Page:Cyclopedia of illustrations for public speakers, containing facts, incidents, stories, experiences, anecdotes, selections, etc., for illustrative purposes, with cross-references; (IA cyclopediaofillu00scotrich).pdf/396



and sits down to read a love story, why you can not make a newspaper man out of him.—

(1660)

Interests, The Functioning of—See .

Internationalism—See.

Interpretation and Individuality—See .

INTERPRETATION BY EXPERIENCE

A little boy who was born blind had an operation performed which enabled him to see. His mother led him out into the fields, and uncovered his eyes for the first time, and let him look upon the sky and trees and grass and flowers. "Oh, mother!" he cried, "why didn't you tell me it was so beautiful?" "I tried to tell you, dear," was her answer, "but you could not understand me."

So it is sometimes with great verses in the Bible. When we read them first or commit them to memory, we do not understand, but after, when they fit the heart life and our eyes are opened, we wonder at the beauty of them.—

(1661)

Interpretation by Love—See.

INTERRUPTION

It is to be feared that much of the force of God's spirit is cut off by the world's atmosphere before it reaches a soul that is immersed in worldliness:

The greatest difficulty in arriving at a correct conception of the amount of heat received from the sun lies in the fact that all such measures must be made at the earth's surface. Before reaching the apparatus the sun's rays pass through many miles of atmosphere; the heat and light are absorbed and only a small portion of the original energy of the rays actually reaches the surface and becomes effective in heating the water of our apparatus.—, "The Solar System."

(1662)

In "One Word More" Browning tells us that Dante "once prepared to paint an angel"; but "certain people of importance" broke in upon him, and so, much to the poet's and the world's regret, we can never see that angel he might have wrought.

Perhaps the very serious power of interruptions, and what we may call their irreligiousness, has been too little appreciated. Florence Nightingale recognized the possible harm done to an invalid by making any abrupt change in his condition. "You may suffocate him by giving him his food suddenly; but, if you rub his lips gently with a spoon, and thus attract his attention, he will swallow the food with perfect safety. Thus it is with the brain." Miss Nightingale adds acutely, "I have never known persons who exposed themselves for years to constant interruption who did not muddle away their intellects by it at last."

(1663)

See.

INTERVENTION, DIVINE

A large number of Russian criminals were standing in the courtyard of their prison, chained together, and about starting for their long journey to Siberia. Among them was one Christian Stundist, sharing their banishment because he had spoken to his fellow workmen about the faith in Christ he profest. His fellow prisoners were jeering him about it, saying: "You are no better off than we. You are wearing the bracelets (handcuffs) as we do; if your God is of any use to you, why doesn't he knock off your chains and set you free?" The man reverently replied, "If the Lord will He can set me free even now; and tho my hands are chained my heart is free." At that moment his name was called; a paper had just been received granting him a full pardon. He was then told to stand aside; his chains were struck off. At the same time the prison gates were thrown open and all the rest of the convicts filed out, the Stundist remaining behind with permission to return to his family and friends. It is said the prisoners were perfectly awestricken with what they had witnessed. Unknown to the Stundist, a Christian lady had obtained his pardon, and God had ordered its arrival at the critical moment.

(1664)

But for the divine vigilance, an unseen Helper, what youth but would go down! In every hour when Achilles is about to be overborne by the number and strength of his enemies, Homer makes some goddess appear to lift a shield above the hero for protection. Again and again Thetis stands between her son and the enemy. Of your youth, how true it is that God hath interfered in your behalf!—

(1665)