The Sun.
London, England, 1870-06-04 00:00:00

HUMAN POSSIBILITIES.

The truth that there can be no obligation without the
ability to fulfil it. it sometimes made an excuse for neg-
lect of duty. Many who are feeble in purpose, indolent
in nature, or lacking in true self-appreciation, persuade
themselves that they have no power to discharge various
duties that present themselves, and deem themselves
therefore exempt from the responsibility attached to their
performance. They may go on from day to, day under
this delusion, and fill out a vapid and useless life, never
attempting anything great or good, becausethey feel in
themselves no present ability to perforra it. Such per-
sons have failed to exercise a great principle lying at the
foundation of human achievements, that in all effort
there is a constantly accruing ability.. The most stupen-
dous machine ever constructed can never gain an iota of
strength by use, but all the faculties of man are depen-
dent upon exercise for their development, and are thus
constantly gaining fresh powers. Physical ability is only
known in the degree to which we call it forth, and much
of the physical feebleness so manifest at the present day,
is simply the result of the cowardice that holds men back
from trying to perform what their hands find to do.
Within certain limits, muscular strength and en-
durance accrue in the exact proportion that
they are needed, and great emergencies often
reveal an amount of reserved power that asto-
nishes its unconscious possessor. The same is true of
mental powers. If we would have them grow, we must
task them. They are elastic, and will stretch to meet
our exigencies. Every difficulty overcome, every new
problem solved, every victory gained, gives an actual ac-
cession of power to meet new difficulties and to achieve
higher results. Every earnest worker beconies conscious
of this daily accruing ability, and feels courage in under-
taking what may appear beyond his present powers,
knowing that his capacity will be unfolded and enlarged
in proportion to his efforts. Thus it is that the faithful
student is able to learn with increasing accuracy and cele-
rity every year of his school life ; that the mechanic and
artisan are able to produce results that would once have
been to them impossibilities ; that the able merchant can
consummate in a day results which weeks of toil would
have failed to realise in earlier life. Equally is this prin-
ciple a law of our moral nature. The power of choosing
the right and resisting the evil, of carrying out great and
worthy purposes and fulfilling our obligations, is giyen in
exact proportion to the degree in which we exercise it.
Character is of slow but steady growth, and the smallest
child and the humblest and weakest individual may at-
tain to heights that now seem inaccessible, by the constant
and patient exercise of just as much moral power as from '
time to time they- possess. The faithful discharge of
daily duty, the simple integrity of purpose and purity of
life that all can attain with effort and none can reach
without, contribute silently but surely to the building up
of a moral character that knows no limit to its powers, no
bounds to its heroism. There are those who shrink from
making a beginning in religious life, because they conceive
theat they lack the ability to pursue it. They would like
to have strength, but refuse the only means of obtaining
it. In this, as in all else, power is only gained by action.
He who avoids the water because he has no ability to
swim, must forever forfeit that ability, and it is no less
certain that he who shrinks from entering upon a religious
life because of his deficiencies, will fail of attaining any
higher point of excellence than that at which he now halt-
ingly remains. If this life is worth the living, it must be
one of continual progress. We have loads to bear, under
which if we trust alone to pyesent or inherent strength
we may well sink. Indeed, those who always feel them-
selves equal to every emergency, who have exaggerated
ideasof their own powers, are often really the weakest in
action. But while the vainest need never boast, the
humblest need never despond, if this' great principle be
recognized and acted upon, that each is to begin just
where he stands, putting forth every energy., and exerting
every power, and trusting for the renewed strength and
increasing abilities that will ever follow the persevering
and faithful discharge of duty.—Philadelphia Ledger.

A railway accident is reported from Tenby. As
the Irish express was approaching the Whitland station, a
man attempted to drive a waggon and three horses over
the level crossing. He was unable to accomplish
his mad venture, and the two first horses were knocked
'down by the engine and cut to pieces. The driver
escaped.