THE IMPORTANCE OF LITTLE THINGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14691, 27 May 1911, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE IMPORTANCE OF LITTLE THINGS.

18 by rev. r. sommervtlle.

The importance of little things is frequently overlooked, even although wo are painfully reminded betimes of their power and influence. Little things are oftentimes great things in a sense we fail to realise until the development of their greatness becomes strikingly apparent. The apostle James says: " Behold how great a matter a little lire kindleth," which the Scot has moulded into the aphorism " A little spark makes muckle wark." It was the tongue the apostle had specially in view. "It is a little member," lie says, " and boasteth great things. . . . but it is a fire, a world of iniquity." Abundant evidence of this we have in everyday experience. If the sins of the tongue were unknown we would be rid of much of the evil leaven that permeates society, alienating bosom friends, dividing families, and fermenting whole communities. Just as a spark has been the means of setting on lire and destroying the stately forest with its valuable timber, so a little spark from the tongue of calumny has been the means of destroying health, happiness, and even property. • Wherever we look in the world we see little things that in their operation,' have great and alarming results. Look at the despised and insignificant Ilea. ' It is a little thing, but a great mischief-maker. It is not necessary to put it under the microscope to determine its existence. It makes its presence felt wherever it is. It is no respecter of persons; it finds subjects in every station in life, and the food it'delives from a variety of constitutions is equally enjoyable. But what a dangerous visitor it is! The consequences of a single bite may be disastrous. Under ordinary circumstances it conveys by one puncture of the human skin t poison to inflame, and in some cases to raise large blisters. But if it has been feeding on a plague-infected rat, it conveys poison that in a very short period of time produces sickness and death. The Ilea that finds its home on the rat is much smaller than the dog Ilea, but it is very bitter in its attack on its prey. It is provided with the means of suction, and in its mouth there .is a wonderful provision for piercing the skin of the animal on which it seeks to feed. It is there in quest of food, and, when we learn that in the piercing of the skin for food it may convey poison enough to kill the strongest man, we see what a little thing can do. Ihe size of the puncture is probably not greater than would be made by the point of the smallest needle ; and when we think that in the drawing-in of nourishment for itself it emits the poison that works disease and death wo have evidence of what a little thing can do in the work of destruction. It is the same with the microbes of which we hear so much. They are so little that a medical man, lecturing in the Auckland Y.M.C.A. rooms some time ago, said 10,000 of them could dance on the point of a needle. Admitting the exaggeration, still there is in the statement a semblance of fact, and in it Ave have an impressive representation of the infinitesimal authors of much sickness of various kinds; of fevers and many death-dealing diseases. It requires a very powerful microscope to detect any of these hidden enemies of mankind. If it were not so their ravages would be more easily averted. We breathe them in ; we drink them in ; Ave eat them in our food ; and they find an inlet through the pores of the body. No sane person would expose himself to their ravages if ho could avoid them. But they are beyond the power of unaided vision- to detect, and, unconsciously, we often walk abroad in the midst of onemies to health whose attack might have very serious results. These little things are things of mighty power, whose existence, in dangerous proximity to their object of attack, being unknown, cannot be successfully provided against. There are other little enemies that are visible and powerful, but disregarded, because in many eases they are not looked upon as immediately dangerous. But dangerous they are, the more so that they are exceedingly subtle in their mode of operation. The little dram has appeared to many as an inconsiderable trifle that would harm no one, but it has led to another, and another, and, onward by degrees till physical, mental, and moral ruin has resulted. In this little thing there is an enemy more to be dreaded than all the mighty microbes, for while they slay their thousands, it slays its tens of thousands. In a. sense it is not such a dangerous enemy as the microbe, because it is visible and avoidable. Its danger lies in the first little authority it exercises over an indulgent appetite, an authority that gradually asserts itself till it becomes supreme and will brook no removal. In our industrial and commercial systems wo see abundant evidence of the power of little things to work for good or evil. A very little thing is often sufficient to / change the whole tone of a community of busy workers, and produce discord, "disorganisation, and uncertainty, where harmony and contentment previously hold sway. The little thing may be a matter of principle supposed to be violated, or a question of wages; but however small it is regarded as being all important, and if not speedily settled will lead to results that may prove very disadvantageous to employers fund employed. . An unfortunate feature' of many of these industrial agitations is that they frequently take rise as i very little thing in the mind or imagination of one who is not the busy bee of the hive. He grows into a person of importance by supposing he has discovered something amiss, some little thing that (fleets the. interests of his fellow-workers, ind he leads on in agitation and exaggerated statement until the very little thing tas assumed alarming proportions, and ' threatens the peace, happiness, and prosperity of employer and employed. The workers often complain that the public ! lave no sympathy with them in their de- '> nands for what they regard as justice. Such s not the case. There is a reasonableness n the public mind that will strive for jus- 1 ice being secured where injustice is mani- < est; but the cause of justice is often i spoiled by the spirit and manner in which : t is advocated. If wiser counsels pre- 1 railed a little thing that has been magni- ; ied into a factol* of disquietude, unhappi- • less and loss would have ceased to exist. < V quiet and friendly conference between i ho employer and the discoverer of the < ittle thing might have changed the whole omploxion of the matter, and rendered furher reference to it unnecessary. Employers lave regard to. their, own interests, and J heso are not promoted by discontent oil ' he part of their employees, who will per- 1 orm their duties more cheerfully and ( atisfactorily when content with their posi- < ion. It has been found in many of these < ndustrial upheavals, that there was a rea- 1 onablencss on the part of the great ma jo- i ity of the workers that would havo kept 1 he,m from going to the extremes to which 1 hey were led, but they dared not break J lie unity of the combination, or they would i )0 treated with a severity, they would J ather avoid. Little things taking posses- j ion of little minds are oftentimes made i owerful engines of misery to many unwil- ; ing victims. i

Just as the broadest, rivers run From small and distant springs, The greatest crimes that men have done Have grown from little things.

In tho world of commerce we have abundantly illustrated the importance of small things. In buying or selling a yard' of cloth, or a pound of sugar, or other merchandise, a large sum of money, by way of profit or loss, may depend on tho sixteenth part of a penny. It is a email fraction to take into account in soiling a yard of cloth but, it ,is by close attention to these little hings that the volume of business is enlarged and prosperity secured. In the ramifications of commerce, the value and influence of little things is every day

apparent, and with the keen competition there, is in every branch of business, the merchant would fall out of the running who did not note and act upon the importance of little things. And what an important part little things play in those influences tha.t oftentimes determine the destiny of nations. A word misinterpreted ; an ,action misconstrued ; a speech into which a meaning foreign to the mind of the speaker was put is sufficient to produce rancorous criticism, and lead 011 to the necessity for international explanations. Some foreign nations are very sensitive, very jealous, very suspicious, and the least little thing, spoken or written, that would seem to have any reference, directly or indirectly to them, is seized upon and given as an indication of hostility. Queen Victoria had a wonderful facility of seizing upon, and modifying the meaning of little things in the despatches of her foreign ministers, that, unaltered, would have been sure to lead to very serious consequences. In the " Life of Prince Consort" we are given information that presents the Queen before the nation as a ruler of great tact and wisdom, over striving for peace with honour. _ When Lord Palmerston was Foreign Minister in the Cabinet of Lord John Russell, he was cause of great watchfulness on the part of the Queen. It is said that twice in one session did he attempt to carry the Cabinet with him and carry on his project of war, but the Queen checkmated him and maintained peace. In 1861 a serious crisis arose over what was known as the Trent dispute, in connection with the war between the northern and southern States of America. A Federal man-of-war seized some Confederate envoys on board a British mail steamer, and Lord Palmerston's despatch to Lord Lyons, Britain's representative in America, in connection with the affair was of such a-nature that the result of it would certainly have been war. It was a little thing in the despatch that, would assuredly lead to the setting loose of the dogs of war; but the Queen saw it to be a great thing in the eyes of the American people, and she prevented it from going forth in language likely to offend. In writing of this incident Lord Palmerston praised the fine judgment, and nice dialcrimination of the Queen, whose aleration in the despatch contributed essentially to the satisfactory settlement' of the dispute.^ Wherever we look we find abundant evidence of the importance of little things. If we examine nature, animate or inanimate, we will find it true in a great variety of instances that little things neglected assert their importance in a manner neither pleasant nor profitable. "A little out of sorts in a matter of health may lead to serious consequences if the warning be neglected. A little change in the tone of the market may mean much profit, or much loss to the' merchant, who judges aright its meaning. And so in every walk _of life. The person whose attention is entirely absorbed with things great and visible, may have cause to regret the neglect of some little things when their importance becomes painfully manifest. A rat is a little thing, and not regarded as worthy of much notice, until its importance as a spreader of disease and death is forced upon the community. Then there is all haste and effort to deprive tho city of its company. Truly, a striking illustration of the importance of realising the nature of little things, and dealing effectively , with them at the proper time and in the proper manner. Little things—even rats—are of great importance, an importance estimated in. proportion to the good or evil of which they may be capable. ______