The record-union., 1899-02-27

trees no sunbeam on the lawn, and no
aroma Of flowers In the air. Call it
breathing if you like, but that is not
life.
Be what you should be, and then you
are as earnest as the stars, as fresh
as the flowers, clean-washed with the
dews of heaven. Need I tell you that
useful toll Of any kind is no misfortune
or disgrace? Rather is it the grand
harmony Of God, who brCaght wind
and wave submissive to His feet, and
woke the pulse of the dead, and knew
life's WEAKNESS All useful people in
this world work
No matter If wealth does bring you
ease; there can be no noble woman
hood apart from usefulness. 1t is
shame to any woman who allows the
drapery of elegance and the pomp of
wealth to hang over her indolent and
useless life A jewel in a swine's snout
is not more out of place. She only is
true to her noblest self who throws
every force of her being into the doing
some noble work in life. The titled
and lofty may pass her by, but angels
will keep her company, and her eter-
nifty will not be a barren waste, but a
garden Of the Lord. She has a noble
purpose, and goes forward regardless of
opinion or custom, keeping her indie
pendence, as unmoved by the sheer of
the proud as the noble ship by the rip
pies over which it rides, and in triumph
will compel all men at their best to say:
Honor to her who, self-complete and
brave,
| In strength, can carve her pathway to the
And needing not what others think or
say,
| Make her own heart her world upon the
way.
Such is a well-ordered life and you
may not define it's compass. 1t stretches
on into infinity, and finds its liberty in
the unclouded light. The gates of an
illimitable kingdom lie before you.
Much have you done already, but "It
| doth not yet appear what you shall be-"
The culture that comes from discip-
| line gives to the weak a mastery of
strength; to the timid, courage; to the
respondent, hope; to the faint-hearted,
the triumph Of success. And so you
can't afford to be useless. Discipline,
self-denial and a cross to bear will
| bring the crown to your life, as to that
OF Mary Lyon Of Mount Holyoke Sem
| mary. She had "a sound mind in
SOUND body. But He who breathed into
| her clay so much more vital fire than
He commonly sees fit to bestow on an
Individual next adapted her outward
circumstances to it's safe keeping She
was not born to ease and aff1uence She
! was not Graded on down. She did not
tread on soft carpets, loll on cushioned
sofas, ride at first in her basket cradle
and afterwards in a coach So doing
and faring, she might have become by
middle age so enervated in body and
mind as scarce to adventure to set the
sole of her foot upon the ground for
delicateness and tenderness" Here
was sublime life, but it never became
so from indulgence
Aim then to be useful. hail and i'm
prove the culture of every opportunity
that You may be the more of master
IN that kingdom where the foot falls
OF God are heard. Then, when your
feet are sore with the long, rough jour
ney, your soul will be we'll plumed for
flight into the kingdom of that crystal
river and never fading leaf and never
setting sun.
Your field may perhaps be humble
but if it fills the scope of duty, and
only blesses a little child, there is a joy
in 1T akin to the joy of heaven. 1t
would seem of no use to write your
name on the dust, but never shrink
from even this if it be to render some
noble service. Glad we are to stoop and
pluck the modest daisy, and it is well
to go down in worthy service. Well
find pearls in the depths rather than in
the nights.
So the noble Eugenia of Sweden
erected hospital for the sick and sold
her diamonds to pay for It, Standing
| by a sick man with tears in his eyes at
sight Of her, she said: tAh, now 1 see
my diamonds again." Every tear was
to her gem radiant with a glow of
love, and like the fingers of an angel,
swept all the chords of her soul and
woke it into melody
| Live a useful and god1y life. Good
ness thrills with the breath of immor
| tality." You don't want to be for
gotten. You want to live in the best
thought of those coming after you. And
SO you may, if in the spirit of Him,
your master, you consecrate your life
to highest usefulness The melody that
sounds out from a useful and cody life
rings on in unbroken harmony. May
you live and win an immortal crown
like this: "Wheresoever this gospel
shall be preached throughout the whole
world, this also that she hath done shall
be spoken of for memorial Of her"
| Life is before you then. May it be
such as grace forms, immortality
crowns and the poet sings:
1 live for those that love me,
For those that know me true,
For the heaven that smiles above me,
And waits my coming. too.
For the cause that lacks assistance,
For the wrongs that need resistance,