The World Is Our Echo

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 10, 1866

The World Is Our Echo

Hear the story of the child which went forth into the mountain ravine. While the child wandered there, he called aloud to break the loneliness, and heard a voice which called to him in the same tone. He called again, and, as he thought, the voice mocked him.

Flushed with anger, he rushed to find the boy who had insulted him, but could find none. He then called out to him in anger, and with abusive epithets—all of which were faithfully returned to him.

Choking with rage, the child ran to his mother, and complained that a boy in the woods had abused and insulted him with many vile words.

But the mother took the child by the hand, and said: "My child, these names were but the echoes of thine own voice. Whatever thou didst call was returned to thee from the hill-side. Hadst thou called out pleasant words, pleasant words had returned to thee. Let this be thy lesson through life. The world will be the echo of thine own spirit. Treat thy fellows with unkindness, and they will answer with unkindness; with love, and thou shalt have love. Send forth sunshine from thy spirit, and thou shalt never have a clouded day; carry about a vindictive spirit, and even in the flowers shall lurk curses. Thou shalt receive even what thou givest, and that alone."

Always, said the speaker, is that child in the mountain passes—and every man and every woman is that child.