The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-21

and in storm. drilled themselves In ac.
curate gunnery, even when there was nt
thought of coming war. when the emer'
gency did come and come suddenly
were prepared TO meet II successfully
TO the honor OF the nation and their
own glory.
Before the war began most foreign
nations believed that Spain would con-
| quer our navy. But when Admiral
| Dewey sailed with his fleet out OF the
harbor OF Hong Kong British naval
| officer shouted after him: You will
surely win. i have seen too much Of
your target practice to doubt It, IL
Was the persistent drill In shooting the
target that gave efficiency In those bat
ties.
IAN English correspondent OF one of
the London daily papers enumerates
some of the lessons which might profit
ably be drawn by the English navy
from the great battle off the harbor OF
Santiago. Among other lessons Is this:
Teach the men to shoot WELL
Fellow teachers and students, may
not we, too, draw a similar lesson from
the same source? Teach the men to do
what they have to do well. Learn to
do your work well, not always know
ing or even suspecting for what event
you may be laboring.
while David was singing stones I'm
the quiet fields of Bethlehem. training
his eye and his hand to the greatest
accuracy, accustoming his nerves TO
steadiness and giving strength to his
arm, he little dreamed that he was
preparing himself to do battle with
giant. He only knew that dangers
were around him, and he simply made
use OF the opportunities at hand 20 fit
himself for any dangerous event that
might happen. When the occasion came
he was ready to meet IL, and because
he was ready single act raised him
from the position of a humble shepherd
boy to the most honored man in all
Israel. An unreadiness to meet that
supreme opportunity would have left
the name of David forever in OBJ
scurity.
I'VE wonder sometimes when a man
never before heard OF outside of mar
row circle of acquaintances springs
suddenly into national prominence by
some remarkable achievement in a
critical hour. How comes IT.? If we
learn the facts we shall probably find
that his whole life has been a prepara-
tion for that very crisis, though he him.
self never knew what the crisis would
be until IL came.
AS we enter upon the duties of an
other year let us not forget nor for
sake that good old fashioned persistent
drill that has contributed so much TO
make strong men in the past, and the
efficiency OF which has been so well H.
lustrated by recent events. Essays and
lectures on gunnery doubtless did much
for our sailors in teaching them about
handling a gun. But that was not
enough. That target practice was what
made them gunners.
when l was a college student we
studied English language, rhetoric. We
listened to excellent lectures and
studied good books on the subject and
we wrote some. OF the practical results
j may not speak. but the drill I'm writing
from the beginning to the end of the
course which we have today must ac-
complish infinitely more.
Young ladies and gentlemen. for
what are you preparing yourselves?
What emergency Is awaiting you? l
do not know. You do not know.
what you are TO meet in the flu
ture. But that emergencies will come,
emergencies that will try your mettle
is almost absolutely sure. and only He
whose infinite eye sees the end from the
beginning can knowjwhat those events
will be and when they will come TO
pass. And because He knows He is
giving you the opportunity to prepare
yourselves for those very emergencies
whatever they may be.
Difficulties are before us which we
must meet They may be great, they
may be but trifling. but upon the man
ner IN which we meet them will de-
pend the benefit or the evil they will
bring to us. II we overcome them with
manliness and courage we shall be
and better: IL we shrink from
them or turn aside, we are left weaker
than before.
mo great man ever lived that did not
make his way to greatness over dim
culties. More than that. difficulties
were the very stepping stones to his
greatness. So may the difficulties that
await US be made the means of our
own advancement to a higher. better |
and more abundant life. i'm which we
may be better fitted to serve our coun-
try and our God"