The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1897-09-11
HOLDING THE LADDER.
An Example of the Paramount Law OF
Love md Service.


A workman in Cooper Institute, in
New York city, having occasion to as
cend a ladder 10 do some repairing in
one of the public rooms, called To an
old man, whom he happened To see
standing by watching him: Here, old |
fellow, hold the ladder for me, won't |
you?" The "old fellow" started for
waEd and held the ladder for the work |
man, while he climbed up and did his |
work. That unpretentious and willing |
old man was Peter Cooper.
We say that was Peter Cooper. 1t
was Peter Cooper through and through
and all over. 1t was ambition enough
for him 10 hold the ladder for other
people. He remembered how hard the
climbing had been for him when he
tried to study and learn and fit him
self for his sphere of usefulness ana
service; and he had made up his mind
many years before that he would make
IL easier for other people 10 climb. His
institute was ladder, and the fair
est sight in IL all was the almost daily
sight Of the old man, with his glory OF
white hair, visiting IL, standing by IL
day after day, holding 1t up that other
people. young men and young women,
might climb.
And what Is that but saying that
Peter Cooper was a Christian? What
| is this but the very essence OF Chris
/ tianity, the very meaning OF the wordT
\ What is this but the very life of Him
who taught THAT 'it Is more blessed
I leo en- no
OF our Lord forgotten by the evange-
/ lists, aud rescued for us by the Apostle
! Paul? 1t is the lesson the disciples
had learned OF their Master when they
said OF Him that "He pleased not Him
self" which even His enemies had
learned and repeated in the jibe: He
saved others; Himself He cannot save
What is IL but Christ's own summary
of the law of God incaTnated again
in human life. as il has been incar-
mated. thank God, many times since
Jesus set the examplel
That Is white day for any man,
poor or rich, when he makes up his
mind. as did Peter Cooper, TO give his
! life. his thought, his mites or his mill
lions. for other people. They are hap
pier for IL. The world Is better
for IL. We know rich men now
living whose whole Thought Is OF how
they can mike their wealth help the
world. We heard one OF them say, the
other day; 1T requires more thought
10 know how TO spend your money
wisely than how to make it," But we
could easily mention the names Of
more than one rich man in New York
who counts many times more millions
than Peter Cooper ever amassed, but
who holds and grasps after dollars,
and never cares TO hold the hdfier.
For them the hungry, toiling world
has no benedictions. Their hearse will
be followed by no revereut and grateful
crowds. No tears will fall for them.
The morning paper will report of them
that they died, and that they left be
hind them so many tens of millions;
left Il because they could not take IT.;
and 10 will say nothing more. Why
Because they have planned, lobored
amasscd only for themselves. They
have held no ladder. They have de
spised the law Of love and service
: which Is paramount 10 all laws, on
which Gods Judgment throne Is set
that by which He judges Himself ant
: will Judge the world, and that 10y which
we are bound TO judge our fellow
men. Peter Cooper had enough sim
pie. deep wisdom in his youth 70 take
into his own heart and life that blczscf
, rule which hlmblcs self, II IL can onl,
, upift others; but which, in Gods owl
, blessed economy OF law and life, up
2 lifts both the world and it's benefnc
tor. Trust God for il, "he that hum
2 blcth himself shall be exalted" IA
, that stands at the foot Of the ladder q
I hold IL shall sit near the hend OF TN
feast In the Heavenly kingdom. Wha
have we been talking about2 IL 4
Peter Cooper's conversion? Nay, yours
: we trust. kind reader.--N. Y. Indcpend