The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1916-06-08
Personal Influence.
Written for The Review


Science teaches that every atom
of matter attracts every other atom
and by the law of attraction world:
are held together and are drawn
through space with a velocity
scarcely conceivable by the human
mind. Swinging around some cen
trail orb each planet travels onward
along it's own circle. filling its right
pI; cejamong the m lions Of worlds
performing its proper mission, and
all goes we'll But if from some
outward cause it is carried beyond
the limit of its true orbit it's right
place in the solar system is lost and
coming in wild and helpless contact
with another and greater one. it is
shattered into fragments and de-
stroyed.
The lesson which we wish to draw
from the above illustration is that
the law of attraction is ever present
and active in human life drawing to
their inexorible destiny all who
may be caught and held within the
overcoming power of its influence.
Wholesome influences make for in
tellectual and spiritual life and
growth; malignant influences for
moral degeneracy and degraded
sensibilities.
From every human life there is
going out an influence which
touches and effects, in some way,
some other life. 1t is not always
argumeDtative, not alone by precept
or by example may influences be
exerted over others, but often in the
silent but forceful appeal of helpless
dependency, in the existing condl-
tons of our own circumstances and
in the general life of those around
US in which there may be hidden
the persuasive force of its power
and which may be reflected in the
life of some one in paintings OF
though, of thought pictures of high
and beautiful ideal or in a degraded
and ugly existence
Influence is often distictIy person
al and individually characteristic
There is not a human being with
the power to impress his thoughts
upon another whose words and acts
do not possess living force and car
ry with them an influence to bless
or to curse some one else. This is
the law of the mind and it is
through the active force of this law
that the spiritual and moral life of the
world is uplifted and helped or low
cred and degraded. His powers of
expression may indeed be feeble
and seemingly of little or no impor-
lance or effectiveness, but in them
there is the element of happiness or
sorrow, life or death for somebody.
| All of US are character builders.
We are not only shaping and giving
stability through the influence of
intellectual growth and spiritual
understanding, to our own character
but we are also constantly contrib
uting to that of others. We are
making impressions of some nature
and these impressions are stamping
themselves, it may be, indelib!y
upon the minds and hearts of some
one.
AS we are constantly giving out
influences either in a direct or indi.
rect way, so we are, in like manner
as constantly receiving them from
others. There is not a man or
woman, however exalted his or her
station in life, however great his or
her intellectual powers, or what
height each may reach in the social
or business world, or what attain
ment in culture and refinement over
whom there is not being yielded an
influence by some person either for
good or for evil None may get be-
yond the reach of personal influence.
} Like a tiny seed planted in fertile
soil it often springs up and grows to
immense proportions. We take it
in and hold it till it grows into our
nature, stamping itself upon our per
ssnality and becoming part of our
very beinee
| Influence d pes not always emf
nate alone from our effort to pro-
duce it. In our thoughtless words
: and careless demeanor we do not
always make our influences for