The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1909-11-25
The Ascending Life.
From the Philadelphia North American

Friend, go up higher.-Luke xiv, 10.
It's right to be ''on the level'' in your
dealings with self and others, but do not
live on the level.
See to it that your life is an ascending
life. Make sure that this day finds you at
least little higher than yesterday. Plan
for another step upward tomorrow, and
keep your eye on the summit of the hill.
To live as God wants US to live is to climb.
He does not ask US to run up. He never
asks more than we can do. If the best you
can do is to take one little step day, or
even one week, that is all required Of
you.
But however slow your progress, make
sure it is up, not down!
1t is easy to climb after you get used to
it. 1t is just as easy as to slip back. All
you need do is to form the higher-up habit.
Higher up this day! That should be the
watchword. Higher in thoughts, higher
in words, higher in actions.
Do you ever watch new building rise?
Do you notice how it goes up layer by
layer? The bricks are narrow, but almost
before you realize the work is under way,
the walls are finished. 1t is little by little.
That is the right way to build character,
and character is life. ''Not every one that
saith unto me Lord. Lord, but
he that doeM the will Of my father" He
that layeth the bricks of labor round a
day, he shall finally touch the summit de-
sired
Perfection is still long way off from the
average man. Much has been done but
much remains to be done. The best we can
do to-day is a little short of to-morrow's
best, if we are taking full advantage of
every opportunity given US by good God.
"Friend, 60 up higher
That is Gods call. You cannot stand
still. You will stagnate, and to stagnate
is to go back.
Mankind is still in the making. All that
has been accomplished in the upward climb
is but a foretaste of what is yet to come, if
we keep climbing. Urged on by the spirit
of God which dwells in US, we are pressing
ever nearer to the top.
Many stumble marks the climb. 1t
has ever been so, but as St. Anthony says,
it is fine thing to ''stumble on, to eterni-
ty." Any man can can walk on level
stretch. 1t takes courage and perseverance
to climb.
And this upward climb is composed of
50 many small deeds. To be bit kinder
in the home-this is ascending. To be
somewhat less critical of the actions of
others-this is ascending.
To overlook fewer opportunities for maxi
ing others happy; to manifest more interest
in the welfare of your fellow beings; to
purge the mind of evil thoughts and the
tongue of idle words; to keep diligent in
honest work and to be always desiring the
best in everything-these constitute the
climb.
Read over the life of Jesus Christ in the
four Gospels. See what succession of
simple deeds make up that matchless
record. Note we'll the gradual ascent to
the cross of Calvary-the high-tide of the
human heart.
1t is the gentle climb that we should seek.
Some folks imagine they should do great
deeds. Like the Crusaders of old, they
want to start out gloriously to redeem and
reform.
But like the Crusaders, they die on the
way, and those who reach the goal of good
works are oftenest those who ascend a step
at time in answer to the call go up
hipher''