Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1926-11-06
MRS. E. B. HANCOCK
ADDRESSES CLUB
Reads Paper On Destiny OF Man.
Live, Love, Learn And Labor
Subject

| The following is an address deliv-
cred October IA, 1926 to the Woman's;
Club of Worcester County, at the City
Hall, by Mrs. Edna Bentley Hancock
The destiny of man is written in
four short words which begin with
the twelfth letter of the alphabet.
Two Of these words have five letters
each; the, other two but four; yet
they are big words, full of meaning.
They throb with the heartbeat of the
Infinite, and if we master them in
the course of lifetime we shall do
well.
These words, written in the form
of. command, are-Live, love, learn
and labor. Obey this command and
you can scarcely fail to be a good citi-
zen; for good citizenship is, I think,
good living. 1t involves all of life in
all its phases; for it is my conviction
that we carry on forever; that the i'm
mediate Hereafter is. not so vastly
different from the Here and that
each successive step of life, though
the next be beyond the grave, leads
perpetually upward.
Living is more than mere exis-
tence. If we would live we must be
alert, awake to the thousand and one
factors of life, eager to grasp the
threads of various interests and ac-
tivities and weave them into the fab
ric of our character.
To live fully it is imperative that
we seek health of body, mind and
soul. Disease is the result of the
violation of natures law. If we have
physical health, let us guard it zeal
ously, use our intelligence in the mat
tiers of exercise, diet, bathing and
breathing. If we have lost health, we
must be willing to work to regain it,
not expect doctors to be able to pre-
scribe it in pleasant doses to be swal-
lowed from the bowl of silver
spoon. It can't be done. One must
come under the dominion of his will;
direct and drive himself; discard old
habits and form new ones; in fact,
"be transformed through the renewing
of his mind"
Health of mind and health of body
are interdependent. It is not possible
to preserve them without adhering to
the laws of hygiene.
We can not retain mental health
and permit our minds to wander aim
lessly, travel in ruts, or feed on evil
thoughts. It is not generally under
stood that we, should stand guard at
the door of our consciousness and re-
fuse admittance to certain thoughts,
but the necessity exists nevertheless.
Every thought, expressed or unex-
pressed, bears certain fruitage, and
no less parsonage than the late
venerable and venerated Luther Bur-
bank said:A"The day will surely
come when it will be considered as
sinful to think wrong thought as it
now is to be guilty of doing a wrong
deed"
There are thoughts which inspire,
cheer, comfort and bless; there are
others which battle, sadden, discour-
age and blight. The first are con-
structive; the second are destructive
Learn to cherish your constructive
thoughts and to check your destruc-
tive ones. Eliminate detrimntal e.
motional thoughts, such as those caus-
ed by fear, hate ENVY and jealousy
They are destroyers. Put in their
place thoughts of faith, love, gener-
osity and justice,-all the sweet, love
ly and peaceful thoughts your mind
can conceive. They are builders.
And the beauty of employing these
builders is this-they help in the crea-
ton of health in body as we'll as mint
and in spirit as well as body.
Spiritual health specifically, how
ever, seems to me to depend upon the
development of the graces Of the soul
chief among which are charity, cheer
courage and kindness.
Charity, I think, is more ministry
to the needs of the inner than the
outer nature of man. Contributions
to his physical needs are, of course
commendable,-the gift of coat t;
protect shivering body from the
cold is unquestionably good; but the
bestowal of that mantle which falls
generously and comfortingly upon the