The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-10-02

claim superior honors it should only
be because We have won and are
worthy of it. If we assume the
lions skin we must act the part
creditably, or it will be stripped
from US; and, instead of homer, we
will reap ridicule and contempt.
The first object to be should be to
make our young men and women
honest and truthful, economical and
industrious and not above engaging
in any becoming employment in the
pursuit of livelihood. There must
be no flying from, or avoidance of,
the responsibility of labor: there
must be no false pride in dress and
manners, or giving way to belief
that we are unjustly treated, unless
we can get an easy and luxurious
living. No setting ourselves up as
of finer clay and more refined feel
ings than others, because they may
wear a ragged jacket, or calico
dress, and we can afford better ones.
True manhood and womanhood goes
straight onwarGs in the path of
duty, turning neither to the right
nor to the left; making no superior
claims upon the observation and the
consideration of the world than
others; only looking for reward, at
the end of the race, for value re-
ceived for well doing. Such is true
independence, true self-respect and
true appreciation of duty, and is far
better than money bequeathed us, of
a fortune acquired at the expense of
manly honesty and truthful perse-
verance. erq r-gr~
We believe there is in the lives of
all young persons, men and women,
a certain period of uncertainty, of
mental and spiritual doubt and
darkness. The desire'to act rightly
is there, the reaching out of the
spirit after the good and great, the
timid groupings for the unknown, the
earnest yearningS for perfection
and brightness of hope, they find
unattainable by their ignorance :;
and failure in this pursuit causes an
ebulitiOn of feeling and passion,
liable. if misdirected, to- sweep all
faith and certainty of belief in the
ultimate triumph of good and virtu-
Gus principles, entirely away. The
of feeling, the generosity
of youth, the forgetfulness of self,
the desire to benefit others, gives
way to GistruSt of humanity and
a fear Of failure, destructive to the
energy and perseverance Of hope.
We hear a great deal about nobility
of soul, the frmness of purpose of
one who is cOntending with
adversely and sorrOw-which is
all good and true--but no one
can forever continue a losing
battle. There must be seasons of
hope, CLEANS of light and certainty
Of future reward, or the best and
oravest falter and faint by the way
and would fain give up the fight. |
There must be seasons of recupera-
ion, seasons of Self communion, |
when the baffied and weary spirit |
;an retire within itself, as it were,
20 come forth again with increased
and renewed determination |
20 perSeVere.
But who among us like to tell of |
our hopes and fears, and how many |
would understand them if we did |
We do not think it wise to I'M
1u den ourselves of our secret |
thoughts and desires, for in many
;ases it would but subject us to |
'idicule and misrepresentation. Thus
to fall back upon our own
we brood in silence over
he problem of earthly existence,
,esolving doubt only SO far, and so
last, as experience extends the field
If vision and action.
! This period of youth, this tan
'itiOn time of changing the I'M
questioning faith of childhood for
he oftentimes doubt and scepticism
md cynicism of manhood, is the
critical time of moral and in
,ellectual danger. 1t is the
lime when faith resolves it.
'elf into certainty, or doubt
gives way to the complete darkness
Of despair; and the worst of it is,
that the battle has to be fought in
silence and alone. The best of coun-
eel cannot altogether relieve us: we
must feel and combat the stings of
and overcome our doubts
Oy the uncertain lights of our own
wisdom. Our confidence in ourselves
may be ereater-greater when young
than it will be years afterwards
OuU that confidence falters when the
Inquiring and earnest soul seeks
ight-light sufficient to guide in the
midst of sophistical wranglings and
1isputations, assumptions of super
or sanctity.
1t is in the opening scenes of life,
the budding into puberty of young
manhood and Womanhood, that |
these lessons should be learned.
Then begins personal responsibility
IN its fullest meaning and the Ulti-
mate shapings of destiny in individ-
lal experience. 1t is a good thing
for q young man to reform after
sowing his wild oats, but it would
be far better had he no wild oats toI
SOW. He may still be a Lao of spirit
and enterprise without being wicked
ind depraved. EXuberance of spirit /
s no more sinful than to have a
good and healthful appetite; but it i
S in directing that exuberance of |,
'plrit into excess, or that appetite