The Delawarean., 1900-07-07


ply, they are supreme. Pascal wrote
a great book in his 18th year, and some
of his greatest discoveries were made
as mere child; while Edison was an
inventor as a boy Newton made his
greatest experiments in the realm OF
natural science at 25. Before 20, Watts
had the principles of the steam engine
clearly in mind. after thinking in that
direction for several years. Bacon had
conceived his dislike for the philoso-
ply of Aristotle, and had started out
on his own independent lines of
thought before he was 20. Dante and
Shakespeare, Milton and Goethe gave
evidence of their poetic genius when
yet young; and their greatest works
We're the inspiration of their youth
and early manhood. Raphael died at
81, having long been the worlds great
est painter. Mozart was only 81 when
he died, but is always named first
among the great musicians. Michael
Angelo was but 23 when he executed
his "Peta," work which revealed his
knowledge of design and anatomy and
his genius for expression in sculpture.
Take a list of the great authors. phil
osophers and poets. and you will be
amazed at the number whose abiding
work was done during their twenties or
before. But does not the Bible say:
Days should speak and a multitude of
years should teach wisdom" Those
words are certainly in the Scriptures
but how are they used there? When
the three elderly friends of Job had
ventilated their wisdom to such little
purpose in their theological dogmatism
and personal criticism of him, young
Elihu ventured to take share in the
discussion:. "And Elihu, the son of
Barachel the Buzite, answered and said,
1 am very young and We are very old,
wherefore I held back and burst not
show mine opinion. I said days should
speak and a multitude Of years should
teach wisdom. But there is a spirit in
man, and the inspiration of the AL
mighty giveth them understanding III
is not the great that are wise, nor the
aged that understand Judgment"
3. Young men are not a whit behind
the aged in moral stamina and spirit
ual achievement. The glory of physic-
al strength and mental force is power
to resist temptation, to fight iniquity,
to lead noble life and to stand up
bravey for the right. Muscular
Christianity is not equal to spiritual
power. Daniel was stronger than
Sampson. What shall we render unto
the Lord for all His benefits toward
us? We can consecrate ourselves to
Christ and our service to His cause.
This means standing for Christ against
every opposing influence, in spite OIL
every foe, in the face of every difficulty
and striking blow for the right at
every opportunity. This conception oil
the Christian life will inspire theI
heroic, awaken latent nobility, and
enkindle enthusiasm. And the church
wants heroes-heroes who will dare
TO do. and to be genuinely good. Butt
it is a universally recognized theory
tha- the best workmen are made by
early training. The mechanics of ex-
ceptional skill and inventive genius
were trained to mechanism in child
hood The great soldiers were cadets
in their early teens. The government
so fully recognizes this principle that
young men over the age of II are not
admitted to the military academy at
West Point or at the naval school att
The leaders of the church
in all ages have been those trained at
its altars from their cradles. Samuel,
given to God before his birth; and
Timothy, who from a child had known
the Sacred Scriptures; and Wesley,
from childhood taught in the work |
and ways of God, were examples of
brilliant youthful leadership Happy
the future of the young men, now
cadeting in the army Of Christ, remem-
bering their Creator in the days of
their youth.
Many of the mightiest achievements
of the church were won by beardless
leaders. Our Great Captain founded
His church, having spoken words of
infinite wisdom and wrought wonder
ously, though He died at the age of S3.
Himself a youth, He called band of
young men about him to take the world
for God. Martin Luther had started
his battle with the Pope and gained
immortal fame before the age of 20. |
When John Calvin wrote THE Insti- |
tutes of the Christian Religion, "a work
still held as authority, he was only y.
James Arminius, in the University at
Is, was recognized as a great scholar
by the Conference at Amsterdam at 81,
and at % his brilliant lectures in the
theological school of Geneva gave him
immortal distinction. The greatest
religious movement since the Pente-
ooct tha TNacIavan raviva1 NJ tha 1ast