The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-09-04
knowledge of Limitations.


Gus Aurellus Antonius. IF any man is
able to show me that I do not think
right, I will gladly change. for seek the
truth. by which no man was ever in
jured." II we, OF this latter age. could
but adopt something Of the same open
ness of mind and soul. we should find
ourselves led away from error; we
should be able to get a fine and deep
and true insight into the real meaning
Of life; should get a truer knowledge OF
ourselves. and. above all else. know
ledge Of our limitations.
To the youth whose years lie all gold
en- and fair before him, there seem TO
be no limitations. How fair the road
looks. shining in the sun! How slluring
and green the meadows; how sweet and
captivating sings the song Of love: how
roseate looks the future! Health and
strength and vlgor are his; faith ard
hope abide with him and are part of
his very being; to strive forward is as
natural to hip as to breathe.
God is very good to the young!
But with the increase Of years and
worldly wisdom many OF US continue to
glorify ourselves and our strength. To
think that the Joy Of life belongs to us
by right; to feel that we are always
able to walk alone. secure in our own
strength; and less and less we seem 10
give credit 10 the Master, in whose glo-
rious company we serve, and without
whom we are less than nothing
Youth gets its first rough shock when
II comes face to face with the knowledge
Of its limitations. Up to a certain point
in life a man may bravely defy the
Fates. and declare that there are no OBJ
| stacles that ne cannot overcome. But
| then some day circumstances bring him
up face 10 face with the blank wall OF
| despair. There is no way over it: It is
ar impasse. For the first time. then,
| perhaps, the soul recoils upon itself on
the other side Of that dead wall lie love
and happiness and tenderness Always.
| before, they have been his to command:
now he is shut out from them and cast
back upon himself Il is a bitter awak-
ening for man TO discover for the first
| time his limitations; 20 realize that be-
cause the hand that used to clasp his in
friendship can clasp it no more, he Is
less because Of that loss.
Then come the days OF agony OF spirit
and wrestlings with the soul. and IL a
man survive the shock. as true men do,
| he comes 20 see that a true knowledge OF
his limitations has armed him well FOR
the struggle Of life; he finds that he has
gained a beautiful poise OF character;
that the despairs OF callow youth have
been succeeded by a sweet cheerfulness
which will enable him to live his life
bravely, and make use Of It for others
As a famous essayist wrote:
"Old age. with it's physical decadence
/ has one most beautiful compensation-ths
/ spiritual nature is then al its best. The
/ immortal part Of man is the strongest. and
/ while the body weakens under the load
/ Of years, these qualities which belong "a
/ the spiritual part are continually grow
! ing in richness and grace Love. which Is
/ immortal, gathers deeper and deeper
| meanings, passing from the cropping intu.
| ition Of a girls first passion upward
| through the devotion Of the mother FOL
/ her children, the unreasonable depend
| ence, the one upon the other. OF IN,
! truly mated man and woman. upward
! again 20 divine trust and love for God
1t is then that we finally see the beauty
/ OF all limitations, the beauty which they
/ have wrought in our own lives, and tht
/ perfect symmetry OF all nature in Gods
/ works"
Once we have come TO that point Of
wisdom where we may recognize our owl
! limitations, we are in a fair way to over
come them; fighting against them, deter
mined not to be hindered or hampereC
in our march toward the goal
| We guess diyiner things beyond.
! And yean to them with yearning fond:
We strike out blindly 20 a marx.
Believed IN. but not seen"
And she who wrote that-Mrs. BrownIDl
further interprets for us the thought o.
the great significance that comes witt
| the hnoWledge or our own limitation!
which forces us to look to the Master:
| they draw above
Our common thoughts 10 Heavens unknown;
Our daily JOY and pain advance
To divine significance;
Our human lCve-oh, mortal love,
That light is not its OWL
And sometimes. through LIES heavy swound.
We grope for them with strangled breath;
We stretch our hands abroad and try
| To reach them in their agony:
And widen 50. the broad life-wound
Soon lar8e enough for death.
| In philadelnbfa +ba,- have ,,1o,oa . -,