The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-10-20
Good and Useful Lives Open to All.

~ $500
Any one to whom the thought is
suggested will find brief biOgraphi-
cal dictionary melancholy remind
er of the shOrtness of life and the in
significant part any individual plays
in the history of humanity. The man
was born, and died, few lines tell
briefly what he did to instruct ,amuse,
advance or injure his fellow-men.
This much is told of few hundreds
or few thousands of men out CT I'M
numbered millions. For the rest
there is no record that they lived or
died. But this is only one view of
life. Volumes, and many of them,
are required to tell in full whatever
one man may have accomplished as
military hero. as leader of his
people, as poet or sage, explorer or
investigator of the secrets of nature,
or as humanitarian. Man is very
small in relation to the universe or
even to the world in which he labors;
his life In relation to the ages is but
a span. But in his brief career and
within the limited circle of his intlu-
ence he may make that life bles.
sing or curse to himself and TO his
fellUw-men. The smallest individual,
of whose coming and going no record
Is kept, is nevertheless distinct force
in society capable of making the
world better and brighter by his
presence. He may not become known
outside of small circle of personal
friends and of his own family the
historian may pass him by unnoticed
but if within the limits of his pow
ers and opportunities he has been a
good citizen and faithful, true to God,
to country and to himself, who shall
say that his life has been less worthily
passed than that of the best of those
who get three or four lines in a bio.
graphical dictionary, lest they should
be altogether forgotten ? The very
thought of the insignificance of man
in this great world and in eternity
suggests also the reflection that rela-
lively to each other there is not so
much difference between man and
man as should lead anyone to de-
spair Of leading a good and useful life
promoting the happiness and welfare
of a III thin fhn Of 4,
ence. An army would accomplish
little if each soldier the ranks stopped
to consider the Importance of his in
dividual deeds before striking blow.
The victory is won when each does
his full duty as opportunity permits.
Men and women in civil life may be
likened to the soldiers of great
army. Each has individual duties
to perform, and honor or, what is of
more Importance, the approval of
ones own conscience, is to be won
only by doing that duty. The SOL
dier who neglects present duty to
think about what he would do if in a
higher place, or because he does not
think his opportunities commensur-
ate with his abilities, seldom advanc.
es to the higher place. 1t is the man
who does the work that comes to his
hand conscentiously who is selected
for other and higher work and is
fitted for it by experience, Those
who fritter away their time in dis
piriting study of the rast or in idle
dreams of the future alike unfit them
selves for the active work of the pres
ent. This is busy UOrld, continual
Iy sweeping on, and that Is why the
coming and going of individuals
even those of the first importance
make so little impression. But the
thought is not a dispiriting one to
those who realize that every honest
sympathetic and Jealous member of
community may promote his own
happiness and that of others, and may
advance the world in knowledge by
being true 10 himself and doing his
full duty cheerfully and with kindly
regard for friend and neighbor. This
is the privilege of the humblest men,
Der of society, and by its just and
proper exercise he may range HIM
self beside the heroes and great bene-
factors of mankind when the accounts
come to be made up. not by the COM
mon standards and measures of the
world, but by those that take cogni-
zance of the smallest actions of men
and set upon them a just value.
IamS fnr Thnupht