Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1874-04-16
HOW 70 RISE m TIE WORLD.
BIZ JOSEPH ALDEN, Ii. D.,

Some persons are content to be mere
hewers Of wood and drawers of water.
They simply seek for what they shall
eat, and wherewith they shall be
clothed. There are others who desire,
above all things, to become rich
There are others who, while they value
wealth as means of enjoyment and
usefulness, desire something higher.
They desire knowledge, intelligence,
mental power. They see persons dis
tinguished and influential in conse-
quence of mental culture. They desire
a similar distinction and influence.
But they lack the means of culture.
They are, perhaps, obliged to labor for
their daily bread. The school and the
instructor, the books and the leisure are
not for them. They have a burning
thirst for knowledge; but the spring is
distant and unapproachable.
They look with envy upon those who
enjoy al. the advantages for education
that can be desired. They look with
contempt upon those who possess ad-
vantages which, from incidence, they
fail to use. 1t is for this class that this
article IS written.
Men have, it is true, very different
advantages for improvement; but the
persons for whom I am writing posses S
one advantage greater than is possess
id by many of those whose advantages
they envy. 1t is the desire for know
ledge, the desire for mental improve
ment, the desire to raise to the COM
panionship of men of mind and culture.
Without this desire no external advan.
tages will be of any avail. 1t is inn
possible to educate mind that has no
desire for knowledge. no kindling of
enthusiasm in contemplating those who
have left ''foos prints on the sands of
time"
My young reader, you have some
desire to become an intelligent and in
fluential, nay more, a distinguished
man It is laudable desire. 1t is to
some extent evidence that you have
the capacity to become such man.
This desire should be cherished and
strengthened. The stronger the desire
the more vigorous will be the action to
which it will lead. The more vigorous
The action, the greater the improve
ment.
This desire may be strengthened by
considering the advantages of mental
culture. 1t took Hugh Miller from the
stone quarry and placed him among the
intellectual chiefs whom SEQ tland de-
lighted to honor. The great Chalmers
gave to the stone cutter the right hand
of fellowship when he laid aside the
chisel and mallet, and took the editorial
chair of a paper whose influence was
felt throughout the length an breath of
the land. Remember, Hugh had no
culture but that acquired by himself
while laboring as a journeyman, lodg-
ing in the novels, and living upon
oatmeal. You possess far greater I'D
vantages for self improvement than he
possessed.
Think of Franklin, who, with advan
tages inferior to yours, became one of
the leading statesmen of the age, aud
its most distinguished philosop h er;
whose writings exertec a greater in
fiuence than the writings of the most
highly educated men of his day. All
this was done by the diligent use Of
means far inferior to those within your
reach.
Instead of signing over advantages
which you do not possess, resolve, with
an iron will, to make the best possible
use of those within your reach. You
will then be surprised to find how many
advantages you have, and what pro
gress you can make.
The way to secure better advantages
is to make diligent use of those you
have. Men are always disposed to
help those who earnestly help Them
selves.
Two men were moving. One had a
caststeel scythe, with patent snath.
s'Your friend has the advantage of you
said gentleman who was passing and
stopped q moment as the man was
whetting his scythe; "he has much the
better tool to work with"
"That's SO, was the reply, "but this
is the best one / could get. The grass
must be cut; must work the harder. :
and he went on moving with a will.