The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1908-12-03
THE Young MANS Cuo,Cr.
Dec. 6. '0S-u. Kings 3: 4-ls)

young mans lite when he stands nm
the threshold OF manhood to mako
choice OF mis- life work. Eyerythinp
has been done tor him that parentnI
care and educational advantages can
secure. and now has come the time
when he must decide for himsnlr
what his future course shall hn
What profession or employment shall
he choose? What aim shall he tak.g
What ambition shall he oxcrrisrg
What goal shall be set before lum2
Upon the answer to these questions
depends his prospects ami usefulness
The quality OF the young man can
be pretty accurately determined by
the choice he makes. IL he is look
ing for soft snap" in life. an easy
berth, n chance to live by his wits
1t Will appear in the way he takes
hold OF things at the start. The
way young man heads when no
starts out for himself is very GER
tain prophecy OF whore he Will bring
up. You do not have to wait 'till
man Is old to judge of the quality
OF his manhood. The child Is father
OF the man.
A Thoroughbred's Choice.
Solomon Is splendid example Of
a young man making n wise choice.
He showed his breeding nj the start.
He demonstrated that ne had blue
blood in his veins at the very be-
ginning. At 10 years OF age he was
brought to the poat OF decision.
He is represented as facing deci-
sion proposed by ,he Almighty, In
Gibeon the Lord appeared TO Solo
mon In dream BY night: and God
said. Ask what j shall give thee. "
Under such circumstances there was
opportunity for a vast range OF de-
sire. He might have asked for long
life, he might have asked for riches.
he might nave asked for health. he
might have asked for revenge on his
enemies, he might have asked for
regal dominion above all other
powers. Many would have done so.
But he did not. The real quality OF
his young manhood comes ont in the
fact that he asked for but one thing
wisdom. Give therefore thy ser
want an understan ding heart to Judge
thy people. that may discern be-
tween good and bad. am but a
little child; | know not how to go
out or come in" And what he asked
for. he received. Solomon one leg
acy to men is not the memory OF his
royalty or his riches. but OF his wis
dom, for chat alone truly made him
great
Success No Accident.
Success is not an accident. The
successful men do not stumble upon
prosperity. Wisdom does not come
unsought. The Almighty did not put
wisdom into the mind OF Solomon
without effort on his part His writ |
ings show that he was man OF
rare accomplishments. the accuracy !
OF his information. the breadth OF |
view. the ample knowledge OF affairs. !
the ripe Judgment. the instructive I
discernment. the quick and penetra-
tive glance all show that Solomon |
was an earnest seeker for all sorts !
of wisdom to the nd OF his days.
The young man who intends to be
OF life must know how to plod He
must never allow himself TO imagine
that he knows II all. Never a
day without learning some new
thing. Never a deed without the
that 1t could have been
done better He who stops growing
begins 10 die. II he t. ever perfect
ly satisfied with his attainments. he
is already struck with death. Life is
not taking passage In a parlor car,
where you have nothing to do but
enjoy the scenery; 1t is more like
blasting out that road bed. with bent
back and callorsed hands and put
ting down the rails over which fu-
ture generations shall move on to
the consummation of the ages. The
Balearic mothers hang their chill
dren's food on the limbs OF trees,
and they must go hungry until they
cal bring 1t down with the bow. So
but not lie open upon the
rock. He puts the star-depths with
in reach of the telescope but not OF
the naked eye. The secrets Of nature
are given up to the wit and not to
the listlessness OF men. There is
no royal road to learning Nay, even
in religion itself It is eyermore true
hat the kingdom of heaven suffer
eth violence and the violent take 1t
by force"
Incidental Advantages.
And do not overlook the fact that
n choosing wisdom Solomon secured
that went with it; riches,
ong life. prosperity and every other
Incidental. The greater includes the
ess He showed his wisdom In esk-
ng for wisdom. for in getting the
he got the stream. In vain
ioes the rich man lay up riches for
many years for his soul" II he has
lot first made certain that he Will
lave a soul beyond tonight. The
nan who sets a worthy goal before
limself, on the way to that goal 8
,opa, io,o tnuch with aVprythfng