The record-union., 1897-08-29
SOME RAMBLING THOUGHTS.
By Memo"
Copyrighted by DAVE & Tabor)

Copyrighted by Dave & Tabor)
TO Young Men in Love Fourth
article)-As pants the hunted hart
for the water brooks, so do
the souls of some of you
yearn to hear the uniting ceremony.
Often you feel as though there were
nothing good in the world, if complete
knowledge of your beloved is denied
you. Be careful, or grasping, selfish
passion will besmirch your present joy
Gus journey, and you will be like some
gluttonous youth stuffing himself with
unwholesome eatables, Indifferent to
the beauty and history of the scenery
as he passes it,
have already told you that love and
the quality on which love is often
based -respect-cannot live if only sus-
tanned by passion. The passion indeed,
may last long, but it will scorch and
burn and destroy all the sweet refine
ment that, if not precious in your
eyes, is at least very dear to her whom
you have chosen. Now | intend to
carry you forward one startling step
and tell you that love can ennoble and
strengthen one life or both, though
DdSSIOH D6 lOIeNGT uon1eQ. w nat we
call the lower element of our natures
cannot be grand except by the higher
qualities mingled with it: but the
higher qualities can live and last and
grow, though the lower be shut out al
together. / tell you this and confirm
it by pages from lives that have been
laid open before me; for 1 want you to
have a new sense of what love can do
and has done for our race. 1 tell you
this, because love, in it's highest form
of devotion to an ideal, is capable of
entering your bursting heart, no mat
ter how obscure you are, and making
of you a new creature, with a clean
life, pure thought and good purpose.
AN IDEAL
Something to live for!
Something that stretches far beyond
The earthly limits OF each fancy fondi
Something that draws US by pure lowell
ness,
And ever seems more fair as on we press,
SO drawing nearer-thinking to attain
We see it still afar and, losing, gain
More from the added zeal we needs must
To win our prize, and ever higher go!
AS some strong traveller through a desert
Sees snowy SUBMITS up to heaven piled
And braves the bristling dangers but to
find
The misty mountains still but dim out
lined:
And though as nearer yet his way he
Wends
Fresh beauty to his soul the prospect
Of rosy shadows fitting oer the snow.
And peaks with golden coronets that
glow;
Yet may he never scale those stainless
Or plant his conquering banner where he
hopes.
But by high striving towards a lofty end.
With eyes that ever on pure SUBMITS
bend,
Through seeming failure claims self-vic-
tory.
And, ne'er attaining. wins eternalIy.
I see almost daily a man, who though
separated by an ocean from the woman
who knows his love and feels love in
return, is held by her gentle influence
and her high views of life, just as
firmly as though he were by her side.
Saddest of all-but why saddest ?-most
beautiful of all in this instance is the
fact that, increasing bodily weakness is
gradually bringing her to bed of life
long suffering. What does he gain
from her? Physical pleasure? No
such thought is remotest from his
mind. But the purpose to live a life
that would please her. to gain a repu-
tation that would rejoice her, to carve
a career that shall embody her good
ness and nobility-these things he
gains and he is content.
There has been given me from the
lips of a magnificent man, man of
keenness and strength, his own story,
while we were talking of such things.
After his second child was born his
wife was grievously afflicted. For ten
years and more he has been just as
you are in relation to your beloved.
Depression is foreign to him. Life is
one continuous courtship, and as mid
die age creeps on he grows more and
more into the habit of showing little
delicate attentions that are precious to
her aching heart, and vocal of his
faithful devotion. What is he gaining?
Honor among men, reputation for prob
ity.
l could bring many more cases to IL
lustrate various points of my argu-
ment, because I often receive con-
fidences in relation to such matters;
but / must deny myself the space.