Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-09-17
THE DUTY OF STRENGTH.
No One Has Right to Be Weak Who
Cd May BE Strong.

No One Has Right to Be Weak Who
| Ga May Be Strong.
| Strength is of many kinds. and is
sought for very various purposes.
Whether it be by virtue of Drawn, of
body, or brilliancy of brain, power in
evitably brings plaudits, might makes
causes and wins captives, SO that album
dant facts are at hand in history to JUS
tify Carlyle's observation that the man
| who can is king. srs-#1 ..-....
| The thought that many have in rela-
, ton to strength, however, is that the
| pursuit of power is q matter which is
entirely optional with the individual
agent. The ethical aspects of the search
for power and prestige are not so gen
orally considered. And yet there is a
morality of might and duty of
| strength. No one has a right to be weak
who may Ike strong. Weakness should
be the last resort of the unavoidably
incompetent Ineffciency is deficiency.
He sins who fails. To be q fool or q
weakling is not good morals. 1t is not a
duty for all to be strong along all lines,
since no sound system of ethics COM
mands the impossible; but there is no
where an individual who cannot, and
therefore who should not, be more vir-
tuously vigorous than he is at present.
The pressing plea for strength, ac-
cordingly, is always and everywhere in
order. 1t was said of olden time to an
Israelitish king by a prophet: go,
strengthen thyselfI" The advice as
originally given was timely. in view of
campaign which the Syrian herdes
were about to inaugurate against Israai
md in wider application of the words
this prophetic counsel has q meaning
and message for every life and sphere
We need not hesitate to say for one
thing that voice speaking from
Heaven bids man to go strengthen him
self physically. 1t is certainly of adj
vantage to develop the powers of the
body, which is the mansion of the soul.
The proverbial remark regarding 'the
sound mind in sound body" though
worn threadbare, is not yet worn out.
It was recognized even by an unath-
letic apostle that bodily exercise profit
eth "a little"
But the duty of strength does not lie
wholly nor chiefly in the direction of
physical development. a constant re-
invigoration of the mental powers is
necessary to any true use of the oppor-
tunities of life. Mind is more than
muscle, and mind as we'll as muscle
comes in large part of training. Noman
of any force thinks simply with the
thoughts he once had. but also with the
thoughts he is all the while getting.
Mind as we'll as matter has it's gym
nasia, and it's training schools for COM
ing contests. The man who is never
opposed in his ideas advances but little
intellectually, while he who in view of
possible assaults of controversial yrians
goes and strengthens himself for the
conflicts of forum, platform or press
becomes the increasingly vigorous
thinker and pleader.
There is another and still more i'm
portant reference, however, in which
the duty of strength is urgent, and that
is in the spiritual sphere. No man is
really strong who is vigorous simply in
body and mind. The strongest strength
is spiritual, as the greatest possible lack
is the want of that strength. And there
is every reason why, in a world SO beset
with moral dangers as is this present
sphere, the soul should seek to fortify
it's hope in God and His promises. For
life is no holiday excursion, no light,
airy affair of gay promenades along
safeguartledav enueso of delight or breeze
blown bluffs of vision. 1t is rather a
march through the enemy's country.
where treacherous thickets obstruct
progress and fierce foes spring forth to
contest the advance. Again and again
in life is the cry raised: THE Philis-
tines be upon thee!" Under such cir
clmstances he does we'll who looks con-
stantly TO his defenses and lines Of COM
munication with Heavenly helps and
forces. For dangers make duties; and
when either sins or Syrians press or
threaten it is worth while to seriously
attend to any prophet voice which ear
nestly counsels: "Go, strengthen thy
self in Cod" The duty OF strength then
is triple duty. Itcovers the capacities
and capabilities of body, mind and soul.
It is not optional with any man to be
weak in any of these lines. What was
said to one issaid to all: go, strengthen
thyself!"-N o. Observer.
Mans Insufnciency.
have been driven many times to my