Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-03-06
Human Life.

Where did the one come from He il
from a father that is upright and God
fearing. He had mother that was a
mother indeed. He had loving brothers
and sisters. His entrance into life was
almost one of choral joy. AT every
step his wants were anticipated. His
; evils were foreseen and averted. He
knew nothing about need. He had
abundant wealth TO depend upon. He
attained the age Of % without sickness,
TO know what it was; without tasks and
burdens, to know what they were with
out uncertainties, to know what they
were He has what we call good things
for 25 years. And what is be at % P
Well, he is a sweet, goodsll young man,
and good for nothing. There is no mar
row in his bones. There is no steel in
his muscles. lie has had no experience.
He never fenced With the devil and
whipped him. He never fought until
the sun went down, and at last wrested
victory under desperate odds. He has
no training. And it has killed him, and
made him a worthless young man. And
who is the other young man that has
come down TO 25? His father died in
the poor house and he ran away from
il when he was eight years old. a good
start in life His clothes were rags
He had as many windows in them as
there were in the factory where the
cloth was made. He went to one who
employed him for the purpose Of bruis-
ing, and kicking and cutting him. He
hAd run away from this man to fall into
other as bad, or worse hands. 1t is diff
cult to trace bis course as he swept
down the eddying stream. now wIirled
into this channel and now into that
sometimes on one side and sometimes on
the other. He grew up feeling that
man was his enemy, ard that if he had
anything God must give it To him, no;
that he must earn it. A; ID or l6 years
of age he began TO get hold on life
He worked hard for very little. That
he husbanded. He studied while other
men slept. And be wrought out for him
self, against fate and host Of evils,
What? Manhood, the best gift that
God ever gave in this world. With a
heart to dare, with spirit to endure,
with a fortitule to suffer, and with fear
lessness without presumption, at % he
looked at life and said-'I can conquer
it,
Here are the two men. One has come
on the path of good things. He is n
nice young mani He is the mothers
darling and the fathers pridel His
hands are lily white and beautiful And
he is good for nothing The other is all
Scared by the rough usage that he has
undergone, and the severe experience
that he has passed through. He is 25,
aud there is not line of beauty on him.
Gods pow has drawn its burrows across
his brow. He is as hard as an anvil,
and he has been pounded as much. He
has had evil upon evil, and trouble upon
trouble. And what is he now? A man !
and he will be the worlds rudder, if
God so please. For it is the men who
90 wrought out under such circumstan-
ces that steer the things that are. Now,
| ask you whether it is not true, in the
whole career of man, that what are
called evil things are much better than
what are called good things. As between
good as a moral quality, implying virtue,
truth, nobleness, charity and evil as a
moral quality, implying meanness, lusts,
appetites-of course, as between these
there can be no doubt that evil is al
ways bad and good is always good
But when we speak of all things work
ing out good, we mean good in the sense
of prosperity. And l declare that in the
whole course of mans life and education
he is served better by things that are
not good than by things that are. 1t
takes both to make a fully developed
man it takes properties and adversi-
ties it takes blessings and mischiefs it
takes soft pats and hard blows; it takes
things bright and things dark it takes
summer and winter. All Of these work
together, and when she man is wrought
out as the product of them all, all things
may be said to have worked together
for his good in the long run.-BEEcHER.