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About The Henry County weekly. (McDonough, GA.) 18??-1934 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 8, 1918)
The Henry County Weekly VOL. XLIV. The Silence of God By REV. H. S. SMITH The value of silence in compar ison with speech is expressed in the familiar quotation, “Speech is silvern; silence is golden.” Carlyle says, “Speech is of time; silence is of eternity.” Silence has a language all its own. My friend is silent. 1 ask, “What does he mean by his si lence?” One day your silence is comforting, another day under dif ferent circumstances it is distress ing. Spirit communes with spirit in the silence. Tennyson says, “Thought leapt out to wed with thought ere thought could wed it self with speech.” Silence is as various as speech. “There is the silence of vacancy and dullness, and the silence that is too deep for words. There is the silence of concealment, and the silence that is more revealing than speech. There is the silence ofcondemnation, and the silence of praise. The completest joy and the profoundest sorrow are always silent. There is the silence of God’s working. We see it in nature. The planets revolve, the sun rises, the tides flow in and out, the clouds scurry across the sky, the seeds grow, and all with less noise than the turning ot yo 4 ui coiiee mill in the Kitchen.- Man’s machinery creaks, but God’s doesn’t. The same thing is true in hu man history. Men clash with sabre and roaring cannon on the battle field, and with fiery invective in congress halls. But God over rules and noiselessly directs from His throne of silence. “Thus far, but no farther,” He says to the nations. Matthew Arnold discov ered that “there is a power not ourselves that makes for right eousness” operating in human history. There was the quiet snow that stopped Napoleon at Moscow, a silent fog that turned back the Germans at the Marne, and the gently rising waters of the Fiave that stopped tne onrushing Aus trians in Italy. God works silently in the indi vidual hie. Men want signs and wonders, a hand to write across the sky, some one to rise from the tomb and speak. God spoke to Elijah at Hore, not in the tire, or earthquake, or storm, but in the still small voice. God may use the clash of events to unlock the door of the soul, but he deals silently with the heart and conscience. All epoch making events have been lived through m some human soul. It was in the monastery ot Urfurt that Luther lived through tne reformation. John the Bap tist and also Jesus thought through their work in the wilderness. Man’s great accomplishments have been the product of silence. F. W. Robertson tells us of an English engineer who was stopped by an apparently insoluble prob lem. He shut himself up for three days and having thought it through in the silence came forth to issue orders with almost super human intelligence. Books, music, literature, inventions are wrought out in the silence. It was after twenty eight days of retirement that a body scientist gave to Amer- A Weekly Newspaper Devoted to the Interests of McDonough and Henry County. ica the liberty motor that promises so much in aviation. It is the silent power of the soul that influences men. “Ye are the salt of the earth.” “Ye are the light of the world.” Mark the si lent activity of salt and light. Oh, we thought it was our much talk ing and our bustling activity that would accomplish things. No, it is the unconscious influence of your personality that makes talk or work potent, There is the silence of contempt. Herod the superstitious and insin cere old ruler who liked td have a prophet under his patronage, ask ed Jesus some questions, but he never received any answer. You may seem to be a seeker after truth, but if you are vicious or in sincere you will never find it. Now if you are in earnest and willing to do His will I care not how great may be your doubts, He will bring you to a knowledge of the truth. There is the silence of self-con tainment. Pilate, a superior char acter to Herod, received answers to his questions until he asked Christ the question, “Whence art thou?” Why didn’t you answer your child’s puestion? Because it was a mystery too deep for turn. A Mp to a grrftrp n* 'artists who are drinking in the meaning of a great picture with deep joy. He asks them to reveal its teachings to him. They ans wer him not a word. It’s impos sible to tell him, because he isn’t prepared to receive it. His Spirit will onlv guide us into the truth as we are able to stand it. There is a silence that is due to man’s inability to hear. What a noise there is on the busy thor oughfare ! But to the death man there is silence. God tries to speak to men, but “their ears are dull of hearing.” You listen en wrapt to the songbirds, but there is no music in the ears of the deaf. While the bible s peaks strength ening and comforting messages to many, its sweet voice is not heard by multitudes of spiritually deaf. There is a silence t{iat is benev olent. God’s silence may be only apparent. I ask my friend for a favor and he grants it. I make a request of a great man who is my friend. A thousand others have done the same. He deais with us altogether in some benefaction or in an inspiring book he pens. There is sometimes a far reaching plan involved in Hist silence. Why didn’t God in some way let Jacob know that Joseph still lived? Think of the years of grief writ ing themselves in the bowed form, the furrowed cheek, and the grey hairs. Look to the end and per haps ye’ll understand. Why didn’t God grant your wish. Perhaps you asked him to do something for you that you could do yourself. You send the child away to work out his problem, because you know it is best. We prayed for peace. He ans wered us not a word. I wonder why. Is there any light in this thought that God compels men to work out their choice to a logical issue? Wasn’t this true with McDonough, Georgia, Friday. February 8, ms. Income Tax Man Visits McDonough. Henry county capitalists are be ginning to experience their first privilege of paying income tax. The Internal Revenue official has arrived in McDonough, and is located in the tax collector’s office at the court house. He will re main through next week to in struct and render any assistance he can regarding the provisions of the new income tax law, as to making returns in proper form, etc. As his stay*,is brief those in doubt should see him at once. For general information the fol lowing is published: A married man will be required to make a rsturn if his net income equals or exceeds the sum of $2,000. A single man will be re quired to make a return if his net income equals or, exceeds the sum of SI,OOO. Persons subject to the tax may call or leave their address at the court house and proper blanks for making returns, with accompanying instructions will be furnished or mailed them from Collector Blalock’s office in At lanta. 3 Appreciated Letter. In the measure as their home paper is appreciated by them, The Weekly desires to assure the writers that such an encouraging letteffa#this is doubly appreciated b y VV i : r ildtt' b. 4, 1018. Dear i-wm >r or qur Home Paper, -■ McDon ough, Ga. You will find enclosed $1.50 for a renewal of our subscription to your paper, which expires this month. We don’t want to miss it at all, we enjoy reading it so much. We see items written by so many of our old acquaintances that it is tons a letter from home. We all like Observer’s items so much, and Sleepy Eyes, and then all the good editorials it contains each week is all worth a lot to us away down here in South Georgia. Yours truly, Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Joyner. About all the conception some folks have of a geniit-m in, judg ing from the way they act, is a swell suit of clothes and gold banded cigar.—Uncle Jeremiah. Israel when she chose a king? See the red ruin running through her subsequent history. "What soever a man (or nation) sows, that shall he also reap.” Perhaps such a peace as the world needs can only come by the consecration of our all in the spirit of right eousness. Perhaps God is ans wering by giving us the spirit that will not stoo short of secur ing a permanent peace. There is a silence of test, a sil ence that challenges faith and perseverance. God’s silence to our prayers for peace was certain ly such. It was to reveal our spirit, to make clear our love for liberty and righteousness, and to challenge faith and perseverance. Standing the test of silence a larg er good is possible. This woman undiscouraged pressed back of the silence and worshiped at the feet ot her Lord. What a bless ing she gets, “O woman, great is thy faith, be it unto thee even as thou wilt.” Standing the test of His silence with faith and perse verance I can see the larger good of a purged, purified and greater world. WISE SUPPORTS PRESIDENT WILSON Sixth District Congressman Opposes the Chamber lain Bill, and Before the House Ably Presents Reasons Therefor. Congressman J. W. Wise, repre senting this, the Sixth Congres ional District of Georgia, a mem ber of the Military Committee of Congress, is standing with Presi dent Wilson in the conduct of the war. He is in position to render valuable service to the President and to the country and he is zeal ously discharging the responsible duties which confront him in these perilous times. Mi . Walter S. Gard, special rep resentative of the Macon Telegraph at Washington, sent the Telegraph the following statement from Con gressman Wise some days ago, in which he specifically opposed the Chamberlain bill, now being con sidered as the latest war measure proposed in Cougress. The state ment of Congressman Wise will be read with deep interest and doubtless with general approval throughout this district. Congressman Wise says: “Under the Constitution of the United States the President is com mander-in-chief of the army and navy. The responsib-lily is .op the President for the successful con duct and management of the war. He appoints his own cabinet. Any effort of interference with his con duct and management of the war at this time would, in my judgment, be a serious mistake, and would only add confusion and practically destroy all the work <liat has been done up to this time in creating and organizing an effective war machine. “Changes have peen made, and are continuing to be made, improv ing the same and they were begun long before there was any talk of creating a board for the manage ment and conduct ot the war, which would practically take the entire matter out of the hands of the President and those charged with the same. “For these reasons, and many others I could mention, I am op posed to the proposed legislation creating a munitions director. Improvements have been made in this department which, it has been shown by experience, were neces sary, and to create at this time a new officer of this kind and undo what has been done would only add confusion to the existing or ganization which, I believe, is growing more effective every day. Powers have already been grant ed, where needed to the President to make any change that he deems necessary for the successful con duct of the war. If some are still lacking, in my judgment they will be granted. “This is no time to play politics or think of political campaigns in the future. We are in this war, and it is a most serious one. No man can tell the length of it or the sacrifices in men and money we will have to make. People are giving their lives and enormous sums in taxes are being and will be paid. There should be but one thought, and t|iat to win and end this war as early as possible. Quit talking so much; work more. f)o nothing to embarrass those re sponsible for its conduct. W r e have enough boards, exercising different functions. We need men to carry guns and fight. This war will be won with men and guns fighting, and not by creating extra boards with large salaries, to in terfere with those responsible for its gonduct. We should quit cre ating boards, making politica speeches and playing politics, and devote our time to getting men . and guns in the field.” j - Food Regulations. At the request of the Food Ad ministration to prevent the hoard ing of flour, the sales of flour hereafter, until further notified, in towns and cities to individual j consumers shall be in one-eighth | to one-half barrel quantity or less, in i ural districts from one-quarter to one-half barrel quantity or less. The sale of sugar in towns or cities shall be in i to 5 lb. quanti ties, and rural districts 5 to 10 lb. quantities or less. The sale of flour shall be offset ,by an equal amount of cereals. However, corn may be used in exchange for not more than 96 pounds of flour in 30 days. Wheat flour substitutes shall in clude hominy, corn grits, corn meal, corn flour, edible corn starch, barley flour, rolled oats, oatmeal, rice, rice flour, buck wheat flour, potato flour, sweet potato flour, soy bean flour, and feterita flour and meal. Cal! on a member of the advis ory committee nearest you for further information concerning the exchange of corn for flour. The following are members of the advisory committee for the Food Administration for Georgia and Henry county: D. L. McCullough, J. W. High tower, Stockbridge. C. V. Williams, R. F, Smith, Lq cust Grove. F. M. Copeland, A. N. Brown, McDonough. W. P. Wilson, Arnold Moore, Hampton. Federal Food Administration For Georgia. By G. F. Fears, County Food Administrator. WHAT TO USE TO PREVENT APPENDICITIS Stockbridge people should know simple bnckthor bark, glycerine, etc., as mixed in Adler-i-ka. flushes the ENTIRE bowel tract so comple tely that appendicitis is preventec. ONE SPOONFUL Adler-i-ka relie ves ANY CASE sour stomach, gas or constipation because it removes A LL foul matter which clogged and poisoned your system. The IN STANT action surprises both doc tors and patients. C. H. Pinson druggist at Stockdridge. Horse Shoeing a specialty at Thomposn’s Shop. $1.50 A YEAR
