The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1909-06-18


may have life and may have it abund-
antly."
You are facing wonderful century.
Your lives are beginning at what VIII
probably prove to be the most interesting
era.of thesworld's history. As you have
studied the fact you have doubtless been
impressed that at various times the world
has stood in dire need of men and women
who were not simply intellectually trained
but possessedxs sterling qualities OF
character as would enable them to enter
any sphere of life and redeem the times
from corruption and misery.
The present age with all its wonder and
interest is in Just as great need OF true
men and women. 1t calls you to service.
There is a place for all who wish to work
The world needs you. The call is divine.
The call to service involves a question
which you may or may not have settled.
1t is this-"W What shall | do with my
life?" This is a modern question. In
ancient days the young man was sup.
posed TO follow the trade or calling of
his father Now all is changed and
individual initiative has taken the place
of paternal example. So the question,
"What shall l do with my life?" becomes
an increasingly important one. Books
have been written to help young men
and women to decide. These may have
a value and they may do much harm.
A profession should not be chosen be-
causelof the alluring description someone
has written about it or for its possible |
financial returns. Ones tastes, aptltudes
and inclinations all tempered by high
ideals and convictions must be the deter
mining forces. But what shall be said to
the many who seem to have no special
taste or inclination? Work. Do the first |
thing that presents itself 1t may be
to hold a pillow. The secret OF LIES sue
cess will be solved quicker and better
while making a clean straight turrow
across the field than by lounging ABOUT
the street corner wondering why the
right thing doesn't come along ANY
honorable work is service Tor GOD ana
men. If you are to be blacksmith, your
service to be of largest value must be as
near perfect as possible; so must 1t be
upon the farm in theschool room, in
making home, or in Christian work.
This brings us to another question OF
greater Importance than "What shall |
do with my life?" 1t is this, What
Shall | make of my life?" John"
shouted the bishop to a carpenter working
pom a pile of lumber, what are you
doing, building a house?" No. by the
Grace of God, Pm making a man. And
he was right What man makes OF
himself is farther reaching in its effects
and infinitely more important than
what he makes with his hands. st. Paul
exhorts us to be workmen that need
never be ashamed because he knew there
is a close connection between the quality
of work we do and our moral characters.
A poor workman cannot become great G
man. CARLYLE said, "A bad joiner breaks +
the whole decalogue with every stroke OF {
the hammer" Manhood is to be made +
first and it is to be made by the activities +
OF our daily occupations. u
Aim high!
" Life is a leaf of paper white G
Whereon each one of us may write g
His word or two, and then comes night. i,
Greatly begnl Though thou have time /
But for a line be that sublime {
Not failure, but low aim, is crime" +
What does it mean to aim high? 10 h
be president. a noted statesman, money q
king? No, but to have an honest purpose e
to turn out the very best product what 5
ever your work A man who is slovenly I
in his work will be slovenly in his think q
ing In his naDIt, uffis stii t,Tisi i (
slovenliness of character
But high aim is not all. JohnfBur-
roughs in a recent article entitled What
nv life means to me, says, 81 do not /,
decry ambition, the aiming high, but t
there is no use aiming unless you are
loaded" What kind of powder have you 9
back of the charge? Will it send 1t a
straight to the aim? You may have .
ability, influential friends, money, but I
unless you have behind these the deter
to make man first your abili-
ties and opportunities are as seeds sown j
by the wayside. I
Some young people lay out a career y
for themselves. This is good, but let us
give you an equation that will always &
result in a career.
ENC, in which equipment,
man and c is the career. The .
man is the key to the problem. Not what .
YOU know, or what pull" you may have,
but what you are will determine your 9
career and consequent value to the. world. r
stand on the seashore and gaze down .
the coast line, rock-ribbed and sandy /
beached. 1t is strewn with the wrecks {
of many a gallant ship, dashed to death
in the oceans wild fury. But why? Let !
us inquire. Here's all that remains of a !
goodly merchantmen, well built, strong ,
and beautiful, equipment splendid, career :
promising but nipped in the bud. The !
CAPTAIN. /.
his competitor sought dangerous chan ;
mel. ran risks for the sake of adventurous
gain and the now the pride of his heart .
Law a rotting wreck. The quantity m
was too small to complete the career.
Here's the hulk of floating palace
made to carry hundreds OF human beings.
1t was equipped for service, mechanism
complete, crew well drilled but piloted
by a man who thought he knew the coast
so well that in heavy fog he pushed
ahead disregarding the danger signals
until the shock that told of the sunken
reef brought death to scores and broken
homes to hundreds more. Again the
equipment was perfect, but the man was
wanting and the career was not fulfilled.
The name of the first captain was Get
rich-quick;" the name Of the second was
"I-know-it-all."
What you make of yourself and your
value to service viii depend much upon
your appreciation of life. A dog cannot
be ANYTHING but a dog, having a dogs
appreciation Of life and consequently only
a dogs value. A pig cannot rise above
being a pig, with the outlook Of a pig and
the puny value of pig. But a man may |
know life and its value; he may enter into 1
an appreciation Of Gods universe and |
have q knowledge Of the true and beau
tiful 4 man with a dogs appreciation |
of life is most the discouraging thing in |
the world.
1.-TWO men toiled side by side from sun to
sun.
And both were poor
Both sat with children when the day |
was done