“May every soul that touches mine—
Be it the slightest contact—get there from some good,
Some little grace, one kindly thought,
One aspiration yet unfelt, one bit of courage
For the darkening sky, one gleam of faith
To brave the thickening ills of life,
One glimpse of brighter skies beyond the gathering mists
To make this life worth while
And heaven a surer heritage!”
“Iron sharpeneth iron;
So a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.”
There are pairs of pictures which show parties of Indian children and youth, first as they appeared when they came to Hampton or Carlisle, fresh from their barbarism, with the dress and all other marks of their savage state, then as they appeared after a time in the school, so transformed as to dress, expression of face and entire bearing as to be wellnigh, if not altogether, unrecognizable.
The change was wrought by the influences of Christian training and civilization, by contact with the lives of the men and women with whom they were associated as teachers and friends. It is not alone the instruction they have received that has so transformed these children of barbarism: it is the touch upon them of refined life and character. The blessing came to them not through books alone — not even through the Bible directly — but through other human lives which have themselves been leavened with the gentle and beautiful spirit of Jesus Christ.
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