The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-12-26
BACKBONE.

CBy Rev. Thomas Gregory.)
Copyright, 1901, by W r. HeaTst)
When you see fellow mortal
Without fixed and fearless views,
on the skirts of others.
Walking in their CASTOR shoes,
Bowing low 20 wealth or favor,
With abject, uncovered head,
Ready to Tetract or waver.
Willing to he drove or led
Walk yourself with firmer bearing.
Throw your moral shoulders back,
Show your spine has nerve and marrow
Justst the things which his must lack
A stronger word
Was never heard.
In sense and tone,
Than this-BackbOue.
When you see politician
Crawling through contracted holes,
Begging for some fat position
In the ring or at the polls,
With no sterling manhood in him,
Nothing stable, broad or sound,
Destitute of pluck or ballast,
Double-sided all around
Walk yourself with drmer bearing.
Throw your moral shoulders back,
Show your spine has nerve and marrow,
Just the things which his must lack.
A stronger word
Was never heard,
In sense and tone,
Than this-Backbene.
The great Samuel TAYLOR Coleridge
once declared that the one great proof
to him of the fact that the Bible was
inspired was the other fact that it
found" him as no other book DID.
When the brilliant Englishman took up
the venerable volume, and reading, felt
himself inspired, he concluded that the
idea or truth causing the inspiration was
itself caused by inspiration. Had there
been no inspiration IN the book he could
have got no inspiration out of Il.
This morning I got up feeling as a tide
water stream looks when the tide is out
ugly. blue, miserable. Ny ship was in
the dOldrums, and 1 could find nothing
aboard but tedium and liStlessness.
hated the thought of taking up the tasks
of the day. I was nightly tempted to
ask over again the ancient question: rs
life worth 1VingI and to answer 1t IN
the negative.
VITALITY the evening before Perish the
thought! It might have been the devil,
or bad dreams. or a twisted liver, or any
of a thousand other things that had
caused my miserable feelings.
But my salvation was nearer at hand
than I supposed. Picking up a little
book, and opening it at random. my eye
fell on the poem at the head of this ar
ticle, written by that grand old mar"
Of Scotland. Charles Mackay, and read
very thing for which I was looking,
found then my troubles were all over.
The poem shamed me out of the dol
drums and, as if with a blast of mar
tial music. sent me forth full Of resOlu-
ton and full of victory
The effect was like magic, for in a mo-
ment ] felt strong, brave, determined.
prepared, If necessary. TO tackle a gFiz-
zly bear with my naked fists
The transformation was instantaneous,
complete. magnificent, and I shall al
ways have a warm place in my heart
after this for Charles Mackay.
1t is life-giveri There is ozone in
it! It is the truest of true poetry, since
il finds" one, and finding him, leaves
him full of the spirit of victory.
I would advise every reader to cut the
poem out, paste it on a card and keep il
ever by for daily reference. 1t ought to
be read every morning, read seriously,
lovingly, desperately, until It's spirit be-
comes a part Of the very warp and wool
of the readers soul; until its noble
teaching its built up. ingrained, into the
living structure of the heart until It's
martial blast becomes thoroughly blend
ed with the every day thought and pur-
pose
What we all need is backbone, and this
little poem is the greatest backbone
maker ! hnow Of, Let the minister read
it, and he will preach a Drawer gospel
Let the politician read it, and he will be
nightly strengthened when tempted to
croOkedness- Let the young man and the
young woman read it. and they will find
in it the inspiration which Will brace
them for many a trial Let the poor and
the sOrrowful read it and they viii get
from it the determination that shall en-
able them to face the hard problems of
life and larger hope and a serener joy.