The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1908-05-30

institution as this viii be oflpriceless
value to you in the battle of life.
Some of you may have thought, at
times, that the military training you
have experienced here, was hard and
unnecessary. But, if I am o very
much mistaken, in after years, you
will often have occasion TO bless the
day you came to a military school,
and received this discipline. A d.
ploma from such an Institution as
this, is something to be priced. You
90 out into the activities of life with
the endorsement of this academy
See to it that you do your work 81
honestly, SO faithfully, and so well,
that this institution may always point
to you with pride.
shall address you today on what
1 shall call, "The Seats of the
Mighty. and I suppose every young
man starts out in life with some am
bition.
He wants 10 be something in this
great world, and sucha an ambition is
altogether commendable. But Fthe
question arises. How are we to clint
to the high places? How are you
young men to reach the seats of the
mighty, which your ambition covetsi
There are three theories about this
thing Of climbing up in the world
The first Is that it comes through
favo,7ftsm. The young man has an
idea that he must have some in
hueutial friend to speak in his behalf
and that will make possible plac,
and positions for him. 1t is al.
right to have friends, but something
else is needed.
The world today is looking for
competent men, and getting place
through favoritism is becoming q
thing Of the past.
A man must know how to dc
things these days. So, to reach this
high places and to stay there YOU
have got to be competent, aud vol
have got to back that competenc!
with character.
A second theory of reaching tina.
high seat, is that it comes by chance
that it is a thing of luck. A grea
many people seem to think that sue
cess is accidental. There may b,
something in this thing we call luck
yet this world is not run by luck. ]
} is not chance that puts a mar i
the high seat, but it is sheer capacit
5 and ability. Ingalls, poem on "OppoI
tunity" is a beautiful thing, but l d
1 not agree with the sentiment it COZ
tains.
Opportunity does not visit q ma
5 only once, but every day. The doc
J. of opportunity is always open. III
| angel ever stands at the gate, ar
d beckons US to enter. So, chance do,
not bring a man to the high seat-bl
hard, honest work-the spirit th;
leads a man to seek every day tt
1 open door, and make the most
t every opportunity of life.
Now we come to the third theory
reaching the high seat-and that
that it must be by meyit.
If l win my place in life throug
favoritism, or by chance, and hav
not the capacity to fill it-sooner
later it will be found out, and tbs
l must give it up, and let some MOI
t worthy man take it.
After all is saba man general
e gets what he deserves in this life.
the long run, he goes to the place f
+ which he has qualified himself.
t Young gentleman, if you won
J. reach the honorable, the high pla'
e the place of respect and inauen'
ID in the world-you must make YOU
d self worthy of it, you must keI
d yourself from bad habits, you mu
e cultivate honesty, integrity, tempe
st ance, truth, faith, and love. G
d save you from an aimless, usele
lie wasted life!
st But, after all, greatness is not
as much in the place a man occupi
n as it is In the heart and charactC
a 1t is not so much the doing of
lie things, as it is the doing of lit
things in the big way.
The true test of the soldier is I