The theocrat. [volume] (Zion City [i.e. Zion], Ill.) 1914-1949, 1919-08-16
Saving Wood in Soprano
Bv Elder Thomas II. Nelson


Who has not felt spirit of inspiration
come to him in reading of the heroic &C
tons or actors such as Daniel in the lions
den? or Joseph in Potiphar's prison? or the
three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace
or Moses in his mighty intercession? or the
prophets in their struggles for righteous
ness?
Who has not felt indignant at Ingersoll's
misrepresentation of the Bible and the
Church, and the unreasonableness of many
things in Paine's, cage of Reason?
These former could hardly be rewarded
for all their virtue or the latter punished
for all their vice, till the last man influenced
in blessing or blight by the virtue or vice
of their course, has brought in the last quota
of that influence in his own final redemp-
ton or ruin.
Character reveals itself in every choice,
thought, act, look or word. Those who are
of an optimistic, positive; hopeful temper
ment, reveal that fact in every gesture,
emotion, decision, thought and word; while
those who are pessimistic, negative, or non
progressive similarly reveal their weakness
and helplessness.
These perfectly comfortable character
istics of purpose or aimlessness = the aflr-
native or negative disposition = are mani
tested even in a child.
We took a dozen boys, out at an orphan
age, once, to illustrate this question. They
were kept in ignorance of our intention.
They were shown several rejected knots of
wood and asked if they could split them up
for the stove.
The oldest boy declared he could not be-
cause the superintendent had rejected them
as incapable of being worked up. Then
three or four others, influenced by the de-
cision of the older boy, said, Neither can
we" and we knew their decision was final.
They could not do it because they thought
they could not do it. God, Himself, has
said, Gas man thinketh in his heart, so
is he" But one little fellow, almost the
smallest of the company, looked up and said,
81 can split them; and I will do it if you let
me-" Of course, they laughed at him, but
we encouraged him in his purpose; and,
after more than two days of pecking with
an axe, he joyfully announced the fact that
he had turned all of the knots into splinters.
He had literally hewed them into the small
est fre-wood.
This believing, hopeful, optimistic, self
reliant, affirmative soul had enough con-
structive force of character revealed in that
one act to prove that he was capable of de-
veloping into almost anything. Who will
dare to say that his purpose was not CO.
extensive power? The other boys had equal
ability, but lacked will only God says,
"Whosoever will, may"
A man is always as strong or as weak as
he credits himself with being. We always
have all the power we ascribe to ourselves, =
no more, no less. The soul always domi-
mates the circumstance if it wills The
world will take us at our own price, and we
can invoice and label the goods as we please
If we stand resolutely in Our place and hold
rigidly to our righteous decisions, we can
carry them to completion in spite of every
power of the pit
Men give up too easily - sing too much mi
nor music. There is not enough granite and
purpose in their nature.
There are too many folks who are willing
to play second fiddle and fill a mediocre
place, when they could excel and make and
fill better one. There aims are too low
they are satisfied with too little.
Gods command to every man is, Friend,
go up higher" But fitness, alone, can take
man up, or keep him there, either.
We told the boys they should learn to cut
wood in soprano; to curry a horse in the
leading tone There are too many folks
willing to stop at inferior positions, and, so
to speak, they will take a minor part = sing
alto, TENOR anything at all but bear the
responsibility of the leading of the band.
The world and the Church need men of
personal initiative self-reliance, lofty ideals,
faith in God q
The age is dying for want of men with
backbone. purpose, and determination.
Those men will stamp truth, in some form
suitable to their own characters, indelibly
On the age They will be soprano singers,
epoch makers, leaders Of the people; and,
whatsoever WILL may come" into their COM
pany. Here is the rub, however, we must
WILL.
Most men have no real purpose and no
keen sense of personal responsibility and
duty, and no will to succeed in worthy I'm
dertakings.
The curse of Reuben is the malediction
of many = "Unstable as water, thou shalt
not excel"
Water, when poured into a bottle, takes
the shape Of the bottle; when poured into
a jug or pitcher, it takes the shape of the
receptacle that contains it. When poured
on the ground or the floor, it fattens out
in helpless dependence upon the acciden-
tai walls or solid objects around it. Thus
it is shaped by its surrounding circum-
stances = nodded by its environment
without personality. stability solidity or
| fxedness. Many people are thus unstable.