The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1875-08-26

GlIY HOlu vi ~ vi uOl'
And Billy departed this life, and the
boys drank TO the respose OF his soul.
The Next Duty.
This is an epoch Of elevators. Wedo
not climb to our rooms in the hotel we
ride. w do not reach the upper stories
of Stewards by slow and patient steps ;
VIZ are lifted there. The Simplon il
crossed by a railroad, and steam has
usurped the place Of the Alpen.stock on
the Rhigi. The climb which used to
give us health on Mount Holyoke and a
beautiful prospect, with the reward OF
rest, is now purchased for twenty-five
cents OF a stationary engine.
II IL efforts to get our bodies INTO
the air by machinery were not compile
mentGd by our efforts to get our lives up
in the same way we might not find much
fault with them but, in truth, the ZEN
dency everywhere is to get up in the
world without climbing. Warnings AZ
ter the Infinite are in the fashion. AS
pirations for eminence-even ambitions
for usefulness-are altogether IN adj
vance of the willingness for the neces'
sary preliminary discipline and work
The amount of vapOring among young
men and young women who desire to dc
something which somebody else is doing
something far in advance of Their
present powera-is fearful and mos
iamentable. They are not willing to
climb the stairway; they must 90 up IN
an elevator. They are not willing to
scale the rocks in a walk Of weary hours,
under a broiling sun they would go up
in n car with an umbrella over then
heads. They are unable or unwilling
TO recognize the fact that, in order to
do that very beautiful thing which some
other MAI is doing, they must go slowly
through the discipline, through the ma
turing processes of time, through the
patient work which have made him
what he is and fitted him for his sphere
of life and labor. In short, they are
not willing to do their next duty and
take what comes OF it.
No mao now standing OF an eminenct
of influence and power, and doing great
work, has arrived at his position by go
ing M in an elevator. He took the
stairway, stop by step. He climbed tlt
rocks, often with bleeding hands. he
prepared himself by the work OF climb
ing for the work he is doing. He never
accomplished an inch Of his elevation
by standing at the foot of the stairs
with his mouth open and longing,
There is no %"royal road" to anything
| good-not even to wealth. Money
| that has not been paid for in life IS nc
wealth. IL goes as it comes. There If
no element of vermanence in 1t. The
man who reaches his money in an Gle
yator does not know how to enjoy it sc
it is not wealth to him. To get n high
position without climbing to it, to win
wealth without earning it, to do fine
work without the discipline necessary
to its performance, to be famous, o.
useful, or ornamental without prelim
mary cost, seems to be the universal de
sire of the young. The children woulc
begin where the father leaves off.
What exactly is the secret Of true sue
cess in life? 1t is to do, without finch
ing, and with utter faithfulness, the
duty that stands next to me-. When
man has mastered the duties around
him he is ready for those of a higher
grade, and he takes naturally one step
upward. When he has Observation-Disclosures
of the new grade he goes on climbing.
There are no surprises to the man who
arrives at eminence l~egitimately. 1t
is entirely natural that he should be
there, and he is as much at home there,
and Ms little elated, as when he was
working patiently at the foot of the
stairs. There are heights above him,
and he remains humble and simple.
Preachmenis are of little avail, per
haps; but when he ONE in contact
with 20 many men and women who put
aspiration in the place of perspiration,
and yearning for earning, and longing
for labor, he is tempted to say to them
stop looking up, and look around you
Do the work that first m to YOU
hands, and do it well. Take no upwarC
step until you come to it naturally, ant
have won the power to hold it. The
top, in this little world, is not so yer,
high, and patient climbing will bring
You to it ere you are aware. "-Dr. j, q
HOUand.