Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-05-03
SoLILoQUY OF THE BRICK
A Little Essay That Is Well Worth
Reading.

A Little Essay That Is Well Worth
Reading.
Rev. c.. B. Thompson, in Waxhaw En-
terprise.
Once was the dust Of the Garth;
but because I possessed certain quail
tiles 1 am now a brick. It was the
hand of man that kneaded, moulded
and burned me that made me what !
am, else would have remained COM
mon dust. 49,.
From where live there passes each
day that which is called man. And
I often think how like a brick man is.
He may have all the appearances of
man; but unless he possesses. GER
tain qualities, called traits of charac-
ter q man he is not. He too must be
kneaded and moulded. The. parent or
guardian must take his desires, good
or bad; his ambitions. lofty or. hum
BILE: his talents, few or many; and in
the fires of constant instruction and
example strengthen some, often 9TH
ers, or obllterate those which would
work harm
The members of my family are
made in different kinds of clay; but
all are of the earth earthly. And
whether they are rought or smooth,
beautiful or ugly; whether they are
to be used in palace wall or cabin
chimney, they are bricks if they are
made of the right kind Of stuff. ".l.
I also notice that. there are different
kinds of men. But whatever may be
their appearance, or how humble their
origin, or lowly: their: station they are
men if the right kind of stuff is In
them. =. :; ,-.-,....t. -.
We, bricks and men, may feel that
our place in, life. is one Of Importance,
and because Of this have much pride;
but it is nevertheless. true that Of us
1t. can be said, dust thou art and to
dust thou shalt return -
must not. think Of 1.-THE prominent
place I could occupy where the pas
serby might. praise me for my beauty.
The fact that can be the key In the
arch should not occupy my attention
too much. The fact that there is a
foundation where can find my sta
ton, there to be overshadowed by my
brothers or covered over by the. COM
mon earth, Is something I must never
forget. But whether my place Is con-
spicuous or inconspicuous, lowly or
noble, service is the one and only word
should have in my vocabulary It Is
service which converts the worthless
dust into thing Of value. Though I
t may be syrnetrical Or beautiful, 1 an
nothing but a lump Of dried mud until
find my appointed place Of service.
AS listen to the speech OF men as
they pass by my station; as see the
care-worn faces or the sparkling
tears as I see the backs bending un-
der burdens of care and sorrow, feel
that the world needs something. And
I have come; to the conclusion that
man is worthless If he fails to do his
part In supplying the needs of the
world. Unless he can learn the lam
guage Of the brick and say, Il serve, "
no matter what his station in life
may be-he has not learned how to
live. His service may be noticed or
passed by with indifference; it may
even be very humble; but let him
learn that no service is void Of worth
il it benefits those Of his kind.
have learned that there are not
enough conspicuous places for all the
members of my family. Foundations
must be laid if superstructures are to
be reared. And until the brick (or
man) is found worthy to occupy a
place at the bottom he cannot hope to
stand at the top.
I could not get along without the
friendship of the plummet and level
They help me stand erect and do my
work as q respectful brick would
have it done. OF course they are very
exacting in their demands Of me; but
that is because they are correct in
all their dealings.
How 1 wish that man would learn
that the plummet and the level in
their lives is integrity. Without that
no man can hope to be upright, be
square in his dealings, or win the re-
spect of his fellows. , -. 80.
I have relatives-and 1 regret TO
acknowledge thenl-who arc called
hrickbats. They are the failures, the