The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-08-07
D Dts.

Inc nearest synonym lOr CeDtlS Qeatn.
Debt has some streaks Of light around
its dark mantle. So has death. Debt
represents the fact of character. 1t may
be a past fact; nevertheless, at the time
when it was incurred its victim had char
acter. Thus debt stands for something.
1t is the lowest possible condition to be
zoo poor to get in debt The next low
est is to get in debt. The highest is to
be able to get in debt and not doit. 1t is
like the ability to sin, which argues great
confidence on the part of Creator, and
which, unactualized, argues great exalta-
ton or. the part of the creature. The
happiest condition is, having been in
debt tp get out again-so you can feel
that no man has any claim against you;
that no man can justly say, "I own q
part of his life." Many poor soul, in
these days of hard settlements, look up
on heaven as endowed with new attrac-
tions in that there will be no debt
there
The hardest strain on character is to
be so encased in debt that whichever way
one turns he strikes against some impas-
sable wall. To beat about in such q
cage, and be forever struggling to do JUS
tice, and honor God, and preserve integ-
rity, is the highest test of character.
Brother, if you are overheard in mid
ocean, it will try your quality to swim
your best-but God is developing you.
Swim as long as you can, and God may
either send ship or whale to take you
up. If any land appears along the hori-
zon anywhere, swim towards that. 1t is
not absolutely necessary that you should
reach it. 1t is necessary that you should
swim your best. That will save character.
1t is not necessary for you to die, leaving o
good estate. But it is necessary that you
should preserve perfect integrity. Pow
ely is not the worse thing in the world ;
sin is the worst thing in the universe.
Make dead fight to pay your debts, and
keep your integrity. Don't lie down.
If you are knocked down, that is not
your fault. Dent dodge. If you are
nit, accept it as q part of provi-
dence.
No man comes to his best development
of manliness till he has looked the wolf
out of countenance. It is heavy strain
on your nerve, but it is one of Gods pro-
cesses.
Poverty and debt are the professors in
Gods University, to whom is committed
the perfecting Of the Senior Class. The
lessons are long and hard, but that is the
way ability is matured.
10 live on short rations and habitual-
ly deny ones wife and children the lux
uries and comforts of life, because ones
earnings justly belongs to somebody who
has had the confidence to lend helping
hand; to poise every investment over the
point of obligation to creditor; to care
fully study ones endurance as SO much
due to another, and use it as trust fund
in such way as to get the most out of
it for another; to make siXpence do the
work of shilling to explore every pen
ny for its last and utmost capacity; to
study how to do without things to learn
how not to want things-all these are the
lessons in the higher classes of Gods
University. Brother, stand firm. The
outer man shiver and tremble under
these loads, but the inner man-the real
man-can grow strong and acquire
beauty that will break out Of the hard
bud in the genial light of the world to
come. Stand up TO this training, and
when you have graduated, whatever men
may read on this side of your tomb, on
the other side Of it saints and angels will
read "Graduated with honor. r."-THe b.