The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1919-10-13
PASTOR breaches
ON NO ACCIDENT
week ON SUNDAY
Stop! Look!! ListenI!! Is Topic Of
DR.. John Barbour's Sermon on
Sunday Evening.

DR.. Barbour In his sermon Sunday
night at the First Presbyterian
Church responded to the request of
the Railroads to announce the mo
Accident Week" beginning October 1S
from his pulpit. His text was Eph. v.
Is. See then that ye walk circum-
specify, not as fools, but as wise"
He said: The vast toll of life from
all classes of our population by acci-
dents in factories, at railroad cross
ings and in all our occupations justi-
fies the call on the clergy to help in
the effort to bring about a more care
full habit in all our people. Paul gives
the keyword for all our life in this re-
gard. A man should walk circum-
specify, !. e., looking around carefully
knowing "where he is at" all the time
and taking in his surroundings.
There are dangers all about us, and
we should keep our eyes open and our
ears alert. Some of these no fore
thought, nor care can avoid, but most
Of them can be traced TO carelessness
in the victim or lack of consideration
and proper protection Of the public by
corporations.
Last year In the observance of No
Accident Week In st. Louis there was
only man killed against "a who lost
their lives a year before in the same
time. He was drunk and fell from his
wagon. That was a remarkable dem.
onstration Of what can be accomplish
ed by careful attention to this matter
When you consider the economic
value to say no more, Of all these lives
lost or famed you realize what tre-
mendously important matter this Is to
/ the business and social life of the
country. These accidents are by nc
means confined to the young and in
exerlenced or to the shiftless classes
Of the community. Many Of our best
and presumably most thoughtful peo-
pie fall In this holocaust of the week
When you carry this warning into
the moral and religious realm how
surprisingly important does 1t be-
come. Men and women are falling
like moths into the candle with theil
eyes open, but surely not with full
survey of their actions. "In vain the
net is spread in the sight of any bird
as the book of Proverbs reminds US
and even a rat will be too smart tt
be caught after he sees two or three
of his companions shared but men ant
women go on time and again like bird!
under the charm of cat into certain
danger. Over every human patl
should be posted in some way tn
words, Step, Look, Listen. 1t is 70
your life. The preacher carried the SUI
gestion into the line of duty and op
portunity that often comes as sudden
ly to us, and which we should be read
to avail ourselves Of. Some of tn
greatest discoveries have thus bee
come upon, but they fell before tn
observation Of trained minds, and
skill which could improve by expel
ience.
The wise man is he who uses tn
faculties and the chances" that h
has. The fool" In the scriture is nC
the fool for lack Of sense, but one VIII
will not use what mind he has.
1t is plead often times in excus
that one is SO absorbed that he did nt
see, did not realize his surrounding
The plea Is seldom justified one. W
are not to be so absorbed In bushes
or in pleasure that we cannot pay al
tention to the people that are abou
us, and know the elements Of goo
or evil always surrounding us.
We are to walk with circumspectio
in the spiritual world to which we bt
long. The greatest factor In our III
at all times is God. He is our gres
and enduring environment, the "Heal
of Love, enfolding all". 1t Is very foo
ish then and will be very disastrou
fof>us to forget God, and the HEAVIER
Ia, ,yitnaaaaa of nur dailv life