Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-05-11

~ HEU b MISS tSSNYe/FR
~ ~ LIZZIE O THOMAS Mssag1

Think truly and thy thought
Shall the worlds famine feed;
Speak truly, and thy word
Shall be a fruitful seed;
Live truly, and thy life
Shall be a noble creed"
Yesterday a man Immersed in state
affairs came to my mother When he
was a small boy he always came to see
her, and as youth and early manhood
came and wove impressions on his
active brain he used to talk them over
with her. When he entered she was
sleeping; we reused her. and she was so
pleased to see him. He told her that
a letter telling of her illness reached
him in Tallahassee. and he came as soon
as he could. She never fails to bring
her mind back to the present when she
is spoken to, and to say something to
each individual. When he started away,
she was again asleep, and he leaned over
and kissed her, saying such tender
things about her.
TITLES light as air pile up as the
years pass, and turn many a mind in the
way os honesty. trust and charity, or
plant seeds of distrust in hearts that
are ripe for good or evil.
1t is not always a pleasant thing to
stand up for ones honest convictions
To follow the line of least resistance
more often wins a host of fair weather
friends but when the end approaches,
when the chilling waters almost battle
the weary feet. when the hands that are
SCARED with toll for others are taken
from active service. and the mind that
has been storehouse for a multitude
begins to loosen its hold on everyday
problems ii is a blessed thing to know
that counsel given and example after
example has fitted more than JUST
ones immediate family to buffet with
the evils that almost overwhelm the in
experienced or the untaught.
All of us know that character is not
formed in day, all of us know that
exercise strengthens the bones and
sinews and makes the individual strong
er if the life is normal, but a secret
sin can sap the vitality just as surely
as a tiny leak in the dam may grow
to such proportions that the valley may
be submerged. Do you recall the story
of the boy who found the leak IN Hol-
lands dyke and thrust in his arm?
Bravely he held it there till help came
and his beloved land was saved. The
story may have no real foundation. but
every day there are breaks in the dyke
around us. Too often we say, 81 will
call so-and-so's attention to this" in
stead of thrusting in hand and saving
the day. Frequently we follow the line
of least resistance and say we will get
no thanks for our information. I adj
nit that the line between helpfulness
and officiousness is very faint but IL
we really try to help people and do not
resent their refusal to see matters as
we do, or their indifference to our eff
forts to help them we can usually stop
before we become officious. In after
years our efforts may be seen from
a new viewpoint and appreciated. These
things come to me very clearly as 1 sit
hour after hour in a silent room watch
ing loved sleeper, and frequently feel
her pulse to be sure that she has not
opened her eyes for the last time on
terrestrial things.
Every day should be a new beginning
and if we have not started on the right
path, the upward and often thorny path,
let us begin now. Our days are in
Gods hands, but our reward will be as
we use these days, and when the night
cometh let it find us doing our very
best for the ones who need us. be-
ginning early and continuing until the
Master calls us home our reward will
be well done thou good and faithful
servant"
Faithfully yours,
LIZZIE o. THOMAS.