Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1916-12-09

There are few more useful virtues
than hopefulness. No one is likely to
fail until he loses grip OF hope. He
fails when he resigns himself to fail
ure. AS long as be clings to his pad
die the most distressing circumstan noes
have no compelling power over him.
The brightest pages of history are the
records Of men ami women weight ed
down under dlscoura gcments of weak
ness, opposition, limitation Of oppor-
tunIty, etc.. and yet, through sancti-
| fed resolution, winning out at last in
spite of everything.
HopelessnesS has robbed humanity
of more victories than any record can
tell. 1t is only when the sick man
turns his face to the wall and causes
to try or to expect to set we'll that
the watchers give UP the fight. 1t is
only when the home team, hard press
ed on its own 10-yafd line, seems to
be acknowledging defeat that the root
ers furl their banners and start to
move out toward the gate. ~.
One of the most. striking pictures
| in the Metropolitan Gallery in New
York is Winslow tfemsr's. Cult
Stream" That a storm has ragged is
evidenced by sweeping waves and a
| receding water spout. In the fore
ground a dfsmastcd ship is drifting
aimlessly. The crew has been swept
away-al save one, who is stretched
llStleSS upon TIE Qeck. 81 IN the OHM 6
| appears Il full rugged ship. Help is
at hand, but the sailors back is turn
| ed toward it. He waves no signal he
| has ceased to hope. ~
Perhaps the worst thing that even
| Billy Sunday can say about hell is the
| hopelessness of that bitter estate. The
| inscription that Dante saw in vision
oyer the door of the Inferno is a true
one-"All hope abandon. We who enter
here" So long as one awaits the
| dawn, he can endure with fortitHde
| the long hours of darkness, but when
| no dawn is expected, mems hearts, be-
| cause of fear and sorrow, urn to
| stone.
| Let the mood Of expectation prevail
| then. Even il one has never yet
! achieved great success he should never
/ lose hope that some day he will do So
| However the score may stand, LET one
| play the game of life to the end, I'M
defeated, at least, in spirit He may
win moro than the prize. Of Samuel
| Adams Bancroft saws: Difficulties
could not discourage his decision, nor
| danger appall his fortitude of ,1e-
spondency he knew nothing; trials
only served him for superior strug
giles" You have a reason why history
has starred the patriots name
But it is Stenvenson's own expert
| ence that is most full of suggestion
| for the average man. 81 meant when
l was a young man." he saws. ito write
| great poem. and now 1 am cokbling
little prose articles aud tr excellent
good spirits. l thank you So. too. /
meant to lead a. life that. should keep
amounting from the first. and though
have been repeatedly down again be-
| low the sea level and am scarce high
| er than wheE | started, 7 am as keen
as ever For the enterprise. Our BUSH
ness in this world IS net to succeed
but to continue to fail in good spirits
| Are not these words Of a notable
| spiritual victor? Ana is not 4 similar
| victory within the reach of any H,e1l
1 who admit the pleasures or the mis-
/ haps of his earthly voyage still pre-
serves a resoliite heart and clings to
his paddle?
: THE PARsoN.