SftjfilV'iMt $yr
OCTODER 13, 1805
The Commoner.
7
WHEN THE BOAT HAS TOUCHED SHORE
It is related that two Scotch fishermen,
"Jamie" and "Sandy," belated and befagged on
a rough water, were in some trepidation lest
they should never get ashore again. Finally
Jamie said:
"Sandy, I'm steerin, and I think you'd better
put up a bit of a prayer'
"I don't know how," said 'Sandy.
"If ye don't I'll chuck ye overboard." said
Jamie.
Sandy began: "Oh, Lord, I never asked any
thing of ye for fifteen years, and if ye'll only
get us safe back I'll never trouble ,ye again,
and"
"Whisht, Sandy!" said Jamie, "the boat's
touched shore; "don't be beholden to anybody."
This is not the only instance where prayers
have ceased when "the boat has touched shore."
In themidst of plenty and prosperity and away
from dangers and vicissitudes, men become
wonderfully puffed up. But a great transforma
tion takes place as soon as adversity comes upon
them. It is .all important that we remember our
helplessness and give thought to the arm upon
which, during our peril, we quickly leaned, even
though "the boat has touched shore."
In this year of 1905 we have the greatest
crop in history. The granaries are to be full
to overflowing; the cattle are sleek and well
fed; and in the counting room and in the fac
tory, as well as on the farm, the beneficient re
sults of a bounteous harvest are already felt.
So far as the crops of 1905 are concerned, "the
boat has touched shore."
Is this not a good time for men to remember
the years of drouth? Perhaps some of The Com
moner readers have never been brought face
to face with the terrors, the heart-aches, and the
pathos of the drouth-Btricken period. Many of
them have a lively recollection of those days,
and, please God, may they never come again!
During one of these seasons of drouth the writer
spent two weeks at the home of an aged farmer.
In that year the corn had obtained a fine start
and as though to mock the Tiusbandman, had
grown to fine proportions only to be burned day
by day before his very eyes. Great fields of what
with the aid of a little rain would have become
magnificent grain, were being literally burned
up by the sun's merciless rays. The creeks had
gone dry. The farmer was required to econo
mize on his cattle's food as well as in the pro
vision for his own table. Turn m whatever way
one would, the eye rested upon great fields of
blasted crops, and one could see men, women
and children oh their knees, praying for rain.
It happened that during the two weeks referred
to, many, promising clouds filled the sky. For
several days the thunder rolled, the lightning
flashed, but no rain fell. It was one of the most
pathetic sights imaginable when, in the presence
of one of these black clouds, the farmer would
gather his family and his visitors around him,
and with his fine gray hairs uncovered, drop upon
his knees, appealing earnestly and yet as it de
veloped ineffectively that the God ho had for
so long faithfully nerved might hearken to tho
prayers made by his holploss creatures.
At one time while the members of that little
gathering were upon their knees in that farm
yard, a few drops of rain fell from a black cloud.
No more dramatic scene has ever been placed
upon the stage than when that fine old farmer,
confident that Ills prayers wore about to bo an
swered, sprang to his foot, and extending his
long arms toward Heaven, shouted, as though,
he wanted the world to hear: "We thank Theo,
O God, for Thy bounty. We knew You would
hear our prayers!"
And no more pitiable sight was ever offored
for the eyes of pitying men than that presented
by this faithful old farmer when tho black cloud
passed over, after having given but a few drops
of rain. It would bo by no means correct to say
that this particular old farmer never lost hope.
In a short time his crops were blasted, and they
finally ceased to pray for rain, but it was char
acteristic of this mau that ho found no fault.
"He bore it calmly, though a ponderous woe, and
stilladored the Hand that gavo the blow."
A few days ago tho writer happened to meet
that same farmer. He had crops in abundance,
and was in every way prosperous. He was re
minded: "It wasn't necessary for you to pray
for rain this year." He replied: "No, not for
rain, but to give thanks for tho strength that
carried me through the trials of former days,
and gratitude for the ability to appreciate and
put -to proper use tho manifold blessings now
bestowed upon me."
In the sight of our Inventions, of our railroad
building, of our ocean enterprises, of our search
for gold, of our struggle for territory, of our
efforts to become a world power, not by example,
but by force of arms, wo- have coma to Imagine
that man is an all powerful creature.
He has perfected inventions for tho planting
and the harvesting of grain, and for the con
venient disposal of it after the harvest has been
made. In some quarters and on a comparatively
small scale, man has devised processes of irriga
' tion. But in the presence of a threatened dis
aster that involves the destruction of the crops
of the country, men realize their helplessness,
and whatever their theologies, their creeds or
their notions may have been, they are forced
to the conclusion that, after all, we may be neces
sarily dependent upon some power higher than
that of man. In the presence of a threatened dis
aster man's hope may find voice, and yet
Jin the contemplation of his weakness in deal
ing with the great forces of nature, lie -is
forced to employ the words of the poet: "But
what am I, an infant crying in the night, an infant
crying for the light, and with no language but
a cry."
It Is nothing new that in the time of a great
calamity, In the presence of a threatened disas
ter, men become more tolerant of the faith of
the mothers. The story is as old as the hills,
and from the beginning men, who in prosperity
have been inclined either to indifference or to
sneers, have in disaster come to realize, though
only for a moment, that they are dependent upon
DARK LANTERN METHODS BY THE "DE
FENDERS OF NATIONAL HONOR"
(Continued from Page iG)
exponent of publicity. The New York Life be
lieves in the widest and fullest publicity of its
affairs."
Comment unnecessary.
FALSE AFFIDAVITS
Aside from the false statements made in the
circular referred to, Mr. McCall and his asso
ciates have not hesitated to become responsible
for false statements in other forms. Immediate
ly after the election of 1896 Governor Culberson
of Texas called upon President McCall, demand
ing that in conformity with the Texas law, Presi
dent McCall give the amount, if any, paid by
or on behalf of his insurance company for politi
cal purposes during the presidential campaign.
Replying to that demand, Mr. McCall caused
to be sent to Governor Culberson an affidavit by
T. M. Banta, cashier of the New York Life In
surance company, to the effect that "no moneys
were directly or indirectly paid by this company
to the republican campaign fund during the re
cent presidential election." Hugh S. Thompson,
comptroller of the New York Life also made affi
davit to the same, effect. - Jolin C. Whitney, audi
tor of the New York Life, made a similar affi
davit. In his testimony, before the New York In
surance committee Mr. McCall testified that the
company had paid In the presidential campaign
of 1896 the sum of $50,000 to the republican na
tional campaign fund, thus showing that tho
sworn statements which Mr. McCall caused his
subordinates to make to the governor of Texas,
were false.
These men who traffic in the money of their
policyholders, who rob the widows and orphans
whose interests are Intrusted to their care, who
publish false statements concerning the methods
pursued by their company, who cause their sub
ordinates either to commit perjury or, because
of crooked book-keeping, to innocently swear to
statements which the superiors know to be 'false
these are the men who, in the campaigns of
1896 and 1900 posed as the faithful defenders
of national honor, and tho valiant champions of
the business interests of the country!
What is to be done with these well dressed
rascals? Are they to be permitted to escape
with their plunder? Or should they not, as Is
the practice toward common rogues, be driven
from their positions of trusts and held strictly
to account in the criminal courts of the state?
a Btiporlor power. Tho old time rellKion that In
the bimy mart hax been swept siKida by thono
too practical to give thought to the future, tiM
in tho inldut of trouble re-ImproHaod lUolf upon
holplea nton; and all tho Lhoologloa and tho
croods and the notion orectod by no-called "pro
growl vc" men are as more bauble at such a
timo in comparison with the faith of Paul and
Silas.
Wo may have hoard a man in tho vigor and
froshnos of youth aneur a, tho faith of IiIh moth
er, but when tho oats have boon sown, when tho
mad raoe hau boon run and ago and docropltudo
corno upon him, how often have we neon that
aame man dcmonalruto that ho roallxoH the com
pleteness of human frailty.
Wo may havo hoard a man sneer at the
faith of a neighbor; and yot how ofton havo
we seen that same man when death has throat
pnoil his own hoiiHohold, kneeling hcaldo tho cot
of a bolovod child an 1 mingling hi prayers with
those of a dovotod mother, Invoking for his home
that which ho is powerlesB himself to give, plead
ing for relief from a source whoso very existence
ho has sometimes questioned.
In the moment of peril human frailty loans
Instinctively toward divine strongth. The privi
lege of the "sweet hour of prayer" that brings
one "from a world of care" has been the great
est boon to mankind. It has smoothed the pillow
of many a dying man; it has quickened the con
science of many a thoughtless woman; It has
glve.i inspiration to many a simple child, and It
has brought surceaso of sorrow to many a heart
broken parent.
Tho mother praying for tho wayward son
is encouraged to new efforts in behalf of hor
child; tho soldier praying for guidance on liber
ty's battle field Is inspired to more skillful
struggles; tho statesman, invoking divine aid in
dealing with the problems of government, Is
brought nearer to his God and hence nearer to
his conscience.
In the days of tribulation some give audi
Ible expression to their prayers, others pray no
less earnestly, though silently.
As down in the sunless retreats of the ocean
Sweet flowers are springing no mortal can see,
So deep in my soul the still prayer of devotion,
Unheard by the world, rises silent to Thee.
As still to the star of its worship, though clouded,
Tho needle points faithfully o'er tho dim sea,
So dark when I roam in this wintry world
shrouded,
The hope of my spirit turns trembling to Thee.
Who will say that in the presence of today's
prosperity it is not the part of wisdom for men
to remember their helplessness by recalling the
days when the rains fell not upon the earth?
But In this year of magnificent crops it does
not seem difficult to believe that the man or
woman who finds relief in cultivating "sweet
flowers" that spring "deep in the soul" will, even
In tho very shadow of disaster, share Browning's
sublime optimism: "God's in his heaven; all's
right with the world."
RICHARD L. METCALFE.
TIRES OF SOCIETY
The Denver Post reports the case of a young
lady of that city who tires of society and wants
to work. She says: "Society wearies me. What
is there in it but empty form, and what do you
gain? I want to do something worth while In
the world to feel the joy of good hard work
well done." It is a laudable ambition. Society
when it means rivalry in expensive entertain
ments which pamper the body and overlook both
mind and heart, is empty. No wonder that an
earnest person finds it tiresome. Society, when
it describes the association of congenial spirits
where the animal in man is subordinated to the
delights of tho mind and tho growth of the
affections such society Is in every way helpful;
and such society is entirely consistent with work.
In fact, such society is only possible among those
who find pleasure in service. It is of society in
this better sense that the poet speaks when he
says: "Society, friendship and love bequeathed
by God unto man. O. had I wings of a dove how
soon would I taste them again." But the fashion
able society Into which so many young men and
women seem anxious to enter deadens the morals,
rusts the intellect and at last destroys the body.
Fortunate are those who tiro of it early
6rU
fcLrt-lrUfctirAAfcWl
