The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-07-28


Friends, schoolmates, old asso- v
ciates, if we have been truly wise, {
we have found a teacher in every ,
MANN every incident in life have ,
we found that which would have made
us better, for there is nothing of GOO
useless or in vain. If we cannot profit
by what life brings us we ought to
learn that
Things may be well 10 seem that are not well
be;
Truly fancy's dream have thus been realized
to me:
Oft did I deem the distant tide a blue and
solid ground.
And hoping for the green hillside. thorns
were only found.
If we have had a purpose or aim in |
life, opportunities to attain that pur-
like buds and flowers at kiss of spring,
for
Fortunes star Is yet in the vaults of heaven
But u rocks I'm the summer gale;
And often IL Is fitful and uneven.
And often IL Is deadly pale;
/ And sometimes wrapped In sulphur smoke.
| And sonnet lines quenched in its rayless beam:
| And sometimes with a rattling thunder
stroke.
IL bursts In flash and flame.
| Is it not true, friends, that we find
Yourselves today in life Just where we
have placed ourselves: just where we
have sought to be, in both matter
and mind; we are by our own choice
lin the low world of mere sensation
and base desire, or in that world
where souls are transfigured by truth
and love, and yet
How blest should We be have often con
| ceived
Had we really achieved what we should have
| achieved.
! But we felnt at the form OF the thing we
would be.
And fav back in the lap of n needless destiny
so IL will be- 50 It has been since this world
began;
And the happiest. noblest. best part OF man
. Is the part which he never hath fully played
| out:
The thought which most thrills our existence
Is one
Which. before we frame it in language. is
gone.
'Tis true perfection may not be
, REACHED, but those who diligently
strive TO become perfect acquire ex.
cellercies and virtues-taste of that
lpeace and joy of which many who dc
not so strive have hardly a concep-
tion; and yet we realize that
; very small furrow will hold our scattered
seed,
y One somewhat deeper will receive our bones
!. Yet should we pillow and SOW with gladDess
for from the soil
Spring the rich crops that feed and gladdei
For hope Is not quite life vanished from th'
grave
Dear friends, has it ever occurre,
to you that we miss innumerabl,
blessings through our lack of sensi
bility, appreciation, kind mindedness
d Expressions of thankfulness: virtue
e which it is possible for us all to cult
: Ivate.
l. So much of life's joy and delight i
+ destroyed by cold, stolid indiffer
: Ience.
i Have you ever observed that tn
d most noble character produces no i'm
y pre- ssion upon an unappreciative an
: unthankful disposition. Those VIII
live with sensual thoughts and bas
Is desires often find them burden an
blight, but the pure-minded an
ct the clean in heart, who are busy wit
whatever is true, and fair and good
live in a world where it is delightfr
to be.
If we will follow our ''old asst
ciatesn who have risen to the highes
n attainments, we will remember theI
If as ever alert as to how they nigh
IS improve themselves so as to becom
e, helpers and leaders.
'I Have we ever known, If we hav
Is not, let us now learn that we wer
"a born into this world that we nigh
D. grow. This is truth which religion
Z, philosophy, literature and art kee
70 ceaselessly ringing in our ears, an
10 we can grow only by keeping our
D. selves in vital communion with tn
5, world within and without us. Mer
strength. of body is not test eithe
III of growth, endurance or vitality
We often die from a sensual excess
e. or dependency, or both, and we mus
remember that that sweet idlenesi
so highly lauded by poets and lovers
is not idleness, but leisure momen
to give ones self TO higher though
and loftier moods.
Whatever thankfulness is favors
30 BILE to make pleasure in life, joy /
q. life. purity in life, and life beautifr
,e and powerful, is good. Whatever oC
,e casion Is burtful and unthankful
,e evil. Let us busy ourselves, not
of mortify our friends feelings, or worr
Id him with uuthankfulness, but Civ
y ourselves to true thsnkfulness to tn
lie good friend lovingly and while h
rs lives, thus scattering in his heai
D. flowers of great joy. Not many of l
so can speak words of great wisdom an
ft learning, but all of us can spea
ss words of true thankfulness, so hell
80 full to our friend, and we thus gal
d. the reward of all thankfulness. whic
at is growth in the expressive powt
of a grateful heart.
ar There is nothing touches the mer
! ory, the soul, but that leaves its in
; press, and thus little by little we al
almost unknowingly fashioned int
the image of all we have seen an