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Show I T I I Great Personages j 1 1 cf the Bible It By j f REV. LEONARD A. BARRETT j Peter's Shadow WE HAVE been told that thoughts are things ; rather let us cali them forces, which mold for better, or worse the destiny of man. Thoughts are expressed in actions which are charged with power. Like the prin-I prin-I ciple of wireless telegraphy, thoughts and actions, causing vibrations in the moral realm, are felt in the distant station of some man's heart and life. A deed, a thought, Is a message that one heart sends to another. A pebble thrown into the lake causes a series of concentric circles. So it Is with every thought and action as It affects the experience of someone else. The first vibration of a man's character in the world's moral life finds expression expres-sion in the nearest circle in which he moves, namely, his home. Here is where a man reveals his true self. In business he may be very cheerful, In society artificial; but In the relaxation of the home the true man appears. Here is where character and life are of tremendous importance and where a man should seek first of all to discharge dis-charge his obligations to his fellow-men. fellow-men. The grandest gift that any parent par-ent can bestow upon the nation, in gratitude for what he himself has received re-ceived ss an heir of all the ages past, is a boy at twenty-one enthusiastic about conscience, purity and truth. Beginning with the home, man's influence in-fluence is next felt in his social life. Here Is where temptations must be met and conquered. Here is the battlefield battle-field where ofttimes virtue touches vice. Here are found those who will ever be attracted to us not for what we appear to be, nor for the part we assume to play in the social scale, but for what we really are. Another concentric con-centric circle of a man's influence is found in the business world. The day has come when men are seriously entertaining en-tertaining the question whether or not a man can be a Christian and at the same time successful in business. Experience demonstrates it can be done. The success which character and conscience brings cannot be bought on the markets. A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of his possessions, but rather in his heart experiences. All lives thus come to touch other lives. No man can converse con-verse with his fellow man for half an hour without both taking something from him and giving something in return. re-turn. Unconscious Influence. These irresistible workings of the law of personal influence are ofttimes unconscious. It is seldom that any of us realize to what extent we influence those with whom we dally associate. It is impossible for any man to live wholly to himself. It is as impossible for a man to prevent the influencing power of his own character as It would be for him to control a storm at sea. Much of this influence is unconscious. un-conscious. Soul touches soul In ways we little realize. It is a silent but irresistible force. An old legend tells of a saint whose Godly life so impressed the angels that they came down to earth to find out the secret of his life. Having been granted power to give to him whose life they came to study any request that lie might ask, found a refusal when power was offered to heal the sick. "God can better do that," replied re-plied the saint. Refusing the leading of wanderers to the angels, he chose rather this gift, that he might do good without knowing it. Wherever he walked his shadow, like Peter's, fell behind him, bringing joy ami inspiration inspira-tion to all It touched. We are told that wherever Peler of old walked : that people "brought forth the sick ! into the streets, and laid them on I beds and couches, that at tlie least the ! shadow of Peter passing by might ! overshadow some of them." Could we i ask a greater gift than that we might be on:. bled to do good without know-; know-; ing it? Great is the power of that 1 inlluonce which furnishes an unconscious uncon-scious contribution to the betterment of the world. I Every man throws the unconscious shadow of his own life upon those ; who pass by. Be sure that some one is i not being wrongly influenced by our life. The most effective sermon the world ever hears is not from a minister, min-ister, but from our own character and life. Wads-worth writes: That het portion of a Kod man's life, Flis litllo. r,.in'-lc:3, unremombered act Oi kindness and of love. Life cannot be hidden. Every man's life is a potential force in the world. Our debt to the past argues our re-sponil,ili;y re-sponil,ili;y to the future. The past should furnish iiis;ir;n!n for the ! prcM ht. In the realization of man's j debt to man does the true knight er- i rant of earth find his sense of do- peieience. This dependence calls for obligation and the obligation demands service. He who eieleavors to live to himself so, n fuels life very difficult j ar.d the attainment of its highest hap- ! pir.o-s i i : : j ie -Ibio. That life which j Cains in-ptration from others should i t come a center of influencing and up- ! lifti:.- power. 1 Every d. y think of the career of a great ;:::-:,. .n. It will !,.-! y.--u to j bcrotue a i' -ti-T citit" ti. E ery day re- j n -!:.;. or ih,. lite of a p,-,;! pool. It 1 '-'ii: e..i'!o you to :. p; 1 1 - --"-.' :: t e Ihe u'y :', at is in the w.-rH. Every day i ptoiu :. the n:u. e of a great hllan- J thro It will mal.e i; h-ss seir-h. j Er, "y read tl.o s.-t-.ry of "The i -: : -it.in." It v. Ill aid us In '1.' e " - to expre-s kiiulness and x ! ' '.. '"r -:th r-v-r:-i.-r ftr.toa i |