Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1916-11-15
Parable of the Seven Targets

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Now in the city where l dwelt were
of them charged Five Cents for Three
Shots, and there were others that
Gave Five Shots for Five Cents. And
/ noticed when l passed their gates,
and if the Sign Read Three Shots for
| Five Cents, l entered Not; but if it
Read Five Shots for Five Cents, then
L entered.
And one Of the Galleries where l
went had Seven Targets, all in One
Row. And the Targets were each of
them a Bullseye. And the Targets
were each the Same Size, about a
Cubit in breadth; but the Bullseyes
were Divers. For the one on the
Right hand had a Bullseye as small
as the Fingernail of a mans Hand,
and the one on the left had Bullseye
as large as a Silver Dollar, and those
that were between Grew as the Tar
gets were placed from the Right side
to the left. And there were on each
Target Rings round the Bullseye,
from the Bullseye of any Target
whatsoever caused Bell to Ring.
Now, in my Youth l could Shoot
Some, and in my Ripper Years can
Shoot a Little. So it was my GUS
tom to Choose Target near the Mid
| die, and Sometimes / made the Bell
to Ring, perhaps twice or thrice out
of the Five.
But it came to pass on day that
entered a Gallery, and laid down
silver Coin which was the Fourth
Part of Dollar, and the Man gave me
Four Nickels and Gun. And l took
the Gun. and / Said, have not
| ~, sc II 20 fLe
Large Bullseye. So l shot, and l Hit
1t. And / shot again, and | Hit it
| Again. And thus L did Five Times.
And it Pleased me that / had Hit
the Bullseye and Rung the Bell Five
times.
/ handed the Man another Nickel,
and l Hit the Bullseye Five Times
More. And / was yet more Pleased.
And / gave him Another Nickel,
and Yet another Five Times l Did
the Same.
And said within nv heart, Behold,
am not / good Shot?
And / gave him Another Nickel.
And the Man took the Nickel, and
gave me Another Gun, for had shot
out all the First Gun contained; more
ever, it needed Cleaning, by reason of
the Shooting / had done. Now the
man who kept the Gallery Had been
regarding me, and / thought he had
been Admiring my Skill, but he had
Not. For when he handed me the
Second Gun, mad taken my Fourth
Nickel, he spake to me thus:
Now if all you want is to Hear
Your self Ring the Big Bell, you can
Probably Continue to Do That for
Considerable Time to Come; but if
you really want to Improve Your
Shooting, you will never shoot at any
thing but the Smallest Bullseye. You
will put your shots into quite as.
Small Circle, and you will have the
Advantage of Knowing Just How
Much you Lack of being a Really
Good Shot.
And the word went to my heart.
SO I walked to the other end, and
/ shot five times at the Small Bulls
eye, and / hit it Not Once. But all
my Shots were close in, and every
one of them would have Rung the
Big Bell. So l gave him my last
Nickel, and l Shot Five times more;
and out of the Five Shots i Rang the
Small Bell Twice.
And though it sounded not so loud
as the Big Bell, yet l knew in my
heart it was Better Shooting, and that
it had Compelled me to do My Best.
Then / said in my heart, o my God,
I have lived an Upright Life among
men. and often have they Told me
So; but Fear lest have been Shoot
ing at the Big Bell. Mine have not
been tho Cruel Temptations Of Some
of my Fellow Men, yet / have Had
Pride that was better than Some of
Then. o my God, / will seek hence
forth to Shoot at the Smallest Tar
get. Then shall know how much
lack of being really a Good Shot.
And told the Parable to some of
my Fellowmen, and / said, Behold
how went in to the House of Shoot
NV sonl And they. too. were humhled