The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-16
INTERMITTENT ASPIRATIONS.
An Easter Sermon to the Students by
Rev. Frank O. Ballard.

The musical programme at the Univer-
sity vespers at Roberts Park Church yes
terday afternoon was of a special nature
and devoted to Easter. The address was
delivered by Rev. Frank O.. Ballard, of
the Memorial Presbyterian Church. His
subject was Intermittent Aspirations
and his text was Wherefore, o King. 1
was not disobedient to the heavenly WIS.,
ion." In his remarks Rev. Ballard said in
part:
cannot be maintained at it's greatest in
tensity. Variety, relaxation, reaction are
conditions of health. Everlasting strenu-
BUSINESS either is insanity or leads to it.
The true inventor works with a vertigin-
Gus rapidity, then come days of unin-
ventive quiescence. Sir Walter Scott said
that, although he had known many men of
ordinary abilities who were capable of
known a genius who was so. Napoleon used
to say that battles were won by the sudden
flashing of an idea through the brain of a
commander at a certain critical instant.
The capacity for generating this sudden
electric spark was military genius. The
spark flashed independently of the will. The
general could not win that vivid illumina-
ton by labor or by prayer.
ut appears that there is an intermittency
in all of the higher forms of life. Stones
are ever the same. Wood is the same. The
1urtner you go from the ndrOneSS OF one
and the stupidity of the other. the less
constancy, the greater variation. Why then
should men be appalled, at the seeming
ftfulness of their higher aspirations? What
is an aspiration? 1t is the deep longing
that rises ND out of the fathomless places
of the human spirit. 1t is a longing to be
better. 1t is a lure toward the good, the
perfect, the fair. Something within us will
not let us be content with what we have
attained. Three maxims may be made
touching these intermittent aspirations
which come and lift up our heart and de-
part to leave it so restless and discontinued
The first is, we must not expect TO have
the sense of uplifting all the time. Con-
sciously to aspire is not given all the time
to child or man. God gives two things, Wis
ions and tasks. and He sets each soul be-
tween the two, its dreams; it's duty. AS
pirations do not leave us when they seem
to-they dip down: they go below con-
seriousness. If you have truly longed for a
better life, If you have once hungered after
God you will again.
1.-THE second maxim Is this: Do not
quench your aspirations. foster them. Read
those books, seek those friends, frequent
those scenes, visit those places which
rouse in you the longing TO be better. As
piration is so good a thing that though it
may not stay always We should entertain
it as. as an s angel while it does stay; Tim.
your aspirations are apparently absent be
unfinchingly loyal to them. And why are
they allowed to be Intermittent, but that
X may be known whether or not We are
the souls that will be true to them? The
test of character is not who can keep his
vision longest but having had one who
can make the most of 1t. The short and
simple maxim is to guide your life by it's
high lights. You are your true self when
| you are at your best and IL you could be
better you would be more truly yourself.
For all who are loyal to the light as God
has ever given them to see the light there
will be found to be the opening clouds. the
receiving heavens and the bright angels
of the resurrection"