The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-02-16
PERSEVERANCE.

Perseverance Is the mark OF either a
strong or OF an obstinate nature. accord
ing as IL is governed by intelligence or is-
norance, by virtue or by vice. No great
work was ever accomplished without IL,
and many evils have been successful
through II. For all designs and inven-
tions OF men have been weak and crude
in their incipient stages, and have been
perfected only by a constant peisever-
ance. The waters wear the stones, -
and the incessant application OF the mind
to q given object must produce success
II success is possible. Faith is it's basis
not a blind or superstitious faith, but
one founded upon reason and guided by
knowledge. Then, however distant the
goal. perseverance will enable us TO reach
tiff not now, in the far future. This
Is the faith which removes mountains
and casts them into the depths OF the
sea. which creates miracles and facili-
tates the impossible. To persevere Is to
remain or continue severely; to go stead
ny onward looking neither to the right
nor to the left: to be daunted by no
fears, nor stayed by any obstacles. Truly
a divine quality this. and worthy OF
heroic hearts. All that we can know Of
the Divine comes TO us through Nature
Nature is the visible and only mani
festation OF the working OF His mind
And Nature perseveres. Her laws
whether operating on things great or
small. are constant. Interchangeable, un-
erring, because they are rooted In eternal
wisdom and have the highest good for
their aim. They are accessible neither
to love nor pity. They scorn our threats
and regard not our prayers. They are
mathematically rigid. measured num-
bered. weighed. although interchangeable.
and their forces are ever the same
Their Protean character may occasion
ally deceive US. but the error lies In us,
not in them. 1t is our imperfect per-
ception and not their Inconsistency that
is the fault. II we ere ignorant OF
them, or disregard them, we perish. II
we persist in learning them and conform
ing to them, we live. And II We would
base our actions upon their lines, We
must cultivate their distinguishing quail
ity-perseverance.
Nature works from small things mp 10
great, and does not achieve her conquests
suddenly. She is content to wait-mill-
ions OF years. II may be-yet persevering
the while How grand is her ineffable
patience, whether to form world.
man. or a mite. How steadily she bends
all circumstances to her purposes, and
how beautifully all work together for
good-the high with the low. the noble
with the base, Joy and suffering, laugh
ter and tears. benefcence and evil! The
chalk cliffs of Dover, on which England's
fortified outposts stands, are small
fraction OF that great deposit which
stretches from the South Downs TO the
Uralians, and was built up during in
finite ages from the minute shells OF the
foraminifera, OF which there are millions
to an ounce. The Great Barrier Reef,
parallel and close to the east coast OF
Australia, extends in an almost unbroken
line for twelve hundred miles, from twen-
ty to a hundred feet thick. and was
formed by coral zoophytes, few lines
long. How many thousands OF years
have thsee microscopic creatures w.Ought
to effect this work, compared to which
the Great Wall Of China is a feeble struc-
ture. Nature" said good old Sir
Thomas Browne, hath furnished one
part OF the earth. and man another.
The treasures Of time lie high in urns,
coins and monuments, scarce below the
roots OF some vegetables. Time hath
endless rarities and shows OF all varie-
ties; which reveals old things in heaven, |
makes new discoveries on earth, and
even earth itself discovery. i
But man Is a noble animal, splendid In /
ashes and pompous in the grave, SOL
nativities and death with equal
lustre, nor omittlng ceremonies Of brav-
cry IN the infamy Of his nature"
1t is to this nobility in man that perse-
verance appeals II points to God in
nature as his great examplar; that is, so
far as he can, he should never weary in
never depart from the line OF .
duty, nor flag in the march OF progress.
II points to the many courageous ones.
q few Of whose names live in history. to /
show what has already been accom-
plished by the enlightened determination
Of a handful OF illustrlous men and wom-
en- They suffered, It may be, calumnies
and insults during their lives, were
scorned and rejected OF men, buffeted
and spat upon, but mankind grew wiser
by their work and immortalized their
memories after death. The men we
honor in our day were those who were
secuted In their own-of whom the world
was not worthy When we think OF
.hese things, every brave heart disposed
10 faint on the way take courage. No
natter how humble or how exalted his
condition, how popular or unpopular his
.ole, his path OF duty is all his own in
which he must walk with persevering
jteps. As Chaucer says, BE lusty, free,
,erscyere in the service, and all Is we'll"
1.-THE greatest part OF mankind" said
Browne. must be content as though
hey had not been; to be found In the
egisteT Of God, not In the record OF
nan" Yet those gifted with talents
nay, By endurance and effort, make for
themselves an everlasting name, and, bet-.