The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-11-20

s sSgs;gsSg 81 81 81 "
very obscure con,bate TO night. but by the
side OF this 'thore are the multitude Of
simple and evident duties. Now, while
THAI Ia tho great encounters our aHi-
tude is generally sufficient II Is precise
~ In tie small occasons thnt H.o are
seen to weaken. Without fearing that
shall he drawn BY a paradoSlcal form
from my thought shall then declares:
the essential lis to fulnl tho simple duty,
to consccrate oneself to elementary JUS
tice. In general those who loso their
souls lone thom not because they fall to
to difficult dltios and do not accomplish
imposslbllities, but because they neglect
their simple duty.
Let us illustrate this truth by examples.
He who tries to ontcr among the lower
and humble ones Of society Will not be
long In discovering great physical and
neral it1iserles. The nearer The reaches
that life the more wounds he discovers.
and ut last the world OF miserable ones
seems to him like n vast black creation
before which tho individual with his poor
means of solnce appears reduced to im-
potcncc. 1t Is true that hc feels anxious
to hasten, but at the same time he
thinks What is the use?" Efldcntly
the case Is most agonizing Some de-
eide the question ny doing nothing from
despair. They remain therefore sterile,
yet not from the lack of pity nor OF good
intentions. They. nre wrong. Often man
has not tho means to do good by whole
sale, but that Is no reason why he should
not ut retail. SO many people fall TO do
anything because, according TO them,
there Ia too much to do. They need to
be recalled TO the simple duty. This.
duty Is this In tho case now occupying
our attentions; that every one, according
to his resources, his leisure and iMs ca
pactties. should form friendships among
these tlisillhcrited ones. There are people
who by tho exercise OF a little will
power mana go to introduce themselves
into the circles OF the minister's, or to
wrlggle into the society OF the chiefs Of
the State. Why. then, could not all form
acquaintance with the, poor people and
become friendly with those toilers who
are In need of necessaries? Once know
a few families with their histories, their
and their difficulties, YOU
could be OF great utllityi in doing simply
what you could, and In practicing fratcr-t
nifty under the form ofmoral and material
assistance You would have. It is true,
attacked but one little corner, but you.
would have done your best and perhaps
drawn some one other to do his best
also. In acting this way, instead OF only
stating that there exists much misery in
the world, sullen hatred, disunion, vice,
you would have introduced 4 little good
into It, And however small the number
of good willis like yours becomes, the good
will grow and evil will diminish. But.
even II you are left aloneto do what you
have done, you have witness that you
have done the only reaso nable thing, the
MI ny CbtlHli1sa which
given YOU Now, in doing that you have
discovered one Of the secrets OF right
living Il
Human ambition dreams OF vast pro-
jects, but It is rarely given us to do great
things. and even the most rapid and GER
tain successes are, always the outcome Of
patient preparation. Faithfulncss in small
that is accomplished. We forget that too
often. Stlll. il there is truth neccs-
sary to know. 1t DIS that, above all In the I
dangerous and painful moments OF ex-
istence. One can save himself in case OF
shpwreck on a broken beam, an oar. or
piece OF plank. On the tumultuous
ocean Of life, when everything seems to be
broken to atoms, remember that one only
OF those poor atoms may become our
plank OF safety. The decentralization
consists In despisng these pieces.
3 You have been ruined. or have a great
grief, or perhaps you have Just seen de-
stroyed before your eyes the fruit OF long
labor It is impossible TO reconstruct
your fortune, to res,scitate your dead,
or save your lost labor. And before the
your arms fall. Then you
your house. or to watch over your chill
dren. That is pardonMble, and how well
we tundcrs tand It! But that Is very dan-
gerous! TO let yourself go transforms
tho evil into a worse one. You who be-
licve that YOU have norlNng more to lose,
you will for that lose that which yet re-
mains to you. Gather the fragments OF
scrupulous care. And coon that little
will console you. Accomplished effort
comes to our aid as neglected effort
turing against us. II there remains but
one branch to which you can cling, cling 4
to that branch, and d. you are left alone
to defend q cause which seems lost do
not throw down your arms to join the
fugitIves. On the morrowaater the del
ugc a few Isolated persons rcpcople the
earth The future sometimes seems to
rest on one head alone, as It happens
that a life hangs but on a thread. In
spirc yourself with history and natures;
each Will teach you in their lab rious ievo-
lutions that calainities like prosperity
can come from the least causes, that u
Is not wise to neglect details, and above
all one must know how to walt and TO
55
In speaking OF the simple duty ] can
not refrain from thinking OF military
life, and OF the examples that It offers
to the combatants of that gIeat struggle
which is life. He who, once his army Is
beaten absta!ns from brushing his gar
ncnts polishing his gun, and observing
his discipline understands but imperfect
~ his duty as q soldier.
"ro what use r. you may say. TO what
use? Are there not many ways OF being
beaten? Would It be a matter Of indiffer-
once to add disbursement, disorder.
general breaking UP to tho misery Of
defeat? No We must never forget Ina
no least act Of energy in these terrible
is like a light On the darkness,
It is a sign OF life and hope. Each one
at once that all is NOT lost.
During the disastrous retreat or 1873
1914, in tho middle Of winter while 1t
must have been almost impossible TO
maintain any sort OF appearance ! 40
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