Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1913-01-29
&l;T.F;HlEIa2a. /.
EGlVJ:I=EEHfN VUJ:HI=EEf
- 7 HOUR !
LIFE'S WORTH ONLY
AS 1T is OF USE.
RRYHAT is our education but
AAg preparation and guidance
wv for the investment of life?

AMB preparation and guidance
WV for the investment Of life?
These tens of thousands Of
boys and girls who are crowding for
the first time to the doors Of our
schools and colleges came here to
learn how to invest Il cir powers and
years to the best advantage. Each
has a gift in the hand-the gift OF
life and power which the world
needs and they alone can give. The
+ figure of Christs parable holds. The
master of Life has called his servants
and given to each a sum to be used
in life's business-to one ten talents,
to another five, to others one or two.
Life is Of no worth unless it is put
to use The money that is merely
boarded cramps the SOUL The scholar
who thinks of learning only as ac-
emulation has no reason to expect
useful or happy days. The school and
the scholar must think of their work
as training for investment. The
teacher who best succeeds in kindling
the imagination and relating present
tasks to future purposes will accom-
plish most and earn most of the pu-
pills gratitude in memories to come.
Life's Real Value.
Just in these days of school comes
worldwide reawakening Of discus
sion about the origin of life which
will work its way down in influence
to the minds of all our children. Just
now, also, we have that noble, but
mistaken action by which great man
of Japan has taken his own life as
protest against the growing luxury
and carelessness of the boys under his
charge in the nobles' school, Both Of
these bring warning that life is to be.
weighed in its qualities and not as a
thing of value in itself They urge us
to make wise investment Of our years.
The life that begins in such simple
forms that the chemist is beginning to
believe that he can fashion it, is not
to be compared in value with the life
which the boys and girls are learning
to invest for the good of others and
their own power and joy.
Quality Above All.
These discussions which seem to
call in question the value Of life in
itself considered, have this to say
to all of us-that quality is the great
thing after all Suppose the chemist
succeeds in putting together the form
which life, as we say, inhabits, so
that it moves, 1t feeds, it renews its
tissues, it divides and multiplies. Be-
tween that simple form Of life and its
development into the lowest type Of
man, there are millions Of years Of
struggle and endeavor. running
through uncounted millions of separate
lives. Before the lowest savage could
rise to the level of the American
schoolboy's opportunity there were in
Vulnerable years and uncounted lives
of struggle and sclf-sacrifice. OF all
these years and lives we are the in
heritors. 1t is the fruit of. these strug-
giles and savings which we are learn
ing how to invest.
If We invest selfishly and unwisely,-
we are bringing all the efforts of the
ages in our behalf to naught We are
defeating all the winners of these
countless battles. We arc disappoint-
ing God, our Heavenly Father, and our
fathers and mothers upon earth. Such
splendid attainment, measured by
such countless years all whose patient
ly accumulated treasures of power
and quality are trusted to their hands
for investment! Shall we fling back
into the gulf of darkness whence 1t
came? Or shall we take our part IN
the advancing multitude of those who
are studying how to invest their lives
for God and for their brothers?-The
Congregationalst and Christian.
World.