Trench and camp. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, 1918-02-20
TRUST GOD AND BOOST

lie opinion had been called together to
consult how best to strengthen the
arm of the Government We had as
our advisers such men as DR.. Sher-
wood Eddy and DR.. Labrador" Gren-
fell both just returned from the storm
centre; also a member of the French
Commission to the United States, and
a member of the British Commission
The Frenchman fought at Verdun and
elsewhere. With one voice these men
of knowledge and authority asserted
that the outcome of the war depended
largely upon the hopeful spirit in
which those at home perform the daily
task and the cheerfulness with which
inconvenience and sacrifice are met
We were urged to go back to our con-
stituenCy and make it very plain that
the greatest need is that every citizen
shall trust God and boost CollapS of
American morale means almost certain
disaster. The less We believe the more
we fear. The more we fear the more
certain is defeat. The stakes are so
great and the demand so relatively
small that everyone should resolve to
do his bit
Now, none need look beyond the
sphere of daily life for a chance to
boost. Jeremiah's was not public
transaction; it was a purely private
and personal matter Strange how
real estate deal, of no particular i'm
portance, doomed up so conspicuously
and influenced the community so pro-
| foundry that it was incorporated in. the
permanent history of great people.
The field in Anathoth was an old
| homestead. There jeremiah was born.
When the invaders arrived, an uncle,
who owned the place, used all haste to
sell out. BY so doing he made a bad
matter worse, for he added to the pre-
vailing panic. The elaborate, even os
tentatious, manner in which his neph-
ew proceeded with the purchase and
transfer of title had the desired effect,
and hope returned to Jerusalem. One
man kept a tight grip on God and
whole city felt the thrill, the boost of
power greater than Babylons Never
ia all his life had jeremiah done
| greater days work. And he did not
, step out of prison or private life to
render this high service to his country.
At this point may / ask a very direct
and personal question? Which kind of
a citizen are you? Are you Hanameel
| the uncle, or jeremiah, the nephew?
| Are you the bear or the bull, the pes
| simist or the optimist the self Centered
farmer or the high minded patriot?
Are You Hanameel, selling out your
interest in government, democracy,
! justice, religion and the kingdom OF
/
| shouting above the panic, Il take more
stock in God, the church, the power of
right over might law, order and civ
| ilization. Give me more stock, and
more, and yet more" In fine, are you
a killjoy or a booster?
Let me say to you very earnestly it's
the kind of citizen you are in daily life
that counts most. If you honestly de-
sire to help Uncl Sam, load up. Don't
unload, or you will give the surest
comfort to the enemy. Load up We
| Americans have been unloading for the
| past twenty years, or thereabout. That
| is the reason you hear SO much grumb-
ling and and kicking. Empty wagons
always make the most noise. Load up
| with faith. Go to the first bookstore
| tomorrow, and say in your most cheer
full tone of voice, Here, give me back
my Bible" Walk up to your newsboy
! with, Say, son, let me have The
I Morning Confidence | am giving up
| The Sewer Cas-" Wire Miss Democ-
racy Il take it all back. Accept apollo
| gy. Henceforth I will not doubt by
you" Then top off a good weeks work
| by telling your minister next Sabbath
| that you have decided to renew your
membership in the church, which, in
spite of all deficiencies. has boosted
humanity more than any other one in
ot4IutIoH' you Says, buy. w III you
do it?
You cannot boost so long as you
think only of yourself. The editor of
the atlantic Monthly" has likened the
average American to a professional
gambler who would spin the earth
round and round till it stops at his
number"
A chronic malcontent cannot boost
I agree with Macaulay that ITO be con-
stantly disconnected with condition
which is constantly improving is UNI
grateful" to say the least. Even now
the mills of God are grinding out the
finest product of all the centuries and
some are too blind to take stock in the
enterprise. The world is growing bet
ter so buy field in Anathoth
OF course one cannot boost so long
as one is in the business of fomenting
trouble. 1t would be wholesome if GER
tain Americans could be prevailed up
on to take a good dose of such medi-
cine as Mr.. White administered to
Kansas, raise less hell and more
corn"
A year ago I was in Montreal Ev-