Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1906-12-07


bread and support my dear ones and
accomplish something for my fellow
men!" This is one OF my desires for
the coming Christmas. Is it yours :?
Is Il . opportunity FOR labor a Christ
mas request which is pressing upon
your heart and pleading from your
lips?
1t Is right and proper for every one
TO have a healthy ambition. Every
man, woman and child, no matter how
humble their sphere. should strive to
make the most out of life. But, though
L should come TO God today and make
this prayer, 20 God, give me a posi-
ton OF usefulness, where I may do
something for thy gloryv' should a.
so clrcumscribe that prayer with an
other prayer. 1 should say, 20 God,
do not give me position of earthly
influence greater than that which my
mental and physical and spiritual ca
liabilities are able to I'LL" But where
there are fifty men who are ready con-
scientiously to make the first prayer
there is hardly one ready to make the
second prayer. When we come to God
to ask for Christmas gift we want
that gift just rs large as possible. And
yet. my friends, do you not know there
are scores Of men absolutely miserable
because they are trying to fill too big a
place in life? They are trying to do
more than God ever meant their brains
or their hearts to do.
Their Places Too Big.
One day q mighty pinioned eagle
was winging his way through the
heavens. He flew on and on, going
with the speed of the winds. Sudden
iy he heard mud turtle calling to him
to stop. Like ship lacking into port,
the monster clrcled around and flew
down to the mudhole and seated him
self upon u rock near by what Is the
matter, o mud turtleY' asked the
eagle. 30 eagle" answered the mud
turtle, 81 am tired OF living down here
In the dirt. All that l can do is to
crawl out upon this bank of a morning
c. take sun bath upon some floating
log. want to fill higher life. want
TO put mountains underfoot and build
an eyrie for my We upon the Hottest
rocks and battle hell in the cold
waters of the mighty Geep." "Ah, mud
turtle" said the eagle, you may want
to do all that, but you must have
wings to fly. An eagle does not climb
over the blue dome of the heavens
with his feet. And, mark me. mud
turtle, even an eagle has his dangers
to meet. have TO flee the sportsman's
gun, as you must guard against the
fisherman's hook" Not So" says the
mud turtle. Position and experience
make you what you are and not TALENT
l would be just as smart as you II nv
father and mother had tried to teach
me to fly as yours taught you. Take
me up in your claws. Lift me higher
and higher until the earth is far be-
meath. Then let me go, and 1 will use
my web5ed feet for wings. And as /
now can paddle through the waters so
will soar through the air"
So the eagle. to please the turtle,
took him at his word. He clutched the
turtle I'm his claws. Then the mighty
wings began to vibrate. Higher and
higher they rose. "Shall 1 let You go
now, mud turtleY NAY, nayr' an
swered the mud turtle. Lift me high
or. The higher l go the easier It will
be for me TO fly" Higher and higher
they went, higher and higher, until at
last the eagle loosened his hold. At
once the mud turtle, though he tried
TO flap his webbed feet like an eagles
wings, fell TO the earth like lump OF
lead. His shell was crushed upon the
rocks below. How many are like the
poor mud turtle and think that IL we
can only be lifted far up into the heay.
ems with our poor webbed feet we will
be able to fly. Pray God today that
when he gives TO you a position OF
Influence he will give you, too, the
mental and physical and spiritual ca
pacity to fill it acceptably.
The race is not always to the swift,
nor the battle to the strong, neither yet
bread TO the wise, nor riches to men of
understanding, nor yet favor to men
or skill. But rather. far rather, be q
big man IN too small place than n
small man in too big a place. The not
ed musician who has TO sit hour after
hour teaching little schoolgirl the
rudiments of music and how to thrum
the scales must fret and groan. The
greatest Of English orators, like Ed
mund Burke or the noblest OF English
writers. like John Milton, must have
had many a bitter hour when they saw
men OF inferior talents winning the
popular applause and occupying the
highest governmental positions which
were denied them. But better be the
great orator who can charm only q
few listeners rather than the poor
speaker who disappoints large
throng. Better be the inspired writer
in small, neglected study, writing for
the ages which are not yet born, rath-
er than the Incompetent statesman
whose official pen is plunging nation
into international strife and who IS
bringing misery and woe and poverty
and death to hundreds and thousands
OF innocent homes. When the Chris
tian believer asks OF God for Christ
mas present position OF earthly infiu-
ence he should not ask OF him a place
too small. Intentionally he should not
desire to shirk work and responsibility.
Neither should he ask of God a place
too big, a place which by brain and
body and consecr on he is unable to
NIL Then ne p not only dishonor
his Master, but disa point all his earth
ly friends who love him and who would
be proud of his success as they will
grieve at his failures.
Temptations of Old Are.
But as go on making these Christ
mas requests there comes to me still
another. which we should all be willing
TO make. We should come to God and
say: 20 God, give me these blessings
If 1T be thy will. Then, beseech thee