The Washington herald., 1916-08-23
The Open Door.
BY ORIsON SWEET MARDEN


Behold, l have set before you open door
which no man can shut"
The next time you feel blue and discouraged.
and think that you have no chance to make
good as others have; when you feel that there
isn't much use in struggling because fate or
destiny is against you just recall this promise
Behold l have set before you an open door
which no man shut"
The promise literally what the words
signify or it means nothing. But we know it
to be true that the door which our Creator has
opened to US can shut. That is no one
outside Of ourselves can shut it. The promise is
not for few favored ones, but for all. You
are the only that can bar the door He
holds open for you And many man is barring
the door against himself while he is wondering
why it is not open, wondering what is keeping
it barred tightly.
You know plenty OF men and whom
no power earth could permanently discourage
or hold back. They would allow no man to
bar the door ahead of them Every day some
brave soul whose faith and courage bear down
all obstacles proves the promise true.
l recall woman who had been reared in
luxury, who, through the failure of her husband
health and the loss of his property, found herself
reduced to almost absolute want So straitened
were her circumstances that this woman who
hardly knew the meaning OF the word work was
obliged not only to do her own housework but
also to find some means OF adding to their scant
income, which not enough to supply bare
necessities.
She OF artistic temperament, and the
thought OF household drudgery, especially cook
ing, particularly repugnant to her. But she
was courageous woman and made up her mind
that what could not be cured must not only be
endured, but endured Cheerfullv
She determined, first of all, to make a science
Of her work and see if it could not be made a
means OF adding to her income. With this OBJ
Jcct in view, she began to study the composition
and chemistry Of foods and their nutritive values
She inquired into the nature and influence of the
various constituents which build up different
kinds OF tissue in the body. She classified the
food best suited to people in various vocations
the varieties that growing children require for
the building of bone and nerve, those adapted
to the needs OF older people in whom the build
ing processes have ceased, those calculated to
preserve youth by preventing the tissues from
hardening and the blood vessels from becoming
brittle. In fact. she made herself an expert in
dletetlcs, complete mistress of the whole question
OF food, including its vital connection not alone
with health, but with morals, success, and hap
piness.
SO vast and fascinating field of knowledge
did her studies open up to her that life took on
a new meaning. Her prosaic kitchen was trans
| formed into a magic world, a vertable fairyland
of science The labor to which she had looked
forward with dread as uninteresting drudgery be-
came never-ending source of delight. She
found IN 1t not alone fruitful source of income
but career of splendid usefulness which fully
satisfied her aspirations and made her happier
than she had ever been before
There is no one that can shut the door which
leads to larger life but yourself. There are nc
obstacles, no difficulties, no power on earth that
can close your open door
If you think you have no chance, if you are
convinced that there is opportunity for you
I anywhere on this beautiful earth; if you do not
try TO enter the open door, but sit down and
blame tate or luck destiny for your plight OF
course you will close the door; but no other
human being can close it,
FaIth and courage keep the door open, and
they light the path that leads to it.