The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-04-05
windows Open Toward Jerusalem
Daniel vi. 10.

essay, which began with the quotation
from one of our great American think
ers. Hitch your wagon TO star. Inc
teacher. to whom the composition was
submitted, severely criticised the writer
for using this expression. claiming that
it was slang. This error of judgment
showed not only deficiency on the
part of the educator with regard to his
reading, but also disclosed his lack of
good sense There is no better watch
word than that injunction. The lad who
used II was on the right track. He was
in touch with the noble man of old,
who is described as keeping the WIN
dows Of his room open toward Jerusa-
lem even while In exile. What does
this mean for us who are meeting every
day duties? Can we hitch the wagon OF
our ordinary enterprises to the star of
some high purpose2 In other words, are
there certain windows that we ought
to keep open, doing which we are helped
to ways more practical? 1 am very
confident that the great need for us all
at the present time is the open win
dow condition of mind and heart. Let
me specify what l mean.
In the first place. we get what I may
call horizon" Any toiler in the city,
who takes his summer outing, will un-
derstand what this expression means at
once. He passes out of the narrow
streets and high walls Of brick to up
lands and hills and far-reaching fields.
There is sense of largeness space for
thought and action, and a telling that
+ one is not hemmed in and crowded.
Horizon is word that means for people
at large long look and an inspiring
one. The worker in the world without
sky and horizon in his thoughts be-
comes a mere slave. There are various
kinds of bondage. of which the physical
1s not the worst. The slavery of habits
and mind. whereby we become fettered
In dull, dreary ways OF performing
things, Ia about the direst calamity that
can befall human beings. We were made
TO grow. No one can grow without hori-
Eon. He must have incentive and see
things ahead This brings to such
PERSON g. largeness of spirit which is
helpful of the best results.
sc Another benefit from open window
condition of character is the receipt of
courage thereby. I mean by this, that
y looking squarely at things as they are,
Z one gets valor which cannot come In
\ any other way. Little fires are built
y by small chips. If you want sustained
vigor IN life you must draw from
large source. The dynamo that Will
run the everyday activity to it's fullest
ana pest must be one of no mean kind
courage is closely related to hope. 1--WE
are saved by hope" If we take little
views. surface views. shut-in-views.
from seeing all things together. He who
has an open window over history. and
sees how mankind has struggled and
conquered, receives a fresh instalment
OF courage for his own personal battle.
The open window of biography is one
OF the finest. surest sources of forti-
tude and endurance. Biography tels
us what our fellow human beings have
been doing who stood on the peaks
They are greater than we. but IF tbo
same family. Their high achievements
iift ours. In other words. If we close
the windows of our observation and
oarken ourselves. we shut out the sun
snihe whlcn comes from heroes. reform
ers ana saints. This thought about
courage through the open window can
De applied In many ways. and each one
VINO is Immersed in the vicissitudes NJ
means. 'iiis
The simple matter Is. we forget 10
forecast some daily use OF this adyan
laee Let us renew our courage CON.
SANITY by grand outlooks of this kind
ihere Is another gain by hItching orr
wagon to star: it comes in an In.
crease OF confidence. What I mean is
wen understood I'M the world at large
ir eiy. sense OF security and a will
ihSness to go forward AS when u,e
truss a bridge for the first time or lean
On triendship,s pledges. We believe and
aet accordingly. No man can majntain
eaoiness or thought and action in Tho
worio to-day, whether in business mr. ne
PROFESSIONS, without the habit of onan
WinooW outlook. He must be ahis 20
LOOK through appearances into reaIit,as
he must have the faculty OF GONNA RIM
lungs. The Infant or the-child-man ,n
history goes simply by dIsconnectad
1acts. The man of to-day thraads 80
gether an Immense variety of transao
lions by some one guiding nrinninia
For instance. to illustrates: tho natr;o.
who. fails to- look through battiaf,aiSs
20 the great principles of our eowerns
ment, slowly getting into power 10 CO.
hy discouraged. The reformer who ,arae
only few.years as the gauge NJ n,he.
can be done will speedily throw osiSo
his faith in man. "''ue
Common sense tells us to-aor e.
insight. and insight means the hahn. os
accepting this law and letting f. ~, VI
our conduct The law is that nro,,aae
comes surely, though slowly. Tina, eve
luton is traceable all over tho a ssa,rs
tnis world. That good will conquer evil
when men and women band together "a
accomplish 1t. Truth is steadily on tbe
Y gain. and the conditions Of life are inn
PROVING. This cannot be enthusiastically
accepted with the shut windows of the
mind. Neither con enthusiasm for h,-
: mainly be- kept up to its proper Mitch
with the shut windows of the heart
There must be the constant OUTLOOK
over humanity as whole and events In
thelmass. There are losses and setba cks
in certain quarters. while to the wide
o. hyaL 49, - - n