The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1888-09-21
MANHOOD.

Why is it, then, after thirty years a class
of graduates meets upon some college Gel
ebration, they are so much surprised at
some of the results of those thirty years?
What has become of the first scholar?
Where has the fellow gone who spoke so
well in the debating society? If physical
promise is well nigh certain, if intellectual
ability shows itself quite early, what is
the uncertain element which in its results
surprises both the teacher and the fellow
students, and sets us all adrift in our
prophecies?
Every one knows the answer, though it
shapes itself in a hundred different ways.
All readers of men have their aphorisms
for making it clear to those they lead. A
great soldier has seen one man come right
forward from a body of recruits and assert
himself. A great contractor, building a
line of railway, receives from a school like
this a group of lads, curious, delighted to
find themselves in the Rockies. He shakes
hands with Them at the station; he gives
Olltll lIlciI AISJ IuDuitLdiu luCdI db itc Ddt-
racks. They mount their little burros
and ride on to see the works. He explains
to them the difficulties and the expecta-
tions. Before the day of welcome is over
that man knows which of these lads are
sure to succeed; he knows which of them
are not worth the salt he gives them that
day: and two or three he holds in doubt.
But he does not doubt because he fears
about their handwriting. He is sure of
that because he knows where they came
from. He does not doubt because of their
physical makeup. Not a man has found
in one or two a moral quality. 1t is man
hood-what the Romans called virtue
without which they knew no man could 60
to battle. 1t is the only element which
triumphs of eternity. Grit" the con
/ tractor may call it. That is his translation
of the classical term. 1t is, from end to
end, a moral quality. Tender women
have it, and strong men who could never
read a book, as distinctly and surely as the
most learned scholar. It gives to the lad
who goes out into the Rockies the control
of himself. 1t gives that control 30 the
other boy who faces death i'll the highways
and byways of contagion. 1t gives it to
the other boy who is at work on the ill.,
tricate figures, and is going some day to
restate the problems of astronomy. II
gives it to either of them or their eompan-
ions, the control of himself. In that con
troll he masters circumstances. He can
rise when he will. He can go to bed when
he will. He sleeps if he chooses. lie
| wakes when he chooses. He can say mo
to this companion or that. He can dress
in this coarse coat, and he is as easy and
as little annoyed as if he were in broad
cloth. He can decline wine at dinner.
He can say he will not smoke. lie can join
a party if he chooses. He can refuse IL he
chooses. He can learn German if he
wants to, wien he wants to. If he has
said he will learn it, he win learn it. And
when danger comes
"In the heat OF conflict keeps the law
In calmness made, and secs what we foresaw.'
This manhood-this form of the hero
is infalIibly based on personal purity. The
man who walks out strong with such
strength has never let the appetites of the
body master him. The wisdom that is
from above is first pure. He is chaste.
He is temperate. He has not played with
tastes and fiavors till they have mastered
him.-Edrard Ecereu Hale.