Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1875-07-30
The Next Duty.

THIS is an epoch of elevators, We.
do not elimbto, our rooms in the
hotel; we ride. We do not reach the
upper stories ,of. Stewards by slow
and patient steps; we are lifted there.
The Simplon is 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 stationary engine.
If our efforts to get our bodies
into the air by machinery were not
compFemented by our efforts to get
our lives up in the same way, we
might not find much fault with them;
but in truth, the tendency every
where is to get up in the world
without climbing, Warnings after
the Infinite are in the fashion. Aspira-
tions for eminence-even ambitions
for usefulness-are altogether IN
advance of the willingness for the
necessary preliminary discipline and
work. The amount ofvaporing among
Young men and young women, who
desire to do something which some
body else is doing-something far in
advance of their present powers-is
fearful and most lalhentable, They
are not willing to climb the stairway;
they must go up in an elevator. They
are not willing to scale the rocks in
walk of weary hours, under a broil-
ing sun; they would go up IN car
with an umbrella over their heads.
They are unable, or unwilling, TO rec
ognize the fact that, in order to do
that very beautiful thing which some
other man is doing, they must go
slowly through the discipline, through
the maturing 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
oft.
No man now standing on an
eminence of influence and power, and
doing great work, has arrived at his
position by going up in an elevator.
He took the stairway, step by step.
He climbed the rocks, often with
bleeding hands. He prepared himself
by the work of climbing for the
work he is doing. He never accom-
plished an inch of his elevation by
standing at the foot ofthe stairs with
his mouth open and longing. There
is no 'sroyal road' to anything
good-not even to wealth. Moneythat
has not been paid for in life is not
wealth. 1t goes as it comes. There is
no element of permanence in it. The
man who reaches his money in an
elevator does not know how to enjoy
it; so it is not wealth to him. To get
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, or useful or ornamental
without preliminary cost, seems to be
the universal desire of the young. The
children would begin where the
fathers leave off. ~ ,s
What exactly is the secret of true
success in life? 1t is to do, without,
finehing, and with utter faithfulness.
the duty that stands next to one
When man has mastered the duties
around him, he is ready for those of
ahigher grade, and he takes naturally
one step upward. When he has mas
tered the duties at thenew grade, he
goes on climbing. There are no sur
prises to the man who arrives at emil
nence legitimately. 1t is entirely
natural that he should be there, and
he is as much at home there, and as
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.
Preachments are of little avail, per-
haps; but when one comes into contact
with so many men and women who
put aspiration in the place of perspir-
alton, 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 comes to your hands, and do it
we'll. Take no upward step until you
come to it naturally, and have won
the power to hold it. The top, in this
little world, is not so very high, and
patient climbing will bring you to it
ere you are aware.
DR.. Holland; Scri6aaer for dag.