Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1874-12-11
Rising i'm Life.

ana Intense than that of rising in life. !
In this country, especially, where no
barrier exists to any outward promotion,
where each one has full liberty to carve
his own path to any goal where his sbil-
ines can take him, it is emphatically the
great popular craving. Every parent
desires it for his children every youth
yearns for it for himself. When we
hear of rising young man a feeling
of respect and approval is at once en-
gendered, while an emotion of pity,
strongly tinetured with contempt, invol-
UNFAIRLY arises toward one of whom it is
said, =" he has many excellent qualities,
but he will never rise in the world"
This is all right and as it should be,
provided only that we construe the mean
ing of the phrase correctly. Unfortu.
nately, however, it is one of these am
biguous expressions which means many
different things, according to the mind
of him who uses it. To some, rising in
life means pre- eminently, the acquisition
of property, the being lifted from the
necessity of labor, the continual addition
of new investments, the gradual increase
of comfort and luxuries. They guage a
young mans ascent in life accurately by
his income and calculate to fraction
the elevation he has attained by the
state of his finances Or if these cannot
be ascertained, they form conjectures Of
the same, based upon his style of living
and expenditures. Others Judge of this
rise in life by the social rank that is at.
tanned. One who pushes his way into
rich and fashionable circles, who is found
mingling with his superiors in wealth,
station, and elegance; who is, perhaps,
on easy and familiar terms with those
who look down upon his parents for their
plsinness of speech and attire, is es-
teemed rising young man, and hon.
ored accordingly. Others, again, mea-
sure this elevation entirely by the posi-
tion held in popular esteem or the sue
cess attained in special calling. The
prosperous man of business the success.
full author, the popular orator, the infu-
ential politician, those who have in any
way distinguished themselves and gained
a name among men, and those alone
have, in their esteem, risen in life.
There is truth enough in all these
opinions to mislead the unweary. 1t ii
true that to become rich or influential
or popular or successful a certain force
of character is needful, which is in it
self highly honorable, and we do vel
to commend it wherever its effects are
manifest. But we believe that " rising
in life" in the full sense, while it may
{ and often does include these outward sue
cesses, yet comprehends far more. i
is not simply release from the toll, q
change condition, struggle 3or rank OF
; power or influence, an ambitious strain
: lug for fame or power or influence, how
| ever successful. Its source is far deeper
its outlooks far wider, its ascent far high
er. 1t is rather the gradual growth, de
velopment and Improvement of all oul
faculties and powers, the energies of tht
highest principles, the continual triumph
: of better over worse, of truth over error
of right over wrong. AS bird cannot
truly be said to rise in the air when Sc
, upward by foreign fUrce, so no outward
circumstances, however fattering, cal
, ever cause US truly to :" rise in life." /
we ever really do this, it must be volun
tary energy, by an inward force tina
nothing external can either promote O
retard. To rise implies constant as
, cent from lower to higher; to rise in life
then, must mean continual upward
tending from the lowest to the highes
life. In this. then, from poverty t,
wealth, from obscurity to fame, from sim
plicity to luxury and fashion, Is it no
rather from childishness 10 manliness
from weakness to strength, from timidit,
to courage, from passion to principle
from sensuality to purity, from menta
vacancy to earnest thought, from resolu
tion to forceful purpose? Life in it
highest sense is not the accident of birth
circumstances and death; they are mere
ly the husks that contain the seed. Th,
life of plant is the vital force tina
nourisbes and expands the germ, causes
it to develop into strength of stem ano
beauty of foliage. So our true life il
that vitality of thought, feeling and pnr
pose that works silently indeed, but will
tremendous power, developing the hol'
nature, and controlling its activities. 1t
fulIness would involve the utmost per
fection of health, in body and in spirit
the utmost activity of every faculty, th,
most loving obedience to all the laws o.
, our being.
Horace Greeley once said that wheth