Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1907-04-12
THE CALL TO SUCCESS.

HE GALL III SUNLESS.
By Henry F. Cope,
Enter We in at the straight gate;
for wide is the gate, and broad is the
way, that leadeth to destruction, and
many there be which go in thereat
Because straight is the gate, and
narrow is the way, which leadeth unto
life, and few there be that find it
Matt. vii, 1914.
If you were trained in childhood in
the sect of the Pharisees a definite
picture will come to mind as soon as
these words are read, the broad way
Of pleasure leading with it's facile de
scent to the pit; the narrow path OF
pain and privation leading by perilous
ascents to the city of gold.
How often has this invitation been
urged to persuade us that it was worth
while to be miserable and mournfu!
for the brief time Of life in order tG
make sure of bliss amending hereafter
how unwise were they who chose the
broad path of pleasure, forgetting the
pit that yawned at the end.
How different from all this was the
thought of the gentle, happy mind that
in these words called men to their
highest and best This is not an invi
tation to construct the life until it may
pass through the narrow portals OF
some creed or to empty it Of all things
genial or great. 1t is call to men
to nav tha nricn of S11ccnSS
The gate to the best always is mar
row. There is only one line to the
north star, while there are many away
from it. Over the gateway to the king.
dom of knowledge, of power, Of sue.
cess, is written, straight is the gate;
narrow the way" ''This one thing ]
do is the plan of anything worthiIy
done.
The dilettante plucks flowers from
many fields; genius cuts a furrow
straight through one. In the broad
way the many meander in the narrow
way but few great souls march What
is true in business, in learning, is
bound to be true in the business of
character building, in the task of learn
ing to live. Singleness Of effort is the
price of success here; concentration
alone commands character
You cannot attain to the things that
are supreme until you are willing to
sacrifice the things that are superfiu-
Gus. Righteousness is found only by
setting it first and making it the single
aim. The broad path Is the easy one,
the way Of least resistance; the dwarfs
are there. The call of Christ is for
men to live purposeful lives, to cease
drifting, to seek the high goal of char
acter, to take the path of toll and
pay the price Of perfection.
Often are we tempted to give up
the strife, to let down the restraint, to
yield to ease and indulgence; the price
seems too great, the goal too distant
In truth, 1t is ever at hand, not in
some shining city, but in the fellow
ship of every kindred spirit, and in the
fruits of character that grow along
the way of self-denial
It is not a question of this way lead
IlIS " pa anu II1AI W dll dWIul
pit; it is a matter of that earnest
striving after things worthy, which of
itself creates worth, W lie the drifting
in the way of least r. lance cannot
but result in weakness a. in the loss
Of every good power. L price OF
power Is tbs constant exertl> Of the
power we have; the penalty O 9th
full indulgence Is the decay of all "
err
~ Here is the invitation Of the mar
row way, not to crowd the mind into
some creed, not Identification with some
particular sect, not the rejection of
things genial generous and human, but
the deliberate and steady. setting of
the life, with faith and zeal, in the
path to high and worthy ends, in the
way where men have run with such
eagerness that the road still Is like
narrow trail instead Of a broad path
where they wander at ease .,
Here walks one who u~
soul. who had no Oh. 4ho
60 "a. ond to ~ with the
ma i.s s ane adulterated or "a
SIZE 3oth, 1906.