The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1904-03-25
THOUGHTS on THE POWER OF
IDEAS.

IDEAS.
(Nemo)
The whole world, as man has trans
formed it, is made ofldeas. The house
you live in, the things you eat, the
form in which you eat them, the clothes
you wear, everything that touches you
in the civilized life, represents an idea
Of some one worked into form. Com
pared with the power Of an idea, the
power Of an individual man is almost
less than nothing. Ideas siezs upon
upon men and women and compel
them to live them out in some tan
gible form. Thus has the human
family been forced to force its way up
triumphantly from darkness and ig-
norance towards sunlight and intelli-
gence. When crushed beneath oppres-
sion, till patience under oppression
ceased to be a virtue, better ideas have
overthrown worse, and brought the
good to pass. No matter how dull a
man may have been or how animal
may have been his glance out upon the
world, when an idea siezes hold upon
him, he is transformed, he swings into
the great sweep Of ideas held by the
many, as they force the world forward
and upward, conflicting all the time
with inactivity that has no ideas and
with the ideas that are less progressive
and less good. TO have an idea pos
sess one, and then to find no opposition
to it, is almost as unnerving as walking
up stairs and taking one step too many.
Ideas get their adjustment by opposi.
ton. The unreasonable is worked out
OF them by the discovery Of opposing
ideas that will triumph If they are
more reasonable in their demands up
on human life.
If we get the right view Of the power |
Of convictions to overthrow less definite
conviction then we begin to see how
small are we even when possessed of
power Of the worlds ideas and less
than nothing are we if we simply sway |
hither and thither without making |
any contribution to the forwarding of
ideas. Possessed Of power through the
worlds ideas Of progress, a man be-
comes an integral part Of all progress
i've effort. He is therefore great to the
extent to which he is possessed Ofideas,
out he is great only if he gives as well
as gets, and he is great only in com.
parrison with what he would be with
out ideas. Ideas always remain great
er than he and more important than
he. He may drop out, as is always
the case; for men are but mortal and
their work is soon done; but ideas for
which he and others have contended
and which he is sure were for better
ment go on though his brain ceases
from the effort and is at rest.
The men whose ideas most prevail
are always enthusiasts, men Of deep
convictions and Of force, not muscle
force, moral force and that can dwell
in a weakllng frame. Look over the
triumph Of great idea in any country
and in any age, and back Of it, hidden
from sight may be, for true enthusiast
l,aa NOT astr O., xryorly ,ubara Ia oo,, 10 |
seen Of men and praised will be found
hose who count as naught, all ease, all
comfort, all rest. They surrender them
ielves, their strength, their honor, their Z
NJ, enduring the cross and despising
hame, il by any effort the idea Of pro-
yress possessing them may be made to
progress. The greatest dignity that can
ome to man, is to be possessed with
light idea. His stature Is no longer
measured by inches nor his weight by
'unces. he is Of all power, since he has
he all power Of an idea.
Just one word Of caution:-a man
houd not be swayed by every breeze
f ideas. His judgment and his power
+ analysis are his to look at ideas as
hey come approaching him for home.
lie is to see, II contrasted with the
Of the world, in all its his
DRY, those ideas are good and Of adj
antage to the human family; for it is
rue there are bad ideas and wrong
ieas, and their fruits are sown 10 the
side Of life. Such ideas
triye to possess a man against his will.
( they are afforded cheerful shelter
within the shadow Of his brain before
hey are weighed aud found wanting,
hey are difficult to dislOdge. All ideas
( selfshness can be driven forth by
onflict on the battle Of the heart with
nselfish ideas. If the soil within
makes easy the growth Of wrong ideas
nd this is too true Of many Us, we +
ave grand battles before US to fight; in
'hich we shall win If we determine
D cleave to the right. AS we said be- &
)re, ideas that meet no opposition are
nnerving. You and We in our knOwl-
ge Of strife within are just like other
)lks, no matter how placid or serene
be surface Of their faces may be. q
Within has been battle, the serenity n
ONES only from well fought conflict
T right ideas against less right OF
'rong or wOful ideas.