Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-12-14

Effort overcometh the world, for effort
Il fAith-in ones self, aud in the value Of
life, and In the right of the world 70 the
sustained and well-directed-this 10 the
victory! But would you seek . shorter
ways Then use Longing" a. your guide
post. Ii leads by dream paths to golden
klories that vsnish when you awake.
II woos you with daIzlcd eyes out Into .
dreAry desert and leaves you TO enjoy
the substance Of . mirage. IL weskens
your manliness, for action, not longing,
Is life. Far better 70 toll the path that
has been proved by all the ages.
Tie strong are those who make the
most Of life ~ It comes to them; who
spurn indolence - they would scorpions /;
who turn the defeats OF life into more
certain victories by struggling on when
all seems lost; who yield 70 neither diff
culties nor oisappointments, not becauss
they stop to argue out advantages, but
because the spirit Of true man dcspises
yielding-cannot yield! These are the
ones who stand serene after great resist
ings, whose deeds-uo matter about
mems mes!-sfe woven into every
progress, and whose freely spent efforts
are the secret Of human triumphs. They
are goodly company, whom no perish-
aba book shall ever fully record, but
whose works live though the hands
that wrought be dead.
Herein Is your hope and mine, humble
men Of purpose. Shall We credit Luther
with the Reformation! No! rather be
merely voiced Q feeling that was moving
resistlessly through the awakening Eu-
ropean giant. Without that dumb cry
for freedom Of thought cry that Was
not soleiya religious protest-he might
we'll have fingered within the scholastic
walls Of wittenberg. Shall We paint the
signers Of our Declaration - heroes
Yes, II you will. Yes surely they come
TO the front because there Was public
opinion back Of them, and this Was
made up Of those nameless yet c0nscien-
tious elements Of c0untry's life that
arc the substrstum and the very sub
stance also Of all great forward move
meuts. And-on the other hand-shall
we credit Alaric with disrupting the
Roman Empire? No! his strength con-
sisted In the weakness OF his enemies,
who, raised to Heaven BY their privi-
leges, brought themselves down 70 de-
struction; not by the wickedness Of any
one man, but BY the general unrtghteous-
ness and consequent feebleness OF the
many.
Alas! the strong and the weak To-
gether make up Q nation, and its con-
tinuous power 10 possible only by an IN.
crease OF the strong and decrease Of
the weak. The weak are those who do
not utilize life to the full; who, loving
| the comfort Of the hot house, perish q
| the sincere chidlbgs Of the north wind
Who crumble like sand ramparts at IN
first touch Of the ocean OF testing that
all characters must endure II they would
be true; who seek for themselves the
outlet inches OF life, satis0ed 70 forcgo
the honos II only they can escape IN
strivings that precede honors; who, iiks
tropic sayaees, arc content with food se
cured without labor and much sleep witt
late awakenings; who being weak an
| sclfish, aud shut away their compassion
from struggling, eager humanity who's
Efforts they scorn, bat whose shoe
strines they arc not worthy 70 unloose
Who have the forms OF men bat tho viru
lent softness Of jelly-Ash; W. have IN
outer appearance Of manly grandeur bu
the attributes Of internal parasites, hid
den, despised, inverteorate, yet ever fet
by others labor.
CHOOSE II THIS DAT YOUR CLASS!