The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1895-10-31
The RcfOrnlcr.

There are many young men VINO
have started out to reform the
world, and to abate all it's nuisance,
who have found out. after a life Of
unrewarded toll, that they neg
lected the first requisite to success
as a reformer. He that conquer
eth himself, is greater than he that
taketh city: is a text needed by
these we'll meaning young men.
The first thing to be done, it would
seem, would be to get that lesson
in mind It is necessary, in order
to be great: and the reformer
should be great. He should be
self-sacrifcing as we'll. He must
be man in close touch and SYM
pathy with the people. He should
not stand upon a pedestal, but
should touch shoulders and strike
hands with those who are suffering
from the evils which the reformer
would abate. The reformer is
needed. at all times. The man
who can see abuses and is able
to bring wisdom to the correction
of them is always in demand. He
must be able to convince others,
consequently he must be sincere.
He must be a man in advance Of
his time, therefore will he be ridi-
culed. He must be patient, care
full Of the rights Of others, brave
without rashness, honest in his
purpose, forgetful of his own adj
vantage, ready to give everything
away but principle, and willing to
die in disgrace, for that. And
above all he must be a man Of de-
tail. He must be willing to take,
thankfully, small advantage, to
labor for years without result and
to measure accurately the needs
and desires Of others. Clearhead-
ed, calm, absolutely master Of
himself, thisman standson a higher
plane than those who are weighted
down with selfshness. The gross
things of life he puts aside. Love,
for him, embraces all mankind.
His enemies women and children
may trust him: and his enemy
may. in dire distress, expect, not
vainly. his support The thought
of every man is his thought: =
weighed, analysed and refined in
the crucible Of his mind. Temp
tations he knows, to conquer
em:and purity he knows, through
having embraced it. This man,
if he possesses these and many
more qualifications is a reformer
There be few of the young men
who ever see his level The would
be maker over of the world is pas
sionate, sincere, tickle and easily
swerved He mistakes zeal for
ability. and counts his sincerity
as virtue enough. He is devoid
of constancy and continuity. He
makes faces at the monster. in
stead of graphing with him. He
is hort-sighted, and, often knows
not friend from foe. He strikes
in the dark and is satisfied if his
enemy is stricken. He fights men.
not theories: harbcrs hatred, wor-
ships heroes and lives in mental
blindness. The would be reformer
is as often load for his espOused
cause to carry, "a he is a helper to
bear its burdens. Hefoments strife,
sets neighbor against neighbor,
is honest. wrong, narrow and con-
tracted. He purses his lips at adj
vice, and goes away without it,
He is diligent and often desperate
He means to be q friend to the
down trodden: but his weakness
makes him impotent to serve them.
and often increases their burdens
He seldom grows to be that great
and loving man who would bear
the burdens Of the world if he
could; but. who, knowing his abil-
ity and power is content to do
what he can. The grand man who
dies. at last. ignorant of the fact
that he has been in truth re-
former. Fargo IN. d. Sunday
Argus.