The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-07-03
ON LIES REAL THRESHOLD
By Mr.. John Lamb, School Dr.
rector, Before the Students Of
the High School, June %.

a diploma without work. Some nave.
doubtless, worked harder than others. out
all have worked, or YOU would not nave
secured them. II you had learned no other
lesson in the high school than this, your
training there would be Of the utmost
value.
Every man has in life three important
duties. They are duty to himself. TO So
ciety and To God. You can not perform
one of these Alright without performing
all OF them Alright; so that in compre-
hensive Sense they are one.
II is every mans duty to make the most
Of himself in every legitimate way. by
this do not mean that every man should
make the most of himself. as many seem
willing to do. at the expense of others. l
do not mean that every man should at
tempt TO rise by pushing others down
What ! mean. is that every man should
attempt to achieve and exercise his high
est utility: TO put himself in that position
where he can be of the most legitimate
use to himself and others. In this way
only can We attain to our just destinies.
In this way only can We properly use the
life which God has given us.
One of the chief benefits of school life
is that it brings US into communication
with the greatest and best OF the race
You have been in the company of Plato
and Socrates. Cicero and Seneca. Milton
and Shakespeare. You must now go forth
TO deal with White and Smith, Brown
Jones and Robinson. But you must not
earth have placed before you. Many a
time and oft they will inspire and sustain
you when the ways and uses OF the world
seem weary, stale and Improbable. and
hope for good seems about to die out in
the breast 1t is not the men who have
been crushed by the sordld cares Of life,
ton, have risen grandiy above Them that
stand out as the guiding stars of man.
kind in all places and in all ages. Socrates
drinking. the poisoned cup rather than
violate the laws of his country by escap-
ing from prison where he was unjusuy
confined; Bnnyan IN prison WriIlns ms eS-
posing that Incompatible epic: Bruno,
Huss, Cato and hundreds of others who
have lived and died for truth-these are
the men who have cast over the rase
halo OF eternal glory. and almost siNe.!
to human nature itself the image ami
superscfiption of divinity.
There are, consciously or unconsciouSly.
two theories of education. The chief aim
of one is to develop faculty, of the other
character. | sometimes think that our
American system runs too much to the
former extreme. Certain II is that there Is
not too much evidence of high character
in the conduct OF public affairs When
Lowell wrote God. give us men" he ex-
pressed as | believe. the paramount need
Of the times. The mere education of fac
ulty will not give us the kind OF men that
the poet refers to.
1t is true that most of your time must
be given To dealing with matters that are
commonplace. The thousand little details
of life are the things that constitute its
chief work. But if YOU attend to every
detail faithfully and well. YOU need have
evolve from them. "Tr;fes.'' says
writer, AXE perfection. but perfectio1
is no trifle." You cannot realize this truth
too fully Put your whole soul into your
work. however humble it may be. and
your reward will come even though it be
in sphere unseen by the eyes Of men.
l am not acquainted with the personal
qualities of the members of your class,
but if you possess in addition 10 your
education good sense taste. Judgment and
a high moral purpose, bear we'll in mind
that spirits are not finely touched. bur
to fine issues" The greater your capa-
bilities the greater will be yonr burdens
that l wish for you and the society in
which you live. il Is that you may be
touched with the fire of moral earnestness.
Know what is right and resolve to do 1t.
Let your lives from beginning 20 end rep
resent a moral purpose. sYou may not al
ways receive full credit for this. The man
who walks the path OF duty Will often
tread upon the toes OF the derelct. This
will provoke profess, opposition. Islander
even even but new TO the !lns' Keep the even
Is the only infallble Judge OF human mo-
ttves and actions.
Some Of you will go into business and
some into professional life, but whichever
route you take. let every act of your lie
be in accord with your conscience. Pre-
serve your integrity OF character at any
cost: II you make money. do so for the
good that you can use it for. and not for
mere personal indulgence. Do not mistake
the means for the end. The man whose
only purpose in life is TO get. and get and
get. without any thought but the gratif-
cation of pride and self-;nduige1ce when
the world goes, but the best is not In him
and the best Will not come out OF HIM.
will touch in the briefest way upon
your social and political duties.
The life and actions or every man COLI
meet themselves so intimately and iusep-
arably with the life of the social and po-
toni 81 ~ fJpa n ftFhs he, L.
that however exemplary he may he in his
private actions. he is not a fit citizen OF "A
republic II he fails TO give 'iue after ,ioR
To his public duties. our form of got ern-
ment puts upon each citizen "a treme'l lous
responsibility. He is expected TO s.t end
To his private affairs and at the same iame
give due time and Thought TO large aad
complex questions of public policy. 1t -
needless 10 say that every man does no.
do this Now. what is needed. apart from
honesty Of character and purpose In the
C.tizerl, is the capacity to grappIe with
these questions inteligentiy. and solve
them each man for himself Right here
your school training Will manifest It's DOW
er and usefulness. You certainly have ac-
quired some power of discrimination and
acumen in wrestling with the successive
problems encountered IN school life. This
is one of the most valuable results OF N
eCiucation--that 1t trains the mind to- close
careful discriminattve thought. Whenever
any important public question comes t,p
for decision. a food OF sophistry ia thrown
cut 10 catch the ear of the minimizing.
Your training VIII enable YOU 10 more cor
recfiy estimate the value OF all that Is
SAID and done in such cases. and viii TO
that extent make you safer and better
citizens
rs the years pass by and y'ou become i'm
neTsed IN affairs. YOU VIII discover that
there IL perpetual conflict waglng b.-
tween private interests and public wei
fare. The. interests o. the Individual VIII
often be urged against the welfare of
ciety. Indeed. many persons seek public
positions for no higher purpose than 10
advance private Interests at public
| penSe. and too frequently 10 the public
| Injury. IL i your duty 10 resist with the
| most determined persistence ali efforts %
/ this kind. | Viii take this occasion 10 say
| and ! speak nUw TO the audience as well
| as 10 the class. and 10 the citizens OF -.
attic as much TO the audience. that
every time you advance a private inter
| est a the expense of a public one, you are
contributing your mite 20 drag down ina
/ standard OF public VIRTUE and drive a. nail
( IN the coffin OF the republic
cannot promise you that IN The strug-
/ gle OF lie every battle VIII ie a victory.
nor would I deceive you in regard 20 The
/ hardships ana difficulties you viii encoan-
| ter hut i wou.s isve you remember ;ha,
aayss ma ~.