The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-08-14
''The Ups and Downs OF Life"

IT is very common idea that the
discipline of life consists of its painful
or rough experiences. Suffering and
sorrow, disappointment and opposi-
ton, are the trials. The man whose
course is all smooth we regard as hay
ing no trials. But this is mistaken
and very narrow view. The whole of
life is a training-school. The tests of
life are not all painful by any means,
and the severest tests are not always
those which press the hardest. The
whole of life leaves its impress upon
us. Its light and shade are equally
needful to mature us, and we may
perverJ the light as well as the shade
1t requires summer as we'll as winter,
sunshine as well as frost, to mature the
harvest. Some men are wrecked in
prosperity, and some in adversely.
1t is very rare to find that perfect
poise of character which Paul described
when he said he knew how to abound,
and how to be in want" He had
learned to bear the contrasts of life,
its winter and its summer, with entire
evenness of temper. He could bear
the heat and the cold of human expe-
rience without being made feverish by
the one or being chilled by the other
A healthy body maintains the same
temperature in the hottest rays of sum-
mer and the coolest blasts of winter
A healthy spirit will maintain a CORE
spending poise.
But very few are thus balanced.
Very few can bear sudden elevation
without being made dizzy and giddy.
What we call good fortune is often the
greatest misfortune that could happen.
We read of fortunes falling to poor
girls or Woodworking men, and call
them the favored ones; but we know
that in nine cases out of ten this was
the most unlucky event of their lives
But if man can be thus suddenly lift
ed into different condition and bear
it-neither be pulled up by it nor lose
his balance; neither break out into ex-
travagance nor be betrayed into vice
there is the making of a King in him.
Better than royal blood flows in his
veins.
And there is equal peril in coming
down. The peril is different, but none
the less. 1t is no uncommon thing for
man to fall from ailiuence to poverty.
There is great deal to bear in such a
change, more than one would think. 1t
is not merely less money, smaller
rooms, cheaper clothes and coarser
food. This could be easily borne. But
there is the entire change of ones con-
dition and associations. Privileges are
cut off, influence is lessened, friends
fall away. 1t is hard for a man to see
why his judgment is not as good now
he is poor as when he was rich Yet he
finds it does not have the same weight.
His word used to be listened to with
such Difference, and now it is heard with
Impotence, if at all. If man could
move in the same circle, enjoy the
same regard and exert the same inhu-
ence in his poverty as he did in his
wealth, the change would not be so
great; but we find
n The friends, who in our sunshine live,
" When winter.comes have flown.
1t is hard to bear all this. There are
thousands of beaten men who are
beaten altogether, bankrupt in life as
well as fortune, in spirit as well as
purse. Some are broken in courage,
GNU hONOl bdhC llOlu VI lllc dOdlU, SOLl0
are made sour and fault-fnding, very
lshmaeltes, with their hand against
every man, and fancying every mans
hand against them; some are made
sensitive, suspicious and Jealous, driv-
ing away the friends who would love
20 remain true.
But when man can come down and
bear all the results of it, and still be
true to himself, still be a man, there is
nobility in such a character of finer
grain than sits in castle or hall. When
a man can accept all the consequences
of his change, and yet bear himself
like man, the grace of God reigns in
that heart. do not mean a man who
goes about with defiance in his look, as
if he would say, 81 am as good as any
of you yet;" nor man who is broken
by his misfortunes, and moves about
with meek, submissive air, as if he
would ask pardon for being alive; but
a man who calmly and resolutely meets
the changed conditions of his lot, and
does the best he can, with malice
toward none and charity toward ALL"
There is a grandeur in such charac-
ter which surpasses brave exploits or
daring deeds. 1t is the ruling of the
spirit, which is better than taking a
city. --RtchGrd Cordley.