The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1868-04-16

promises the moment they are in
stalled, and devote all their precious
term to the promotion of their own
selfish ends, leaving the peoples
interest and the national honor%tol
look out for themselves, as best they
can.
But this is too vast q field to even
properly suggest in brief essay,
and I only call attention to it to
set my young friends to thinking,
in order that they may be more
thoroughly awakened to the great
need there now is of reform.
Oh yes some of my auditors may
say, this need is plain enough, and
we have all seen it long since, and
have heard SO much scolding and
grumbling about it, without, the
suggestion of any practical remedy,
that we have grown heartily sick Of
the subject, and concluded to live
as comfortably as we can, and give
up reform as bad job.
| Ihope that such is not the Ian
guage and conclusion of my young
friends, since it is to the young that
we must generally look for reform.
To them 1 would say in conclu-
sion, bad as moral affairs now seem
to be, there is practical remedy, a
sure and safe one, and / believe but
one. -t.r r.t
This remedy is revealed in le-
gend, which though old in itself, it
may be new to some of you, and as
it cannot wear out, I will repeat it.
1t runs about as follows:
I One day philosopher came to
Athens from far country, to learn
the ways of the wonderful Greeks,
and perhaps to teach them the
great lore he treasured in his head.
The wise mensheard him sought
his company in the gardens talked
with him in private. The young
men loved him as father. He
passed for a wonder among that
wonder loving people.
/ Among those who heard and
followed him, was the son of So
phroniscus,. an ill-favored young
man; a mechanic of the humblest
rank, but one Of the few who un
derstood the dark oriental doctrines
/ of the sage, when he spoke of love,
| freedom, goodness, God, and that
life, which never dies.
/ He saw that these doctrines were
) pregnant with actions which must
}. one day work a revolution in the
l affairs of men, disinheriting many
an ancient sin now held legitimate
: And so, when he saw a5man rich OF
famous. he complained and said to
J himself, Oh that were rich or fa-
7 nous [ would move the world Sc
5 soon! as I'll. .-. :-r
Here are sins to be plucked- up
and truths to be planted,-and oh
: that were now great I would re.
} form and mend all so soon! -
l ct now he did nothing but com
| plain, and wait for wealth and fame
l One day this sage heard him thus
e complaining, and said to him =
: young man, thou speakest an6
} actest as q silly woman. This Cos
1 pei Of God is written for all. Let
him that would move the worl6
: move first himself He that woule
< rise, or do good to man begins al
l once with what tools God has giver
him, and gets more as the world gets
), on. 1t asks neither wealth mol
fame to live out a noble life in thy
low hovel at the end of thy darl
j lane in Athens. Make thy ligh
| thy life, thy thoughts, thy actions
} and others will come around.
Thou askest place to stand upor
e hereafter, to move the world!
Foolish young man! Start wher'
r thou standest, and begin now. Sc
e the work shall go forward, and only
50. Reform thy little self and tho,
e hast begun to reform the world
e Fear not then that thy work shal
g die.
S This youth took the hint; reform
ed himself Of his coarseness, hi
t sneers, and all meanness that wa
s in him Then his idea became hi
: life, and that blameless and lovely
0 His truth passed into the publi
e. mind as the sun into the air: Hi
: influence went like morning from
f continent to continent. His acorl
S became the father of countless for
ests. and the rich and the poo
! throughout the world are now bless
e ed by the light and warmed by th'
life of him-Socrates- though the,
r know not his name" %.
S Such my friends is the true ant
practical method of reforming th'
: wolld, and the only one for eacl
: individual to see that the work i:
d speedily and thoroughly done upo1
f himself .sss-l I'D ~. b..
d In the meantime beware of seek
ing too much worldly honor, for az
Shakespeare has said of it ,"Oh 'ti'
+ a burden, 'tis a burden, too heavy
r for man that hopes for heaven
+ Remember too, as you proceed
: faithfully dfscharging your duty
L turning neither to the right mol
r left for the praise or censure of men
Y that in this world it is most gener
. ally dust, and down and chaf tha
l rises highest, while the silver, golt
n and all the true metals frequently
: remain at the bottom.