The mirror., 1894-05-24

nothing but intemperance and utter
of all moral restraint,
causing him to sink gradually from
one position to another, until at last he
was stranded upon the very rocks he
had himself created, and became lost to
all that was noble and good His past
life flashed across his memory, and as he
looked up at his boyhOod's friend, who
now was honored and esteemed by all,
he inwardly cried: ooh, if | had but
followed his example, what might not
have been; but now, see what l am.
How many such instances there are in
the world to-day; but it is not too late
to change, if we but have the moral
courage to call ourselves to candid
account.
In looking into our own consclences
and scrutinizing, impartially, the causes
that led to make our lives thing so
different from what God had designed,
we shall find that our own hands have
marred the plan of God, and of the ma
ture he so richly endowed. There is
not one of us when some illness
or sudden catastrophe places the soul
on the verge of eternity, to whom con-
science does not hold up the two-fold
image of II am and "what [ might
have BEEN" Beneath the all-revealing
splendor of that light which issues from
the near judgment seat, we cannot help
but seeing the overwhelming evil
dence of what God designed us to be.
Side by side with Gods most glorious
plan stands staring us in the face, that
image of what we have made ourselves.
All our past life, with its misused
graces and lost opportunities, a horrible
reflection of ourselves, cries out: "LoOk
at me, My name is might have been. "
Let us not wait until the last dread
moment which brings to us the mes
sage: "Too late, too late" but profit by
the graces and opportunities that are
still left to us. You may say it is too
late; that your chances have passed by;
but that is not true. Do not wait for
opportunities, you would only resemble
the traveller in the fable, who, having
come to river which lay in his path,
sat down on the bank to wait until the
waters should flow by. We must seek
for ferry, swim or make raft or
; which to cross God gives man the
!. power of invention to enable him t(
find resources to overcome the Difficult
ties that bar his progress. The Difficult
ty itself is oftimes the most golden OF
opportunities. Men of resOlute temper
seek and find, or make their opportuni
; ties. lust as the industrious husband
man makes the soil on which he grow
; his crops. Have you not seen one maj
prosper and grow rich on land upol
. which it's former possessor grew hope
! Iessly poorer year after year? Hav
. YOU not seen men of energy, pluck AM
unswerving moral character engage Il
i pursuits and attain honor and Wealt
" where others would fail? Life is on
y grand continuous opportunity from IN
u fancy to our latest day. The conscie1
y tious. resolute and thrifty, turn ever
. hour into golden opportunities; onl
p! let us have purpose, increase our falt
- in ourselves, neglect nothing, exercis
\, over our powers and passions sove
- eign control, and let our watchword
~ all our undertakings and difficulties,
- Duty. In all labors, successes or fal
Il ures, let us make ourselves superior
fatigue, or to good or ill luck. Let
y: begin and persevere; hoping again
-, - hope itself, through a sense of sacre
~ duty-a sacred debt due to God and OF
own Conscience.
- ssThis above all; to thine own self be true.
If And it must follow, as the night the day..
Thou canst not then be false to any man..
IL, IT q