The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1897-05-29
GLASS NRATINN.
Delivered al W. NJ. \. Commencement
by Calct Nelson.
IDEALS OF SUCCESS.

IDEALS OF SUCCESS.
As cycle after cycle rolls by we III n
o l~rselves the masters OF the eartn, in hal
audible tones, admit that we are at lie Is
forced by circumstances, euthused will
inspirations from without, and governed
to a degree by active uncomfortable force
from within.
We believe ourselves free agents, an
that we may map LIES course To our owl
satisfaction, but it is too evident tina
should this course be Laid out withou
ref renee to surrounding circumstance
and if it proves devoid OF inspiration from
within, we may rest assured that on
efforts will be Ruthless.
1t is true that the obscure second lieu
tenant has risen to rule the empire, and
log splitter ana IA canal boy attained the
presidency; however they rose not o
themselves, but by suspicious cIrcum'
stances and the golden wings of genius
inspiration disguised.
The world is full Of heroes; from time
most remote some men by their deeds,
real or fancied, have stood eminent
among their kind. some of whose charac-
teristics, Joined with those Of others, com
binc to make the ideals for succeeding
generations. These you say are neither
Inspirations nor circumstances, coming
as they do from the dictates Of judgment,
but originally they were such.
Not by inspiration alone can one read
lily rise. / do not say it is impossible, for
rare instances may be cited to the contra
nv, but in general, unless accompanied by
friendly auspices, viii remain in dark
II IS.
Z.nobia, except Tor her gallant struggle
against Rome, after the death Of her hus
band, would have been handed down t.
posterity ms the wife of Odenatus,-not as
a General, such as to repel imperial Rome
under Aurilian himself.
Napoleon without the revolution wouid
d ,ubtl,s' have pinned away his life as %
soldicr,-mayhaps having risen to tn,
rink Of a colonel,-his genius being rec
o .nized. Bat the turbuIenttimes and TIA,
emotional people combined To make him
l. nperor. jn,t as they sent him to $.
IL lena with all his genius.
And in his country OF onrs many ! =
ssauces may be cited. Grant and Lee, e
whom every American is justly proGd,
although e%spou>inE contrary causes, with
out the war, would doubtless nave lived
with their genius unknown.
circumstances of themselves cannot bc
said tn he made, ut it is Itself evident
that white we are to a degree governed bN
them, il is equally true that with every
change of position, we find changed sur
roundin@s. The adjusting ourselves 1"
the Immediate Surroundings, is perhaps
o. itself as great as genius. lipme's gov.
e-ning was "a masterpiece, ut one of tact
rather than genius. Aud ia:t is the wise
u ,a Il circumstances.
Genius is not our creation, il is n drvel
op ncnt, it is not our own, 1t is II gift, in
IbIe OF voluntary propagation a"d a.
ungovernAble as The winds OF the heaven.
Here it appears for the moment, a = np<e
and it IS awaY. We know not when T.
expect it. ntr in when to look for it, l.
does not FOLLOW the laws of heredlty, and
j. pnW,rless In produce II
When loand we cannot but irvl and see
an unknown power, aka duubtie =, Ia
which controls the innermust a;d
Re cc-sps OF The mind, cnuscirnc'
censor before whom all Oar thoughts
and deeds appair for judgment, ever de-
,reein :, ever c~nndennilg.
ii we but PAU q in The contemplation oi
his faculty wherein is made manifest all
.has is great in man, where his aims,
and deeds have birth, where al the
rue and noble arises together with the
mem, we are wont TO feel that this be-
ongs not to US, but is Il part of the all ab
law that governs the universe.
We behold everywhere, if we Iransgress
We are punished. IL we are deserving we
ire rewarded. To some are pleasant sur
.oundings, ease. wealth and all this world {
loIds dear; to others deep planted in some
hidden IN of their being, is the
,erm tina some day is TO blossom and give
ruit, that will uphold To succeeding gem 1
rations him from whom II came. HIS .
to be honored, his greatness cXtOll- /
/ and his memory To be reyerred. /
IL is said in each acorn there is "a perfect !
ak, but be the ground too dry, the winds :
evere, or the sun too hot, the tree VIII
.ot deveIope. However, in some sheltered g
ook, tranquil aud undistuTbed, an Oi k j
ais cd lis proud limbs, scathed not by al h
erse winds, IT spreads its leafy %boughs, /
nd there we behold the mob e oak. How y
ruly regal does IL look,-how firm, how Il
rand. And as we stand and gaze on its I
preading boughs, the leaves OF which u
IstIe gently by the summer breeze. How q
e pity the poor oak. Gnarled by wintry "
lasts in youth, tortured by summers s.
ans and winters storms, nobly stIug- II
ling, however, to attain its destined end. n
Yhich, my friend, is The more truly RI
reat? I'
Classmates, we may well be-compared j,
it'll the oak. Some may escape the heat, "
- 800, I'D attic, tI.fr .ta,. ,.IiI, m
hers will toe bent and broken. Genius a
not be found In AL, at least we do not IN
nd it,-no, nor does every acorn bring a
.rfect oak,-however, ] choose To think az
is there; the proper surroundings are -
cking TO develop il. This you say will Ia
away with genius. Why not? Lit us p'
sumo this-and another question-who =,
the truly great? lie VINO amasses wealth ri
I'd surrounds himself with all ease to
e benefit of one; he who inVents a o'
to the Injury OF thousands, or he nf
no leads "a quiet upright life? There may
some error ia our worldly standards of
ccess after all.
''For a. that and ~ that,
Our tolls obscure and "a that, ~
The rank is but the guinea stamp,
The mans the gowd tor a that"
II we live for pleasure, where is more to
found? II for usefulness, what is NOR
eiuI than Governing self for aiding a.
lers? Is the world truly made more A.,
ppy or better by all the thousands of ha
yentions. wars aud intr!gues, the result vo
genius? Nature has none such; the n,
aver builds his dam as did his redeces- A.
5 in ages past. Aud where lisa fairrr q
stress than Mature? usi
+ progress is the p;ninG of providence, 60,
will be wrought ia due Time through I
ed and unchangable law. As the river +,
away the left bank, she builds up r,x
right; as the lives of men be raised to ~.
higher plane, th. more loWIy should IN,
appear. IN,
IgolutioD? Yes, but only by law. rm
EALEDICTOEl. att
- ito
at W. NJ. g.. Commencement iI!'
by Cadet c. VI. T'lorg. W.,