The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-12-01

Golden Age is not IN childhood, but i'm
MANHOOD; We have Il tender feeling
lor me little ones In the nursery, but
our admiratio is for the men and wo-
men who are doing the work of the
wcrld. Life means Just these larger
interests, this spiritual profit and loss
count life Just Il stuff to try the
SOULS strength on
Experience is a two-cdged sword, It
cuts both ways. II means learning
many things you don't want to know
but IL also means learning many
things you must know In order to sue
ceed. rho wise man sees that life has
tremendous forces, like fire. frost and
electricity, which may be used to help
men forward. In the moral realm also
there are spiritual powers, health
strength. talent, ambition, that help TO
fulfil life in noble ways. Where ig-
norance Is bliss, It's folly to be wise .
Ihat is an unworthy sentiment. The
kindcst thing you can do for yOur
friend Is to let him know when he Is
making mistake. If he paints II poor
picture, or writes doEgcrcl verse or
breaches n slip-shod sermon, let him
know. by your silence ut least that you
expect better things.
Education does not cease when the
school books are put on the upper shelf
1t is continuous and progressive. The
higher education comes from the home
and the store. The inspiring part of
the Old Testament is not the romantic
story OF the Garden OF Eden, but the
burning words of the psalmist and
prophet. who lived deeply in the tli-
multuouS life of their time. and suffered
| keenly In the misfortunes Of Israel.
AS the years pass, and bring the in
| cVltable changes, the loss OF friends
the failing strength, the increased de
mand for sympathy the woes of others
bring it Is not altogether loss. but
profit as well may be charged up The
years bring not only knowledge but n
deeper life II is not the length of life,
| but It's depth. that counts In the forma-
| tion OF character. We find great de-
light in working for reputation. popu-
larity, fortune. leadership, all lcgiti-
| mate and admirable aims. But the life
| below these surface currents. the
strong, steady movement in the chan
mel. shows the power of the stream
| Wealth is Il great power, but udepen-
| able for the leader Of men, hut inteE-
rity is more valuable. Reputation is
admirable but character is fundamen-
tai. The teaching OF life is to turn
mems thoughts from the outward to
the inward, from the establishment Of
| life to innate strength. The health
of the sririt can long survive the health
| OF the body. You lose your friend, but
| his influence remains as Il part of your
spiritual life. You are only the richer
for all the drafts upon your sympathy
you can honor. The years deprive us
OF many possessions. but they hiring us
others in their place. We cease to cry
| for the moon, ana we try to make the
| earth Il better place for those who are
| to follow Whatever misfortuneS come
| to your friend YOU cannot seriously re-
| gret them If you see that only i'm that
way can he realize his better self 1t
may be only the heroic surgery that
Will remove the gangrened limb and
| give him more years of life.
Health, friends and fortune, they are
great blessings, hut they are means.
| nj e,
simply illuminate H. But If the light
| that is in thee be darkness. how great
| is that darkness! Life is like q balloon
| II YOU ind yourself too near the earth.
YOU must throw out some of the ballast
and rise 10 the upper current that will
| bear you onward. The heeting years
| bring to the wise man a greater indie
pendence. greater reliance upon his Own
character. lie has his daily task his
books. the JOY in nature. the memory
OF friends and the consultations of re-
| llSton. 1t is in turning from the en-
hroidcry of life to the garment itself
mat character is known. Life gives us
reliance 1t teaches us 10 look for
happiness in spiritual resources. The
years impress upon us the lesson that n
mans life consistent not in the ahund-
alce of the things he posscsscth And
when we add to this reliance upon ones
spiritual resources the broad Sympa thy
Oh generous mind, with all the efforts
VI men Tor deeper, and better life, we
nave large balance for the credit side
ne Older the soil the deeper YOU must
blouSh; Experience leads us TO tho
uecp' the permanent, the secure sources
Oh happineSs. Like the aged Ulysses
Inc Inc wise man can say as life draws to
its close:
All times I have enjoyed greatly. both
with those
mat loved me- and alone; on shore, ana
Fhro' scudding drifts the rainy Hyades
vext the dim sea-"
70 the spiritually bankrupt II may
well be said: Make an assignment and
pegln again. While there is life there
40 nope the KIND physician say. while