The Choctaw Freedmen Part 33

Whoever wins man's highest stature here below must grow, and never cease to grow--for when growth ceases, death begins. Alice Carey.

"There is so much bad in the best of us, And so much good in the worst of us; It is hardly fair for any of us, To speak ill of the rest of us."

If thou wouldst know the secret of a happy life, rise in the morn, with armor clasped about thee, for the day's long strife. "Thy duty do."

The very angels then will stoop, when the night brings rest, to cradle thee in heavenly arms because thou didst thy best. Jennings.

Bear and forbear are two good bears to have in every home, in order to keep peace in the family. Grin and bear it, is another good one.

Impatience, scolding and fault-finding are three black bears, that make every one feel badly and look ugly. Don't harbor them.

BIBLE PRECEPTS. Faithful is the Bible word for success.

He that is faithful, is faithful in that which is least.

Owe no man anything. Render to all their dues.

Be not wise in your own conceits. A wise son maketh a glad father; but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.

Seek ye first the kingdom of G.o.d and all these things shall be added unto you.

Wisdom is the princ.i.p.al thing, therefore get wisdom. Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace.

Honor the Lord with thy substance and with the first-fruits of all thine increase; so shall thy barns be filled with plenty.

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Let the beauty of the Lord our G.o.d be upon us, and establish thou the work of our hands. Moses.

The hand of the diligent maketh rich. The hand of the diligent shall bear rule.

Be not slothful in business. A man diligent in his business shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

Anger resteth in the bosom of fools. Make no friends.h.i.+p with an angry man, lest thou learn his ways: Let not the sun go down upon thy wrath. Be patient; and not a brawler or striker.

SPIRITUAL POWER. Bring ye all the t.i.thes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

HOW SOME MEN ACHIEVED GREATNESS

Abraham believed G.o.d and was promptly obedient to His divine call. "The Lord made Abraham rich" and the "Father of the Faithful."

"The Lord was with Joseph," the innocent slave in prison. He led him from the prison to a throne and made him a successful ruler in Egypt.

Daniel the youthful, G.o.d-fearing captive at Babylon, "sought the Lord by prayer, supplication and fasting." "The Lord prospered him," gave him favor with princes and made him the greatest statesman of his age.

Job was a "perfect and upright man, one that feared G.o.d." Satan said of him, "Doth Job fear G.o.d for nought?" Satan then deprived him of his family, property and health. Job still maintained his integrity, saying, "The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away." The Lord then gave Job twice as much as he had before; so that the latter end of Job was more blessed than his beginning.

When the Lord said to Moses, "Come now, I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people out of Egypt;" he hesitated, saying, "Who am I?" "They will not believe me;" and "I am not eloquent."

But when he obeyed the call and went, the Lord went with him, the people believed, the army of Pharaoh was overthrown; and Moses became the first emanc.i.p.ator, a great leader of men and the greatest lawgiver in the history of the world.

OAK HILL BE'S

Be Honorable. Never do that which will cause you afterwards to feel ashamed.

Be Honest. Never deceive or take that which belongs to another.

Be True. Stand firmly for the truth and be faithful, though you stand or work alone.

Be Pure. Shun the impure and abhor whatever will corrupt good morals.

Be Polite. Help the weak and never by word or act offend another.

Be Prompt. If you have done badly, hasten with your apology before you are called to account.

Be Thoughtful. Learn how to exercise that forethought that antic.i.p.ates every future need at the beginning of an undertaking.

Self Control. Self control means self discipline. Self discipline means that I must be willing to:

Be, what I know I ought to be;

Say, what I know I ought to say;

Do, what I know I ought to do;

Go, where I know I ought to go;

Do, with my might what my hands find to do; and be firmly decided, not to do anything I know I ought not to do. It is the ability to control one's thoughts and energies by rule, so as to act prudently, and never impulsively or impatiently.

All make mistakes, some more than others. "To err is human." He succeeds best who makes the fewest mistakes; and most quickly corrects them, when discovered.

"I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true.

"I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to what light I have.

"I must stand with anybody who stands right; stand with him while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong." Lincoln.

Freedom. True freedom is the freedom to do right, and for it good men contend. The liberty to do what one may wish to do, is not freedom, for that may be wrong.

Tact. Tact is the ability to please rather than offend, by saying or doing the right thing in a pleasant way at the right time, ignoring petty slights and insults and leading disagreeable people to become your friends.

Blessed is the teacher who expects much from his pupils, he is thereby likely to receive it; that has common sense in framing regulations, and backbone to enforce them; whose vocabulary contains more "do's" than "don'ts." Lucy A. Baker.

The little birds, like the busy bees, are cheery and valuable helpers.

Encourage their presence and aid, by planting trees for their songs and building little houses for their young.

The domestic animals are our servants and profit-makers, or mortgage lifters. Always treat them kindly. Never permit anyone to strike, or stone them. Even the pig of your neighbor, when he becomes a mischievous intruder in your field, if you give him a friendly chase, will conduct you to a hole in the fence that ought to be closed.

"Kind words can never die, Cherished and blest; G.o.d knows how deep they lie, Stored in each breast."

Character. Character is a word derived from another one that means to impress or engrave. It marks our individuality. It is the result of the principles and habits, that have impressed themselves on our nature and the abilities that have been developed. Solomon calls it a good name, which suggests reputation. It is tested and strengthened by overcoming difficulties. A good character is within the reach of all while greatness is possible only to a few.