Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-01-22
CHARACTER,


CHARACTER.
"The glory of young men is their strength"
Proverbs 20, xxx.
Strength, whether of body, mind or
character, is force or power. 1t is the
steam which moves the engine, the wind
which fills the sails or turns the wheel.
Physical strength man possesses in COM
mon with brutes, and, although most
desirable possession, when controlled and
directed and employed by skillful hands,
can hardly be said to glorify it's possessor.
In these modern days, when the win
ner of boat race or boxing
match is called hero, and is crowned
with laurels, physical strength is not
likely to be underestimated, although it
is an open question whether the same
power and skill could not be ac-
Quired at the forge or pillow,
and thus benefit mankind, and enable the
young man to earn living should the
necessity arise. But in either case it was
not Of such strength the wise man wrote,
when he called it a young mans glory.
Strength of mind, like physical power,
is an endowment of the Creator, but, un-
like it, is only conferred upon man. 1t is
trust to be guarded from i'll, carefully
trained, and employed to produce the
highest results, and On these results alone
must the possessor of great intellect de-
pend for his honor or shame. His talents
are gift from his Master, fer which he
deserves no credit and in which he has no
right to glory.
The Bible plainly teaches that the
strength which is the glory Of young men
is their character, "the crown and glory
of life" 1t is strength to do good,
strength to resist evil, and bear up un-
der difficulty and misfortune. There
are three qualities which must form the
essence Of that character which confers
glory on its possessor; truthfulness,
putty and gentleness. Without integ-
rity no man can lay the slightest claim
to character; its very back bone is truth,
and the smallest deviation from strict in
tegrity in word or action is always at
tended with loss Of character. Purity of
heart and life must form an essential part
of the glory of young men; their man
hood has no strength without it. When
the thoughts are defiled by the pitch of
sin, and they have lost forever their
purity, what cause have they to glory?
They may strive by repentance and
reformation to regain what they have
forfeited, but the glory of their first es-
tate is passed away Gentleness or chiv-
airy is the cap stone of character. Re-
gard for the aged, tenderness for the in
firm and for little children; con-
sideration for the rights and
opinions of others, all are
parts of that gentleness which. IS the es-
sence and grace of every character. A
young man possessing such strength as
this, with its foundations of truth and
purity, and adorned with that gentleness
which always goes hand in hand with
true courage has glory which wealth,
position or learning can never give.
1t is possible for all young men before
whom life with its vast and grand posi-
bilities is opening to form such charac-
ter. There must be no faint-hearted
work, but with settled purpose to build
up, from the quarry of daily life, a char
acter, by little acts well and henorably
performed, by rough hewing the habits
that form it. Not to the older men in the
community must they look for examples;
many of them are only stumbling blocks
in the way of the young without char
acter they serve as guide posts only to
dishonor There are few whose pure
and upright lives possess glory
before which gold and rank are as dross.
They have the respect of all who know
them, for, in the Just balance ornature,
individuals receive just as much as they
deserve and no more; and often the poor
man has the honor of Icing trusted, when
the rich mans word passes for nothing.
To possess such character should be
the ambition of every young man. Earth
contains nothing so grand, life holds out
no prize so glorious as pure and stain
less character.
The apostle Mark relates that the Son
of God when on earth met such young
man, who had kept all the command
ments from his youth up, and adds that
Jesus beholding him loved him.