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December 29, 1909. THE PRESBYTERIAN
HAPPINESS WITHIN.
firt
Happiness is largely from within. It's a good bit
in how we feel about things. We all live in the
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on...*, nunu. me same sun, the same atmosphere,
the same soil, and about the same surroundings
for all of us. Yet there are all manner of differing
degrees of happiness. You've seen one member of
a family so cheery and happy and inspiriting that his
very presence seemed to carry good luck and alwavs
made you feel better. And another member of the
same household is so grumpy and selfish and coldhearted
that he lowers the temperature of the neighborhood
and unconsciously suggests the black man.
Why the difference? It can't reasonably be in the
food, the air, or the surroundings. No: it's in the man
himself. One views the world with an open eye of
goodwill; another peers out with a half-shut eye of
suspicion. "Out of the abundance of the heart the
mouth speakethand out of the abundance of the
heart the eye beams love or hatred and the face shows
smiles or frowns.
Oh, what differences there are in the hearts of men!
Some hearts are rich and deep and mellow like fertile
earth. Drop into such hearts seeds of truth or justice,
and these seeds soring- into form ac
and fruits of good character. Other hearts are feeble
and shallow and deadening. Drop into them the same
good seeds and these seeds shrivel in the fierce heat
of cruelty or freeze in the chill of selfishness, or rot
in the damp, oozy soil of stagnating indifference. The
selfish heart eats and drinks, and blesses no one; the
reverent soul finds the love of God in ten thousand experiences,
and itself grows loving and cheery on the
way.?Ex.
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nuri nUUK ?> X tlUUK.
He was a tall, powerful Scotchman and had held
the position of "boss striker" at the steel works for
years. Nearly all the men in his department were
hard drinkers and he was no exception to the rule.
But one day it was announced among the workmen
that he had become religious; and, sure enough,
when pressed to take a drink, he said: "I shall never
take a drink mair, lads. Na drunkard can inhabit the
kingdom of God."
A knowing one smiled, and said: "Wait a bit;
wait a bit. Wait until the hot weather?until July.
When he gets as dry as a crave! nit. then h#? will
in. He can't help it."
But right through the hottest months he never seemed
to be tempted to drink.
Finally, as I was taking the men's time one evening,
I stopped and spoke to him.
"Stowe," said I, "you used to take considerable liquor.
Don't you miss it?"
"Yes," said he, emphatically.
"How do you manage to keep away from it?"
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wen, just tnis way: It is now 10 o'clock, isn't it."
"Well, today is the 20th of the month. From 7 till
? I asked that the Lord would halp me. He did so,
an' I put down a dot on the calendar right near the
twenty. From 8 till 9 he kept me, an' I put down another
dot. From 9 to 10 he's kep' me, and noo I gie
him the glory as I put down the" third dot. Just as
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OF THE SOUTH
I mark these I pray, O Lord, halp me; J,alp me to
fight it off for another hour!' "?United Presbyterian. ;
THE MAN.
As the speaker delivered to us a polished and forceful
address, he quoted Carlyle's words: "Get the man,
and all is got."
Every man with eyes has seen proofs of the truth
.unless ui cms. une will say, "The Methodists or Baptists
can build up here, but Prebyterianism will not
take."
Long ago I decided that it was not a matter of denominational
doctrine or government. It is the man;
the personal tact, force, energy, winsomeness of the
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Another will say, "We have not grown any for
ten years. We just about hold our own. We can't
build up in this field."
If there is material to work on, "the man" will get
it. "The man" will succeed anywhere; the fellow will
fail anywhere.
We have many grand laymen. Educated, hustling,
of fino *
...... u.gdiuiiug ana executive ability, consecrated
and winsome, chockfull of common sense, pronounced
successes in the business world.
"But we can't get them in our church work. They
can't afford to go into it." That depends. That kind
of man is worth all he costs. He'd be far cheaper at
$5,000 than many we are getting for $500. The latter
are often too expensive for profitable use. "The man,"
not his cost, should concern us.
In the audience where I heard Carlyle quoted was
"the man," who had organized a certain synod like
a great business enterprise. And the results are extraordinary.
I do not know his cost. And no synod need stop
to ask that u:? '' *
. mm, ii ne can be had, and pay
him his price.
What wonderful possibilities lie undeveloped in
many of our synods and presbyteries and congregations.
All for the lack of "the man."
"The man" exists. He can be had. The great
Presbyterian Church ought to go after him. This man
of God, this man who can make good, is the need of
the times.?The Cumberland Presbyterian.
There is just one way of curing the habit of church
kiekinor anH 1 '
i.<at is uy cnurcn neiping. If things do
not go to suit you, turn in and do something worth
while. It is a great deal more to the purpose to attend
the church prayer meeting and take part in its conduct
than to stay away and sneer at it. Nobody did less to
"put down rebellion" than the fellows who wrote every
day scathing accounts of the "mistakes in the field."
The horse that is unreasonably free with his heels can
always be cured of that habit by hitching him long
it..
vi.wugu iu mc piow. Nothing will do his temper so
much good as a long day's work. The world needs
more lifting and less jawing: more cash and less ruction.
Censoriousness is usually coupled with, vanity
and selfishness, while charity has for her companion
graces the virtues that minister to the needs of mankind.?Interior.