Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-04-22
NOW Is THE TIME
TO DO OUR WORK
The Potential Present Was Topic for
Rev. c. H. Ricketts, at Shop Talk at
Richmond Radiator Company.

At the noon shop meeting Wednes-
day at the plant of the Richmond
Radiator company several vocal selec-
tions were rendered by Mrs. L. o. Pot
ter, accompanied by Miss Letitia
Kramer. The shop talk was given
under~Y. M. C. A. auspices and Rev.
Charles H. Ricketts,, the speaker. took
for his subject, Potential Present.
Rev. Mr.. Ricketts, said every man
has some mission to perform, some
ant adverbs are connected with this
idea-when, where and how. Today
our thought will be occupied with
the first of these the object being to
fix our minds on the time element.
When are We to do our life work?
Is it possible for us to establish time
limits?
Niebuhr says that the life of nations
falls within three periods, their rise,
blossom and decay. There are also
three stages in the life of the indi-
vidual man to which we aff1x different
titles. but which virtually mean pre-
cisely the same thing, the past pres
ent and future. The rise of nation
is mot unlike the past of individual eX-
istence. In both cases it includes
growth from small beginnings; it re-
fers to the period of development
from weakness to strength: in both
cases 1t is the time of struggle to get
a footing. and oftentimes a struggle
for existence. The rise of any nation
and the past lives of all its people
seem to flow along parallel lines from
babyhood to maturity.
1t is likewise true that nation in
full bloom is not unlike the present
in individual life. Mommsen, another
great Roman historian, has followed
Niebuhr's idea by putting emphasis
on work done by nations in the noon
day of their splendor. With a nation
the period of blossoming is the period
of work. 1t is the time of her life
when she puts her conquests to good
uses: 1t is the time of internal de-
velopment and improvement; the sea-
son for the making of laws and the
administration of Justice; the time for
building UP industries and advancing
the general culture and well being of
the people. Both nations and individ-
uals must work while it is day." be-
cause ahead of both of them is the
might when no man can work" The
Almighty has set the bounds within
which both nations and individuals
must do their work. and just how long
that working period is He only knows,
for He surely has not revealed it to
us.
Nations and individuals are both
facing the future dimly-dinly be-
cause in both instances it is full of
mystery and uncertainty. The great
est man in the world cannot bank
with full assurance on doing his best
work tomorrow. He does not know
that he will be able to do any work
tomorrow. OF one thing every in
dividual as well as every nation. may
be well assured, and that is, some
where in the future will be the period
Of going down hill, and perhaps the
turning point may be nearer than we
think. Sooner or later there comes to
every nation a period Of decay, and to
every individual the season of decline.
We ought not to be cocksure as to our
ability to do things on the morrow.
The time for doing our work-and
| the only time We can safely trusts
now, and that is why the present Is
potential. The door Of the past is be-
hind us and Is securely locked: the
door Of the future is before us and
as yet unlocked, and the space that
| lies between spells opportunity and
| the only opportunity of which we are
sure. OF course the past is dead as
| far as opportunity Is concerned, and
the future has not yet given 1t birth.
We are then forced to conclude that
the real time for working is now. The
present. only is potential l. e., full of
power, because 1t gives US a real OPP
portunity for filing our little sphere
| in this life with the richest quality of
| life. do not say that every man has
| the chance or the ability to render
conspicuous service. but when man
grips the chance he has and does his
best. in Gods sight it is a rich ser
vice.
1 am inclined to think that our past
experience is helpful to us not so
much In the amount Of knowledge we
have acquired as in the power to judge
Of values. To be able to separate the
gold from the dross; to sift the main
thing out of mass of incidentals;
to see what is important and what is
| non essential. To do first things first
and the right thing.
Men, am not here to hold UP be-
fore you gloomy picture of the flu
ture, much less to dwell on possible
bodily or Industrial ills that may come.
| + wish merely to hold UP before you
the present and the future in their
true relations. AS wise men 1 would
have you see clearly the fact that the
might corneth when no man can
work" 1t is then merely a matter
Of common prudence that I'VE take
time by the forelock' and do our best
here and now.