Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1894-05-24

know how we take the lives of the so
called great characters of history and
| analyze and sift them to see what there
was in them of real life; whether in the
light of the Bible and the cultivated
christian conscience there is anything
in them that gives them beauty, and
permanence among the lives that have
been recorded as sublime. Whether they
lived wholly for themselves or mainly
! for others: whether they considered
their duty with reference to their des
tiny and their responsibility to God, or
rushed on as though they had no iden-
tity in the moral universe.
Life is made up of deeds, great,
small, good and evil: then if you
would reap the reward of a life
well spent begin now to build a
character so full at good deeds
that your life may be a pattern
for those whose lives shall de-
pend upon you for light.
| Self sacrifice must be the foun-
dation of such character. 1t
is this self sacrifice that makes
life glorious and gives effective
ness to the surrender by
which God works through US. 1t
is this self lf-sacrifice that gives to
life a beauty that is more than
beauty, an excellency of life, hav
ing for it's elements the good,
the true, and the beautiful. It
is this idea of life that Carlyle
gives to US when he says: For
whether thou bear a scepter or a
sledge hammer, art thou not
alive; is not this, thy brother,
alive? There is but one temple
in the world, (says Novalis) and
that temple is the body of man. ,
Nothing is holier than this high
form. Bending before men in a
reverence done to this revelation
in the flesh. We touch Heaven
when we lay our hands on a hu-
man body
1t is this idea Of life meant by
Mrs. Browning when she says:
1.-The man most man, with ten
derest human kind works best
for men, as God in Nazareth"
Itwas this test Of life and this
kind Of sense Of duty which gave
to the world a Moses, who chose
''rather to suffer aff1iction with
the people of God, than to enjoy
the pleasures of sin for a season. -
It was such a test Of life and such
a sense of duty that gave to the
world, a David Livingstone, who
in order that he might bless a
lowly people and restore to AT
RIGA a place in the map Of the
/ world, renounced the environ
ments Of civilization; and with a
self -abnegation that will be lum-
nous till the last syllable Of re-
corded time,' set out on his per-
! ilous mission to help mankind ev-
: en- at the price of his own great life
+ The application of this test gave
to the world a Florence Nightin
: gale, one whom, young ladies,
you should study if you wish a
type, a glorious illustration OF
f the most exalted and most God
t like qualities in humanity. Flor
Fence Nightingale was highly edu-
,, Gated and brilliantly accomplish
/ ed, but this was only a proper
preparation for heroic self -sacri-
: fee; and [ feel that one of the
! grandest commentaries we have
on the virtues of real Chris.
? tian education is furnished in
!, her illustrious devotion to the
;. alleviation of the slfferings Oh
9 the wounded and dying during
y that awful period of the Crimear
I war. Moses, Livingstone, Flor.
E ence Nightingale-these three
5 will have place i'll history ano
t in the loving hearts of men for
: ever; while Alexader, Nepoleon
4 and Joan Of Arc will be remem.
t bered only in the light of severe
e contrast. But you will inquire
$ how these three whom [ first
= mentioned came to their magni
t fcent success in life, how they
s secured such fame and such {
place in history. Only by fol
= lowing the path Of duty I an
e swer. It is by this rigid dis
y charge of duty that men become
5 wiser and more certain of the
f truth. Ruskin says: ''Every
}, duty we omit obscures- some
$ truth we should have known.
2 And thus the performance O.
j duty always brings us neare,
Q and nearer to the truth, and a.
If we draw thus nearer to the trutl
;, it grows more attractive AM
. facinating One writer says
o ''Truth will always seem deeper
Il broader, higher, the nearer We
9 approach it;the more we convers'
q with the eternal the less w,
), dream of comprehending it.
t Finally, my friends, let me EN-
y phasize one more phrase of m,
= message. Do not banker afte
) great things according to tn
10 common view. Do not be anx
d ious to become great, for Will
..It is well to be wise and great
h IT'S better to be good
Do not be in a hurry to becom
a College President, a legislator
or a famous man. Do not star
!" out, 1.-The applause of listening
q senates to command Simpl
10 do the duty nearest you.
q DO what conscience says
n right;
Do what reason says is best;
g Do with all your mind and might
Is Is Do your duty and be blest.
I Remember that the develoI
n n ment of power, the growth c
a a the soul is slow;-that Know
! edge comes but wisdom linoerS.