The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1902-01-23
FULTON COUN Y NEWS.
SOWING AND REAPING.

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things. "The slothful man saith
there is lion in the way" There
are obstacles to be removed and
difficulties to be overcome, in the
attainment of every object worthy
of pursuit. We may wish all our
days to be wise and great, but
wishing will not teach us even the
simplest truth in philosophy or
mathematics.
We cannot all become Newtons
or Franklins, even if we do make
the effort, yet everyone who is
disposed to follow in their track
of persevering industry, may be
quite sure of obtaining a rich re.
ward for his toll. The relation of
means to ends is not a matter of
chance, but is established by fix
ed laws. This established con-
nections of means and ends,is the
basis of all our efforts to obtain
any good of whatever kind.
When the farmer plows his field
and puts in the seed, he looks for
crop according to the fixed laws
of nature. He knows, it is true,
that droughts have occurred, pre-
venting the husbandmau from
reaping the reward of his toll;
but these are exceptions, and ex-
ceptions so rare, that they do not
disturb his expectations of q crop
sufficient to reward him for his
labor. So with the student, he
may be as sure of a reward for
his labor, as the husbandman of
his crop.
The hand of the diligent maketl
rich in every department of labor.
We ought always to work with a
cheerful confidence in that law of
our being, which has connected
success with patience and perse
vering toll. This is the great law
of action, which throws around
the field of our Iabors, whether
physical, mental, or moral, the
shield of its protection and en-
couragement. 1t is true that this
law, though so comprehensive
and all-pervading, like all general
laws, is diversified in it's applica-
ton to individual cases. The
farmer, for instance, when he
breaks up his ground and puts in
in the seed, never knows precise
ly' what his crop will be, how
large in quantity, or how excel
lent in quality; yet he never
thinks of urging this uncertainty
as a reason why he should neglect
to SOW. What would we think of
a man who should reason in this
way eff l knew my field would
produce such a number of bush
els to the acre, | would cultivate
it; but this is very uncertain. :"
Not one in hundred reaps such
a harvest; and it is very hard to
plow up the ground, and SOW the
seed, and hoe it all over under a
burning sun, and not to know
how much l shall raise; and more
than this, it is even possible that
I shall not raise anything, for
such things have happened.
1t would be foolish to talk in
that way, or to neglect the cult
vation of our minds for similar
reasons. 1t is also true, that we
may not be either a Newton or
Franklin; but we may be sure of
reaping a reward sufficient to
compensate us abundantly for all
the labor we expend. There are
examples without number in the
history of our fellowmen, to en-
courage us to effort. How many
have toiled in humble obscurity
to carry on the work of self-im-
provement, unconsciously fitting
themselves for stations to which
they never aspired, but, which
they have afterwards filed with
honor to themselves, and great
benefit to their fellowmen. The
history of others, and reliance
on thatProvidence which rewards
the diligent, should lead us to
cultivate those noble intellectual
powers which have been bestow-
ed upon us, with the cheerful ex-
pectation of reaping a rich re-
ward. There have been those