The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1913-03-25
THE CHOICE

Here is the question: Will you do without when
you can or when 700 must?
81. Almost any hour Of the day night downtown
people meet an old man whose face is an open vol
ume Of tragedy. He is little under the average
height grey, wrinkled, tootbless, weak, bleary of
eye and uncertain Of step. His clothes are shabby
almost to the last degree, and never adequate for
the demands OF any temperature His bearing and
appearance force to the passer this question: Why
does he want to continue living?
There is in every line OF him record of yield
ing to every temptation. The face, square and
fine even in the wreckage, Of feature, shows evil
dence Of a once splendid presence. II must have
been an inspiration to hope, a promise Of achieve
ment, pledge Of usefulness. There is the shat.
tered wreck Of human life. Nothing more path.
etc has ever been on the streets.
The fact most clear in that face and figure is
that OF weakness; the inability to compel self de-
mall the weak surrender to temptation; the love
OF ease and Of pleasure As plain as a record cary
ed In stone is the proof Of a young manhood rich
in capacity and unbounded in possibility. But half
obscuring that fine testimony are myriad evidences
Of the days when he quit the stern way of self
control, and discounted his future in purchasing
luxures. He had a good time. He must have
been one Of those who tell you laughing that II
you curb your appetite, carefully your
forces, save your money and live at home, you are
missing lot OF fun" He must be one of the
tribe that excuse excuses by the statement that
one should live while alive, for when one dies
is very long time dead.
All of that is true. But here is the bigger
truth. He didn't deny himself when he could, and
he is denied when he is helpless. There is
not a battle in all thte world that he wn-and
he the man who could have all Of them. There
is not a pleasure that he can now enjoy save the
transient and costly one Of sleeping his senses in
drink And that rarely. There is
not single service he can render to that society
of which he might have been prop and strong
hold.
He didn't control himself He didn't practice
self denial. Now he is denied, and he cannot help
himself.
Boys get to work. If you have a job thank
the Lord and make 1t better one. Learn some
thing beyond the task required. Make hand and
brain and heart a part Of the task before you In
no other way can you so certainly gain to greater
value, win to a better worth. Save your money
NO matter how little save 1t. Lay 1t up in the
bank There is some interest, and it will work
for you every hour and every minute of the day
and the night Save yourself. Deny indulgence in
any pleasure you not aford-either in monev
or vitality. Let the cash cost Of 1t be your defen
sive argument. That will help you to make a bet
ter and nobler argument. Deny yourself while
you nave the power to control yourself Or as sure
AS there Is day and night you will come to the
time when you can not find pleasure; when Won
VIII have nothing with which to buy nor capacity
Tor happiness of even the lowest and most trans,
ent kind
There is the question: viii you do without
when you can, or when you must?-Ogden Exam
liner.