The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-10-29

dBoys, 1 did not cor he to make u
spcerh tonight, because this Is the day
that | rest, and have felt tho need OF
having u day Of rest moro recently
than ever before. But | came because
never like to decline an invitation to
DO present at any place where an on,
doavor is being madet to do good. And
/ don't know OF auy work which ID
better than chat work which il done
for boys. We were all boys once-and
somo Of us not 80 very long ago-and
when | SEQ BOYS | am reminded of what
one Of our Presidents, ] think it was
Garfield, said: that you could not TOLL
what possibilities were buttoncd up
under the vest Of u boy. -,
"Wc arc not ourselves responsible
! for tho surroundings OF youth. we
arc born into this world and the sur.
roundings mcot us and to certain
extont they affect US. But beyond that
we havo much to do with shaping our
own course. What wo amount to in
this world depends upon tho idoas
thut u porson who aims at the stars
will shoot higher, which simply means
that those who have the highest ideas
will accomplish most. A meeting Of
this kind where they teach you patriot
ism, where they teuch you regard for
each other, respect for Coach other's
rights, necessarily elevates your Ideas,
gives you broader views Of life, and
those views will help you to accom-
plish more. Now, in this country In
which we live boys are more blessed
than in any other country on earth,
because the boy in this country has
| l. f,, hi i'm nd ht in,
this country may accomplish more
than he cun in auy other country. Now
thero arc times when IL human life or
many human lives, will depend upon
the action OF one person there are
times when the welfare Of the COM
munity will depend on one person !;
there arc times when ;hr welfare OF
the naJion will depend upon one per-
sou, and when you remember how IN
nucntial one person may become IN the
dcstinicS of thUsDati0n, how useful he
may be to his follows. to society, you
can SEQ that if ~ kind wCrd or act should
be tho cause Of getting that boy started
right, leading him up to take advan.
tagc Of his opportunities, what results
may follow.
~ want you to remember that no
good ever comes to boys or men from
doing wrong, and that the right always
pays. | know it is hard always to be-
licvc, but if y0u,takc tho broad view
OF life and its possibilities you will find
that it always pays to do what you be-
licvc is right. IL is always necessary
that you should try to find out what
right is, and the cducatiOn which you
receive in the schools enables you to
sec things and understand things and
then the desire to do the best things
| leads you to take advantage of the OPP
p0rtupitcs that are offered you. | feel
Interested in you DOyS who are starting
cut so young to make IL living. Some
Of Us, instead Of having to depend on
our OwI eEertlOns, were carried for
ward by others. | am not sure that
| YOU who begin this life Of independence
and of necessary activity so early, have
| an advantage over Us who did not : but
whether you had the advantage or not,
! if you improve every opportunity that
comes, and let your motto be, "Treat
every one as you would have that per-
son treat you," and to make the best
opportunity OF everything that comes
within your reach, and to do nothing
that YOU" conscience will condemn you
! for, when you get to be old mon you
| will be able to look back and be Crate
! iu! 10 Colonel Butlcr and to those W no
arc associated with him in this effort
| to give yon higher ideas and to give
you words Of encouragement in the
years of your yoath; and unless | am
mistaken, tho older you grow the deep
cr will be your feeling Of gratitude
toward those wh' gave you this kindly
assistance whcu you were boys.
want yea to remember this also ::
That you are not tho only ones who
arc benefited by these things, because
the Creator has So arranged the things
of this world that when we try to help
others we help ourselves. Those who
have tried TO help you, those who have
tried to do you good, find that they
themselves are benefited by the opera
tion. While they are trying to make
your lives happier, their own lives are
made happier. II [ can leave this idea
| with you, | think that it may be Of
use to you. That the highest good
that can come to you is from doing
something for others, and you viii
find among your playmates that the
boy who does most for the boys around
him is the boy VINO is liked best, and
is the boy who en- joys himself most"