The late Governor Hogg, of Texas, left no fortune to relatives or to charity. He directed that a pecan-tree should be planted at the head of his grave and a walnut-tree at its foot. His purpose was to teach thrift to the people of his State. These fruit-bearing trees suggest comfort and prosperity. There is no fear that any one will steal his body, but a message of wisdom and affection will continue to go out from it after the remains have returned to dust. (Text.)
(776)
Directness—See Singleness of Purpose.
Dirtiness, Removing—See Discipline
from Change.
DISAPPOINTMENT
There are thousands upon thousands of
models at the Patent-office of inventions that
are of absolutely no use whatever. They
represent the blasted hopes and often the
ruined fortunes of innumerable inventors
who invested their time and money in worthless
ideas. The models forwarded by these
inventors to the Patent-office form a sort
of museum by themselves, and those who
wish to look a bit beneath the surface can
find a story abounding in genuine pathos
lurking in pretty nearly every one of these
foolish inventions. (Text.)—New York
Evening Sun.
(777)
See Appointment.
Discernment—See Interpretation by Experience.
DISCERNMENT, LACK OF SPIRITUAL
You might as well talk to a child of the
African jungle about the glitter of New
York's Vanity Fair and expect him to understand
you as to talk to an unregenerate
person about the Kingdom of God and hope
to make him comprehend the mysteries of
which you speak. He wouldn't say or do
anything to wound your feelings for the
world—he is too much of a gentleman for
that; but at the same time he gives you to
distinctly understand that the things of the
Spirit of God are foolishness to him. And
tho, after all, he may appear a much bigger
fool to you than you do to him, you must
at least admit that his attitude is thoroughly
Scriptural.—F. F. Shannon.
(778)
DISCIPLINE
A visitor to a pottery establishment was
puzzled by an operation that seemed aimless.
In one room there was a mass of clay
beside a workman. Every now and then he
took up a mallet and struck several smart
blows on the surface of the lump. Curiosity
led to the question, "Why do you do that?"
"Wait a bit, sir, and watch it," was the
answer. The stranger obeyed, and soon the
top of the mass began to heave and swell.
Bubbles formed upon its face. "Now, sir,
you see," said the modeler, "I could never
shape the clay into a vase if these air-bubbles
were in it, therefore I gradually beat
them out."
Is not the discipline of life just a
beating out of the bubbles of pride and
self-will, so that God may form a vessel
of earth to hold heavenly treasures?
(Text.)
(779)
See Success in Failure.
DISCIPLINE AMONG CHILDREN
It required just one minute and fifteen
seconds for three thousand pupils and
teachers of Public School 22, at Sheriff and
Stanton Streets (New York), to file into the
streets after the "four taps signal," indicating
that the building must be vacated with haste,
a few minutes after a fire had been discovered.
One incident indicated particularly
the degree of discipline instilled into the
children.
Harry Kagel, one of the smallest boys in the primary department, asked permission to go down-stairs just after the pupils had assembled for the afternoon session. As the boy was passing a room near the vestibule on the ground floor, he scented smoke. Opening the door, he found a fire blazing in waste paper and baskets. He did not cry out or run with fear from the building, but, remembering what his teachers had told him again and again, he ran quietly up-stairs to his classroom and whispered about the fire in the ear of the teacher, Miss Dixey.
She called an older boy and sent him to investigate. In a minute he was back with a verification. Then Miss Dixey hurried to Miss C. Knowl, principal of the primary department, and to John P. Townley, principal of the school, and the signal was sounded.
At once every child in the school went to his or her station, and all were in line or at the post assigned in a few seconds. Altho the thin smoke in the hallways, creeping into the sixty-six classrooms of the four-story building, indicated to pupils and teachers that
