Newspapers / The Orphans’ Friend (Oxford, … / Aug. 22, 1877, edition 1 / Page 2
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ORPHANS’ FRIEND. Vi'>Ii>;sia), Aii'iinI Ui. I8f'7. l‘J£»,7iP IW'KSS. Wisdom wifi’iis us not to defer, lest to-morrow find our duties all unfinished. Often liave we heard iho well-known words, “Procras tination is the thief of time,” which foretell th.at its violation will leave the great affairs of life undone, and stun life’s joys into a perfect stupor. One of the great est mistakes of man’s life is a continual putting off an eternal state of “ going to be,”—ever dreaming of the day when time shall be no longer wasted, and he shall gather the golden harvest which is the reward of his labors. Man praises himself as he counts the grand purposes of his life, but lazily dreams on, and says that he will enjoy the pres ent and begin the di t'es of life in earnest to-morrow. The boy looks forward proudly to his success when he is fifteen ; at fifteen he wants his own way, and thinks what he will do when he gets to be a man—twenty-one. When life’s May-day appears with its countless roses, the youth puts off for a few years the duty of beginning life. There are many who put off minute after minute, hour after hour, the great, the grand purposes of life, because they think themselves immortal; forgetting that only the soul is immortal, and that the body must perform its own offices within the appointed limits of time. Now is the time for thought and action. To-morrow will have duties of its own, and unless we promptly and manfully take our proper places in the great Drama of life, we will not be ready for the next scene of the play, nor will we be ready to turn tlie page of our existence. We should do every thing in our power to make the present better and wiser than the jnist, in order to make the future a broader field of action. ltEFBKEMI3«IT. Eefinemcnt is the source of the sweetest pleasure of life. From it springs tliat congeniality of the soul which forms one of the chief enjoyments within our reach, be guiling many a weary hour, and lending an additional attraction to life, binding us by the strong tie of friendship. True, native re finement is rare ; and even when it does exist, it is characterized by such retiring modesty that it re coils within itself, abashed at the gaze of the beholder. But like the coy nymph of old, the more it shrinks from public view, the more eagerly it is sought after. It brightens all the virtues which it accompanies. “Like the shades in painting, it raises and rounds every figure, and makes the col ors more beautiful, though not so glaring as they would bo without it.” llefmoment is that quick and sensitive delicacy to which even the very conceptions of impurity is offensive. It is a virtue which has its residence within, which takes guardianship of the heart, as of a sanctuary in which no wrong or worthless imagination is per mitted to dwell. Kefinenient is also the lifting of one’s self up ward from the merely sensual; tlie effort of the soul to ethereal- ize the common wants and uses of life. True refinement will cause us to sympathize with eve ry form of luimaii life, and will enable us to work more success- f.dlv for its advancement. 1£EVEI£E.\EE. One of the worst errors of the age is disrespect to parents, dis respect to teachers, disrespect to elders, disrespect to superiors, dis respect to all authority—human and divine. It has been a time of uprooting all that was once held .sacred, venerable, and of good report The old ordei of things has disappeared, and witli it has gone the reverence held for past usages and traditions. It is not wonderful that children, who have grown up in this tran sition period, should have but little veneration for the men and the tiuiths that ought to be hon ored and reserved. I’arents and teachers should resist this scof fing, contemptuous, irreverent spirit. Eeference is essential to the perfect development of a full and rounded character. The Vol- taires, the Bousseaus, the Thad Stevenses have lacked it. But not a man wlio has left his mark for good on the age in which he lived, was destitute of devout and reverential feeling. It constitute-s the crowning glory of Washing ton, Lee and Stonewall Jackson. The Fathers of the American Republic were earnest, reveren tial men, who had no flippancy and frivolity about them. The brilliant man without reverence is like a splendid piece of ma chinery without a balance wheel, ill-regulated, dangerous destruc tive. I go futlier. I contend that there can be no full development without this noblest quality of the soul. The mental growth of the irreverent is that of the pendant moss — downward, ever down ward, to the earth. The mental growth of the reverential man is that of the sturdy oak, which puts out branch after branch, upward and upward, feeling for the sun shine and glory of lieaven. The philosophy of the different growths is easily explained. The rever ential boy has a noble model ever before him, and looking ever up ward, is changed into the same image and becomes lofty and grand like bis model. The jeer ing, Irreverent boy has his eyes bent earthward, and becomes more and more brutish in his tastes and habits. The irreverent woman is a monster.—■Southern Home. THE liBITEKIOK OF AFRICA. Those who have attained matu rity may recollect seeing upon maps of Africa a large space in the centre indicating a land un known. Of late years explorers have pierced its mysteries and as certained that this region of equa torial lakes is one of the most pop ulous and fertile on the earth, and that an immense plateau, among the mountains crowned with eternal snow, is watered by the great streams proceeding from them, and offers climates of vari ous degrees of temjrerature. This inviting land is, however, the abode of savages, who are at per petual war with each other, and who mutually cause a destruction of human life, computed at hun dreds of thousands a year. At least four hundred thousand slaves are annually captured there, for use upon the continent, or for shipment elsewhere. The inter- notional African Association head ed by the King of the Belgians desire to commence the civiliza tion of the country by establish ing stations for scientific observa tions and for the use and protec tion of travelers; and branches of the association have been form ed in several European countries. —Greensboro redriot. MINI! WHAT VOE SAT BEFORE CllIEDREIV. It is always well to avoid say ing everj'tliing that is improper; but it is especially so before chil dren. And here parents, as well as others, are often in fault. Chil dren have as many ears as grown persons, and they are generally more attentive to what is said before them. What they hear, they are apt to repeat; and as they have no discretion, and not sufficient knowledge of the world to disguise anything, it is gener ally found that “children speak the truth.” See that boy’s eyes glisten while you are speaking of a neighbor, in a language you would not wish to have repeated. He does not fully understand wliat you mean, but be will re member every word; and it will be strange it ho does not cause you to blush by the repetition. A gentleman was in the habit of calling at a neighbor’s house, and the lady had always express ed to him a groat pleasure from his calls. One day, just after she had remarked to him as usual, her happiness from his visit, her little boj' entered the room. The gen tleman took him on his knee, and asked, “Are you not glad to see me, George?” “No, sir,” replied the boy. “Why not, my little man f” he continued. “Because mother don’t want you to come,” said George. “Indeed ! how do you know that George 1” Here the mother became crimson, and looked daggers at her little son. But he saw nothing, and therefore replied, “Because, she said yes- terdavq slie wished that old bore would not call here again.” That was enough. The gentleman’s hat was soon in requisition, and he left with the impression that “great is the truth, and it will prevail.” Another little child looked sharply in the face of a visitor, and being asked what she meant by it, replied, “I wanted to see if you had a drop in v’our eye, I heard mother sa}' j'ou liad fre quently.” A boy once asked one of his father’s guests who it was that lived next door to him, and when he heard his name, inquired if he was not a fool. “No, my little friend,” replied the guest, “he is not a fool, but a very sensible man. But wliy did you ask that question?” “Because,” replied the bovq “mother said the other da}^ that you were next door to a fool; and I wanted to know who lived next door to you.—N. Y. Observer, BRECE AND THE SPIDER. The following legend will bear to be frequently reprinted : “ One morning, during Bruce’s sojourn in the Castle of Raghery, he was hung in bed, musing on his bad fortunes and frequent de feats, when his attention was ar rested by a spider endeavoring to fasten his web to a particular point. The insect made three attempts in vain; yet nothing daunted, he made a fourth, in do ing which he seemed nearh^ to have exhausted his strength, hut he was successful. This little in cident struck the Bruce very forcibly; for he, too, had made three attempts to, gain the Scottish throne, and was beaten in three battles. The spider’s persevering example and consequent success encouraged him to nraister his scattered forces and make one trial more. He did so, and gained the battle of Bannockburn. In grateful commemoration of this event, it is said that no one of the name of Bruce will ever kill a .spider.” PKEBEIEISITES OF SECCESS. Integrity of cliaracter and truth in the inner man are the prereq uisites of succes in any calling, and especially so in that of the merchant. 'I'hese are attributes which never fail to command re spect and win admiration. No one fails to appreciate them, and if they “do not pay” in the vul gar sense of the term, they bring an amount of satisfaction and peace to the owner that all the wealth of Croesus could not yield. There is no better stock iu trade than these principles; no capital goes as far or pa}-s so well, or is so exempt from bank ruptcy and loss. When known, they give credit and confidence, and in the hardest of times will honor your paper in the bank. The}' give you an unlimited cap ital to do business upon, and ev erybody will endorse your paper, and the general faith of mankind will be your guaranty that you will not fail—Let every young man, upon commencing business, look well to these indispensable elements of success, and defend them as he would the apple of his eye. If inattentive and reck less here, he will imperil every thing. Bankruptcy in character is seldom repaired in an ordinary lifetime. A man may suffer in reputation and recover; not so the man who suffers in character. Be just and truthful. Let these be the ruling and predominating principles of your life and the le- ward will be certain, either in the liappiness they bring to j’our own bosom, or the success which will attend upon all v'our business operations in life, or both. A KIND WORD. On a certain Sabbath evensng some twenty years ago, a reckless young man was idly lounging un der the elm trees in the public square of Worcester. lie had be come a wretched waif on tlie cur rent of sin. His days were spent in the waking remorse of tlie drun kard, his nights were passed in the buffooneries of the ale-house. As he sauntered along, out of humor with himself and with all mankind, a kind voice saluted him. A stranger laid his hand on his shoulder, and said in cordial tones, “Mr. Gough, go down to our meeting at the town hall to night?” A brief conversation fol lowed, so winning in its character that the reckless youth consented to go. He went; he heard the ap peals there made. With tremulous hand he signed the pledge of to tal abstinence. By God’s help he kept it, and keeps it yet. The poor boot-crinaper who tapped him on the shoulder, good Joel Stratton, has lately gone to hea ven, But the youth he saved is to-day the foremost of reformers on the face of the globe, Me- thinks, when I listen to the thun ders of applause that gi-eet John B. Gough on the platform of the Academy of Music, I am hearing the echoes of that tap on the shoulder, and of that kind invi tation under the ancient elms of Worcester. "He that winneth souls is wise.”—■!. L. Cuhjer, in Church Union. —No trait of character is more valuable than the possession of a good temper. Home can never be made happy without it. It is like flowers springing up in our pathway, reviving and cheering us. Kind words and looks are the outward demonstrations ; pa tience and forbearance are the sentiments within. AN AEFHAMET OF CiOOD COEN- SEE. Attend carfully to the details of your business. Be prompt in all things. Consider well, then decide pos itively. Dare to do right; fear to do wrong. Endure your trials patiently. Fight life’s battles bravely, manfullv. Go not in the society of the vi cious. Hold your moral integrity sa cred. Injure not another’s reputation or business. Join hands only with the vir tuous. Keep your mind from evil thoughts. Lie not for any consideration. Make few acquaintances. Never try to appear what you are not. Observe the Sabbath day. Paj' your honest debts prompt ly. Question not the veracity of a friend. Respect the counsels of your parents. Sacrifice money rather than principle. Touch not, taste not, handle not intoxicating drinks. Lse your leisure time for im provement, Venture not upon the thresh old of sin. Watch carefully over j’our pas sion. Extend to evei'V one a kindly salutiou. Yield not to discouragements, Zealousl}' labor for the right. And success is certain. MOENTAINS IN THE lUOON. It la lUi asceitaiiu'd fact that llicro arc tlirei; clasacs of lunar nu)untain.s. The first of tlieae consists of isolated, so-xiaratc, distinct mountains of a very curious cliaracter. Tlie distiiigiii.slied characterisf icB of the.se iriouiitaiiis is tliis: Tliey start up triiin a plain qiiile suddenly. On eartli it is well Uiiowii that mountains generally go in rangea or groups; but we find tliese isolated lunar nioiintaius standing uj) entirely aiiart, never having been coiniectel with any range. Tlie one named I’i o is 9,000 feet high ; fjiis mountain h i.s tlie form of an immense sugar-'oaf; and if onr readers can imagine a f irl," proportioned sugar-loaf 9,000 feet in height, and themselves situated above it, so a.s to be able to look down upon its apex, they will have an aiiproxi- lu ito idea of the appearance, of i’ico. There are many other mountains scattered over the moon’s surface, and these mountains not only .stand apart from each other, but, what is still moie remarkable, the plains on whieh they stand are but slightly' disturbed. How singular, then, the intlueiice ■which sliot the mountain np 9,000 feet, and .vet scarcely disturbed the idaiu in the immediate neigltborliood. The second class of Inna elevations consists of mountain ranges. Now, this is tlie principal feature of the nionntaiiis on earth. This phenome-' non is also found in the moon, but there is the exception; only two jirin-' cipal ranges are tbuiid, and tliese ap pear to have been originally one range. One is called the Aiipenines. It is so ■well seen that, Just as the line of light is jiassing through the room, you will think it is, generally speaking, a crack iu its surtaee; but a telescope of ordi nary iioiver will at once manifest it to be a range of mountains upon earth. It is 18,000 feet higli, and tliere is an other still higher, rising 25,000 feet above its base. In this feature, then, the moon corresiionds with the earth, but with this dilloreiiGc; what is the rule on earth is the exception in the moon.—Hillsboro Mecorder. —In the hands of Jesus, the science of morality is simplified and complete. A single prohibi tion is so planted by him, that like a piece of ordinance, it may be said to enfilade and sweep a whole territory of sin; nothing can come within its lange without challenging its thunder and court ing death.
The Orphans’ Friend (Oxford, N.C.)
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Aug. 22, 1877, edition 1
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