Daily Republican., 1889-09-09
TorLINa UPWARD.

f. The act Of engaging in labor may be
p-hill werk only at the outset Of life;
but the work ittelf which we do may be.
come ever more and more arduous Il we
are not content with quantity or effect,
but aspire to perfection in quality. Those
who are possessed by this ambition will
find the whole OF their llfe's journey
lying uphill.
There are for them no level plains on
which TO settle down to reap the reward
OF former toll. For them the shades OF
evening bring no relaxation of effort.
Their expectations may be less unlimited
as time goes on, and less OF their strength
VIII be wasted In vain endeavorB 10 grasp
at what Is beyond their reach, But the
upward strain will not be relaxed; 1t
Will only be economical, as experience
takes the guidance of their steps.
And with tho lifelong toll OF ascent
comes The life long expansion OF horizon;
the journey which Is all uphill must
needs conduct the wayfarer TO fresher air
ana serener solitudes; away from the
crowd and the smoke, up to the heights
from which what Is mean and trivial
ialls out OF sight, and the sounds Of strife
are hushed.
A freshness more exquisite than the
freshness Of youth is reserved for some
OF the aged; but it can be attained only
by path which lies from first to last up
hill.
Uphill work, both literally and
figuratively, means work In two direc-
tions at once; literally, 1t is going for
ward while we raise our own weight;
fguratively, 1t is doing things and learn
ing how to do them at tine same time;
thus lifting ourselves on to higher plat
form OF moral or intellectual be ng.
There is always in some cases an as
cendiug slope between us, which we may
scale II we will.
But happily, it does not rest with our
selves to decide whether tie general
tenor Of our lives shall be that OF la
borious asct mt or OF gentle, downward
gliding.
The force Of gravltation need not he
always regarded as type of the de-
pfsved tendencies of the human heart.
There Is time for all things, says the
wise man; and II there ls d time for
learning, so Is there, happily, a time for
forgetting; aud also time for idly ap-
plying and enjoying what we have
l,arnei.
There is time for ecrambling upward,
nd time for lying on the griss In the
valley; u time for climbing fruit trees,
a. me for letting the ripe fruit drop
into II III Iuths.
Even Christian, who was not the man
to finch from hia sharo OF climbing,
found rest and reireshment IN the Valley
OF Humiliation, and 1t would be poor
view of lie Witch va'ued nothing that
was not gained by the sweat OF our brow.
Let life tend ever so steadily upward in
It's moral aud spiritual aspects, and intel
al Ia l.aR I.a n
rected toward higher aud higher levels of
enteri alnment, sill there will be in the
outward life pauses FRI m all activity, and
welcome and gentle relaxation OF effort
whom our wisdom is to sit eiill and re-
ceivc the riches which flow into our soul,
from above.
Hard work is no doubt q cure for
many evils, and the taste for it a most
excellent one to acquire. # we can; but
not to bs able to abstain from II for n
time, not to have any idea of enjoyment
without 1t, is miserable elayery and
blindness
The most exquisite pleasure which VIC
ever take in tbs work of our own hands
or brains is probably derived IRON some
rapid achievement wrought without con-
setous effort in some direction in which
we have lately been working hard.
Alter making series OF laborious
studies, with perhaps little sppGrent re
suit, we suddenly fnd ourselves render
Ing an impression, either In words OF In
color, with an unstudicd felicity which
has gone far beyond the result OF all our
former labor, and perhaps by means of
which we eau give no complete sccouns
Such moments are like those in which,
after long, steep climb IN the shadow
up the juttlng shoulder OF moantain,
We suddenly turn corner, and find our-
selves face to face with the whole expanse |
of the western heavens.
= Aud climb checrfully, or your way will |
be twice as hard.