The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-09-10
Tie l,aily Duty.

less there are always chances Of disas.
er. The best laid plans often miscar- Il
". the most sagacious foresight often :
miscalculates, the most prudent man.
agement often results in bankruptcy.
In the professions, in literature, in art,
On the farm and in the work shop there ::
Is some possibility Of failure. lntegri-
~, energy, perseverance, rs rule, bear
the fruit Of success, but it is always poe.
sible that q sudden storm may strike the
tree in the moment of its great promise
and destroy the harvest. II the same
thing were true IN the spiritual life,
then the spiritual life would be q fail
ure; for there ct least must be the Ger
tainty o, success, else it is the salvation
Of the few and fortunate and not Of the
many which is assured. II special gifts
were required to secure the eternal re-
wards Of righteous living, Il extraordi-
nary talents or dszzling opportunities
were the necessary conditions Of spiritu.
al achievement, then, as in the world of
business struggle. the few would succeed
and the MANY fail. Men believe, as q
rule, the promise which tho spiritual
life holds out, of universal success in
developing its graces and winning its
Heavenly prizes if the conditions Of
uccess are fulfilled, but they act a. il
they had no faith IN it, for they daily
disregard ito simplest, fundamental
precept. They wait for the great OPP
portunities; they are idle until the
great crisis arrives.
As . matter Of fact most great oppor-
tunities come unawares. From the
very beginning great thoughts and
great men and great possibilities have
come into the world disguised in hum
BILE garb, and have passed before the
gaze Of men az did Christ Himself,
Clothed in such garments Of humility
that few recognized their royalty. In
the old poets tho days are always clad
| in homely, repellent garments g they
approach ", but - they recede and we
have lost them forever We see that they
were divine messengers bearing the
most precious gifts, which We in our
blindness rejected. It is the simple
traits Of fidelity, possible in al posi-.
tions OF lie, and to men and women Of
every degree Of culture. which wins
success il the spiritual life. "Be thou
faithful unto death and will give thee
. crown Of Life" u, . command which
! applies % we'll 20 tho earthly as to the
, Heavenly pursuit. He and he only who
. does his best with each days work
who il equal to each DAYS opportuni
ties ~ they come, will ever find th'
, great opportunity or be capable at I'm
!. derstanding and filing it. The school
boy slurs his lesson to-day because !
. seems . small matter to him, not know
ing that in that very act he j. sowinl
, tho seeds OF : lifelong failure. Til
lesson stands not only for the few fact
which may b in it to b memorised
but for . habit Of character which ma
:. have for him eternal Significance. tn
= young man in profession neglects th
= drv and irksome details Of his work
!. purposing when the great opportunit
q comes to thoroughly equip himself fo
y 1t By ) special and brilliant preparation
70 but the great opportunity comes 90 "
= expsctedly that there i no time fe
y special preparation. The President
h tie United States ID shot In railws
:. station; physician ID called; witho'
h . moments notice he has placed in b
In hands q case, success in which meal
worldwide reputation. with oil the :
suits Of extended practice. great init
ence and fortune. II be has been fat
tul il the hours OF Obscure practice,
"a will be equal to this sudden hour VII
hs all men watch and wait upon his ski
'sr but it,, on the other hand. he b
Il neglected the routine work viii
makes up the daily life Of the physical
N the great opportunity viii slip from }
~ hands, lost because of his lack Of fide
n " in small things. aaa
-. We forget that there are no SIN
-. things; that life il . school In Viii
~ everv work. every duty. every opp
- tunity, however insignificant It m
- seem to US at the moment, is 4 less
y. the learning or the neglect of VIII
Out means lust 20 much loss or gain
pus character. The man who is faithful
'ne each days work stores up in hims
W. each day that reserved force OF ha
W and character which makes him eq
OUT to those unexpected emergencies VIII
any hour or moment may bring. Sn
~ opportunities faithfully used are rou'
O'e by which We mount to greater or
% and the true way to broaden life is
m by idly gazing around the horizon
search Of some larger field. but
O doing with al one heart and soul
~ things that lie next one.-Oh-isl
w USjou. y a''ssii'.''' 7i'.'
Nm "a Tesebiss Inelleat.
tie {.
,ta-i Acorrespondent Of the 6ssday-sc
Is | World, writing from North Carol
luife | relates . touching little incident
~, had come into eighborh0od 70 " z
,ope 6unday-school, and. seeing boy q
you eight year. old sitting o : doors