Norwich bulletin., 1916-01-22

chambers in the Sunlight building, with Grand Knight Frank P. Mc- sion which opened the evenings exer- clses was given over to a discussion of the various activities which at this time are engaging the attention of the council. Following the business meet cluding addresses by several members. music and refreshments.
 Opportunity and Experience.
 This part of the exercises was pre- sided over by the worthy lecturer, M. J CoscOran, who introduced as the first speaker John !. Corkery, who spoke upon Opportunity and Expert ence.
 Mr Corkery said in part:
 It Is said that opportunity knocks once at every mans door; but when 1t knocks at the door of some men they are not at home, and when 1t knocks at the door of others they are asleep; and then again opportunity knocks at the door of some men and when they come to the door opportuni- ty hits them in the neck with an axe. Many a truth is told by way of jest. Mir Dooley in his serious mood would have said that there are opportunities at hand in every community, and at all times, but the trouble is that we do not see them and are not able to grasp them.
  ty by the late Senator John J. In- gals of Kansas. Mir. CorlSery went on to say:
 Sometimes the opportunity Is to benefit one's self only-the selfish op- portunity-and again the opportunity is to benefit ones fellow man. Our country has attained the prosperity 1t enjoys today because the hand and brain of American men havestaken ad-s vantage of the opportunities afforded by nature and developed them. From my earliest youth 1 was told of the beautiful scenery along the banks of the Hudson river, and later I realized by personal observation the beautiful scenery along the banks of our own Thames river. But what are the beau ties of the Hudson river compared with that wonderful city that the hand of ering buildings are approaching the sky in the effort to keep pace with its rapid growth2
 This is essentially an age of progress and advancement. and it is the duty of every man. whatever his calling may be. to so live and labor in his field as to fulfill the object of his creation, to love and serve his God. and be of some service to mankind. Never, in all the worlds history, has so much been of- fered to the young man to make life a success. We have hundreds of oppor- tunities today where our fathers had one In their day the mind of Wright had not been developed so that 1t might conquer the air, nor of Mar conf to transmit wireless messages by electricity. But the great question of today is How am to succeed?" We all wish for happiness-we all wish for success in life-but how are we to att tain our wishes?
 The business world with it's hum of industry, the great professional field, the realms of science and literature. the pleasures of agricultural life, and Hundreds of other pursuits move in majestic panorama before our eyes, each holding out her willing hand, and bidding us choose.
 We do not all want to perform the same kind of labor and we are not all fitted for the same kind of labor. You must bear in mind that every individ- the Great said: T have always noticed that the prizes are given to those who enter the arena and run, and never to those who stand on the outside" The young man should have a high purpose in life; the way may be long, the night dark. but the goal certain. Where does opportunity look for the coming man2 Not among the corner loungers, or habitues of the saloons or dens of vice. He is not there; but op- portunity looks among the sober moral young fellows who are preparing them selves for life with a fixed purpose and heroic energy. Our country is the richest and most favored on earth and | it seems to have been strangely pre- served from the beginning of time to these later days, that here the ebbing strength of our race might be renewed. Nature has been prodigal with it's beauties and its marve1s, but no less wonderful is the sight of what man has done with what nature has given him.
 Tba 4r,,nSa,ino,f xva+ar. oe Nr;a0a-a are inspiring, but no more so than the crunching of the giant wheels that it's waters force round. From such a sight alone we should catch the spirit of America-that spirit that regards wasted energy as an economic crime, and regards 1t as inexcusable to do in a laborious manner anything that can be done in a simpler way. It was this spirit that made an American invent the cotton gin within fifty years after we had begun to produce cotton, al- though the rest of the world, produc- ing cotton for thousands of years, had been content up to our times to pick it by hand. The same spirit forced an American to invent the harvester, and the twine binder and the steam thresh- ing machine, while the rest of the world was doing the work by hand. It was the same spirit that forced an American to invent the sewing ma chine and afterward to perfect its many improvements until today our women do in minutes that which the women of the rest of the world have, from the beginning of time, toiled at for days, with weaTied fingers and straining eyes.
 Opportunity is today knocking at the door of our community, and we should take every possible advantage of it's presence. Men who have been en- gagged in big business elsewhere and who have always been successful are establishing a large industry in our city-an industry that is larger than we as yet realize. The establishment of this industry in our city means a larger city, 1t means more business and more opportunity for everybody and every person who has the right feel ! ing for the place he calls home should render what assistance he can fin re- moving the obstacles from it's path And above all don't get the habit of knocking; but if you must knock, use Ithe velvet hammer. It ia easier to wieid and it does not hurt 50 much trust that the year upon which we have just entered will be one of pros- pertty and happiness for ell of us and 1 that VIC will all meet ono year from tonight, and if ct that time our city