The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-07-27
Dr.. Marden's. UPEft Talks.

UNDER FIRE.
By ORISON SWEET MARDEN


In a very vivid and interesting descrip-
ton of his sensations under fire q Brit
ish officer fighting in Northern France
says, There's a good deal of rot talked
of heroism at present. If 1t is all true,
there are many millions of heroes in
Europe just now. and 1 leave that to
you. I've found it harder to go straight
In life than to go under fire.
We are under fire" all our lives, and
the real hero is the one who can keep
straight on in spite of disbursements
and disappointments, never slipping into
crooked paths or losing one jot of heart
or courage.
Recently a young musician in New
York In a fit Of dependency committed
suicide. He was so poor that he had
been obliged to pawn his violin. Terri
fed at his poverty and filled with fear at
the possibility of not being able to re-
deem his beloved violin, which was q
very rare one, the unfortunate youth
went down under fire. He decided that
life under such conditions was not worth
living. and then and there ended 1t.
We read daily in the newspapers of
people, young and old, who commit sui
eide because of failure in business, loss
of property loss of friends, trouble in
the home, disappointment in love-for a
thousand and one reasons. But they may
be summed up under the one head-dis-
couragement. These people lose heart
under fire. They throw down their
weapons and give up the battle.
Disbursement Is our greatest enemy.
There are always plenty Of people who
see reasons why you will not succeed in
your undertaking, who will tell you that
1t is impossible to overcome tho obsta-
cles in your way. and unless you have .
ton which knows no retreat, which takes
no backward steps. you are likely Ito be
sidetracked. II you don't make UP your
mind that, with God helping. there is no
such thing as failure you will go down
un1er fire.
Many talented young artist has given
up in despair because critics discouraged
him, told him that he did not belong to
any established school. and that II he
did not follow the conventional rules Of
art he would not be recognized. They
did not realize that the man or woman
who can blaze a new path is usually the
one VINO attains distinction.
When Ole Bull first came to this coun-
try musical critics said he would make
no great impression here. They pre-
dicted that his American debut would be
a failure. because he violated so many
of the laws OF musical composition; that
a certain violinist, popular at the time.
was head and shoulders above him and
that he would stand no chance in COM
petition with him. That mans name,
who was SO technically perfect, Is not
known to the public today. while the
name of Ole Bull is enshrined Immortality
In the hearts Of American people. Where
thronged to hear him. Even as a great
orator, he swayed his audience to tears
or laughter, as he would. Ole Bull had
a lofty soul that scared above rules. lis
emotions breathed through his violin and
thrilled those who heard him. He had
the power to project himself through his
violin strings to his audience. They felt
as he felt.
There was something about De Bulls
Playing which the critics could not meas
ure or estimate. There was a divinity
in 1t which eluded their analysis. some
thing back Of his technique which played
upon human heart-strings.
It was the mans soul. not his technique
or lack of 1t that made him the great
artist he was.
Many a singer has won great fame
largely because Of this peculiar some
thing In her personality, something back
of the voice which held and fascrna ted
h ,r audiences, while another singer with
a far finer personality, greater beauty
and q superior voice. failed to win popu-
larity, because there was 10 soul back
of the voice. because IL lacked the in
something which eludes tho
critic, put which Hr:ps the human heart.
Nor Is 1t always the fine presence. the
beautiful voice. the splendid brain and
faultless diction that bring fame to the
orator: II il something behind all these.
the soul quality, the sympathy. the per-
sonal magnetism behind his speech that
makes the great orator.
The same thing Is true Of men in every
calling. II 10 not always the man with
the /, best business brain. not the one
With the greatest initiative and execu-
tive ability, not the one who has had
the best education and training, but the
man who has an indescribable something
above all these external advantages.
great ~ they are. which makes the par
ticular lawyer. clergyman. statesman orl
business man . power among his fell
lows
There may be IN You that peculiar
sornethius which cannot be measured orI
estimated by H1tics or those who seek
to discourage or hold you back which
WIN make you stand out among your fell
lows a. an Individual. which viii carry
you past all obstacles II you only per-
severe. II you stick TO your guns. ifI
you persist under IRE, you are hero. |
and win win out no matter who else
may lglve up the fight.
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