The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1868-06-04
From the Advance.
Talk to My Boys.
BY REV. H. NJ. COTTON.

We have said to the youthful scholar
Let the dead past 60. Create your future
and make it great. Cover its pure unwrit
ten pages with glorious deeds If light. But
some Of you will say: 'Ws do long to fill
thess pages of life, as you call them, with
noble deeds. bat what shall we do first
What profession is best for us9 Or, If we
knew that, what course of studies will best
fit Us for our new calling? Of what uss,
for instance, will Latin, Gresk, German,
Chemistry, Botany Music, Drawing or Lit
erature be to those of Us who intend TO 20
Into business We confess that these are
grave questions and practical questions and
that they should be fully settled And you
are not the only scholars interested in the
solution. Thousands of girls and young
women, and tens of thousands of bows and
young men are, at this very tune all over
the land, silently seeking an answer
Now, without trying to satisfy all your in
quiries or undertaking labored discussion;
let me ask you to put your thoughts down
on one or two points. Try, boys, to think
and to think clearly for the thoughts of the
young are like their plans hazy and udef-
mite. And to most students, even to those
in College, our first rule would be-Believc
in yourself mean, have full faith in the
original powers and tendencies of your
mind. Ged makes nothing vain or wrong
ly, Your mind may be documentary now.
but the germs are all there, and it remains
for you, aided by others, to develop them
in true and normal growth Treat as an
utter heresy, as q libel on the allwiss Crsa
tor the notion that any created thing, fresh
from his hands, is or can be inherently de-
II.
era OF man, but the powers are all there
And therefore we say again aud earnestly
First OF all let the young scholar be true to
himself
Our second rule would be: Form no
definite plans for the future. Be willing to
become anything that it is best to bo
Many man has made shipwreck Of life,
simply because of the premature choice of
an i'll suited calling Think that all hon
est work IS good, inherently good and IN
sense equally good Care not now What
that work may be- if only you are tie one
Tor u. The question is not Is This calling
noble, pleasant honorable, adequate or luc
ratiVe but-ls 1T the true one for me I? All
right emp!oyments are calliugs 1t is not
yourself wholly, nor man, nor angel. nor
dreams or sigug, that will reveal your des
tiny and summon you to it. Rather it il
God IN you, God calls you where YOUR
nature calls yeu, when your character calls
you to this or that. For the Creator has
placed in your own soul the elements of
perfect character.
care not, then, now what you may be-
and never say positively, Il will be. But
so I'LL every place and use every faculty that
you shall be ready ia any sphere and any
Tate Heaven foretokens our paths, eny
let nature speak and guide Our powers
aud tendencies and organisms are ali rela
ted To some employment and will find il as
certainly as the struggling germ the sun
light OF the upper air. Believe them that
no more serious mistake can be made bv a
school-boy than to be choosing special
In the midst of education You know moi
yourself as yet; your teachers know only -
little more, while little more, while f5nd
friends often know least of all about the
matter. Dream not idly about the eio
queuce OF the Senator, the wit and wisdom,
of the bar, the skill Of the medical art O,
the ssnctIty Of the pulpit And when ia.
the street or the public NEE ting or your
fathers hcuse You SEQ Whist meu call a pow.
erfui writer. learned professor or prince
~ merchant say not TO yourself mean
to be one also What are all these to you
now ? Work and wait Say rather: will
be anything, | will do anything which is
best What does society, what does my
country ask of me ? That will he and do
Remember the poets words: Act well
thy part there all the honor lies" and do
not forget the older aud better precept OF
the wise man: "a mans heart devisetb his |
way but the Lord directeth his steps =