us to countefact the worst that is In
rs, we are encouraged day by day by
satisfying results Of majestic propor1
tons. As the seasons are passing we
are convinced more and more that the
tracks In which we toll are right and
everlasting. New revelations are
made to Us continuously, and we go
forward In our might, strangers to
fear, resolved to reach the goal safe
and sound. There is no vexatious
fretting because the root Of delight
we have. This b the effect Of adopt
ing for ourselves the positive mode Of
life, which Is far better to all con-
cerned. BY It we become established
IN such q way that the tempests beat
against MS in vain Our overthrow
they cannot bring about because we
have our feet fixed on the immovable
rocks Of the positive. We are cons
cious Of being allied with the Power
Of the Ages. Our foundation is sure,
and more than once we have heard
men and women daring their fury.
"Who shall dislodge us?" they say,
with the ring Of conscious security in
their voices. "Shall affliction or dis
trbss, persecution or hunger, naked
ness or danger or the sword? We
are more than conquerors, and we are
eonvinced that neither death nor life,
neither the lower ranks Of the evil
angels nor the higher, neither things
present nor things future nor the forces
Of nature nor height nor depth, nor any
other created thing, will be- able to
separate us from the love which Is oul
permanent footing" This is the posi-.
tive way Of contending with our evi
tendencies as well as with those which
surround us. IL II the Trustworthy
way the way ordained to make us sue.
sessful and happy.
Now, the question Is: What is the
reason for this? We cannot deny
that such Is the case--that is, If W.
have given the matter the slightes,
attention. Plenty of evidence is found
near. by and far of to verify what VIZ
affirm. 1t is everywhere, and we may
see It on all hands. All we need t.
do is to be patient and look just lit
tie under the surface. Men and wo
men are displeased with themselves
feeling that they have not reached
the qualification they expected, ant
TINT after endeavoring earnestly II
do what they could. They realiz,
that something Is wrong, but they ar,
unable TO tell what it is. The shadow
Of the evening hours fall from thei
dArkenkd sky, and they are sorel,
chagrined. They know that the!
have missed the mark, and the priz'
Of their high calling seems to slil
from their grasp. What Is the rea
son for such condition? The rea
son 10 that they have been putting
forth their efforts along negativ'
lines. They have failed in their es
tirnations. Their strength has beel
spent TO suppress, forgetting tina
this mode Of action breeds bitterness
eoldness and contempt, which at last
viii surely rebound in the directio
Of their own breasts. They hav
thoughtlessly exposed themselves t
the Are Of the enemy. While on th
other hand. II they. had worked alop
positive lines, their approach woul
have been more In accord with tn
spirit Of human nature, and this woul
have carried with 1t the appeal whic
has never failed, This has bee
proven In every ageg and the one wh
knows It has fair chances to be bless
ed. Ittwouid also add more force
their devotion, making them invincibl
and Joyful by stirring up and increas
ing the affection Of their hearts.
has been said that rs the beams Of tn
sun wax hotter by reflection, so d
the desires Of the heart by expression
When we bring the best to bear upo
the worst we may be well assure
that we are justified in expecting las
ing results, and instead Of being dil
appointed we viii be wholly gratifie,
This Is the royal road, for life wi
not allow itself TO be dmmpened witt
out imposing a trefifendouss charg
Expression Is infinitely more. prof
able than suppression, and all thins
being equal. Il will bear fruit a hui
dred-fofd while the other Is alway
precariotis.9 This Is the style of Il
Perfect Man. He expressed the n
bility Of His soul In Thought. word or
deed, and the world, in spite OF u
evil thereof. is growing better. v
may safely follow in His footstep
and in1bibe- out of life our portion
full. we run no risks by planting o.
feet in His paths. They are mo,
precious than rubies, ana none Of Il
things which we. can desire. are
be compared with them. They a
the paths of peace and pleasantness
Once upon q time, there lived a ms
Of some learning in q certain city. al
even though he were encircled
many comforts, he was the most u
happy man in the whole neighbo
hood. Every day was dark to hil
and his forebodings were real al
deep. He was pessimistic to Il
core, and AL things were out of joir
He could not agree with anybody, 4
everybody was either ignorant
stupid-he alone was the on,--
~