The Washington herald., 1916-08-06
"Not at the Top, but Climbing"
BY ORIsON SWEET MART


This the motto of recent graduating
class in New York high school. Another
graduating class had for its motto Ever On
ward"
Both notices are excellent, stimulating, IN
spring. Each suggests growth. Each means
that whoever would live up to it must keep
growing. improving constantly, that he must ever
choose upward.
If each member of these two graduating
classes should each burn his class motto into
his very consciousness until it stood out in let
tiers OF living light, present to his mind;
IT he should have it printed and framed and put
up in his sleeping room; if he should carry 1t IN
his pocket, and put it up before him in his place
OF business or wherever he was. so that he could
see it constantly and be daily and hourly remind
ed of his graduation ambition; if he should so
hold his class motto in his heart that he would
be perpetually squrred to square his life with it,
what splendid things those young graduates
would accomplish
A motto, which is merely the expression of
an IDEAL often determines whole destiny. A
single motto. or maxim has been the turning
point in many career. The value OF high
ideal, crystallized in one uplifting sentence,
stantly held in mind, can hardly be estimated.
How often has it encouraged one to look up and
on when tempted to look down and backi How
often has it led one to soar when tempted to
grovell
Many owes his success in life to the
inspiration of single BOOK a chance remark,
lecture, or perhaps sermon. An English tan
ner, whose leather had gained a great reputa-
tion, said he should not have made it good
had he not read Carlyle. So, many man has
done much better work in life because of the
influence Of a motto.
As young man Henry Ward Beecher had
an ambition to do great things. He was not
satisfied to have little church and to settle
down as one OF thousand country pastors He
believed he could do greater amount of good
preaching to larger number of people than to
but few. So, when he started out to preach
in his little church in Lawrenceburg, Kans he
made this his motto: Secure a large congrega-
ton; let this be the first thing" This motto
was a constant inspiration to him to do his
best.
Thousands of people have been held to their
tasks by an inspiring motto when but for it
failure or encouragement would have turned
them back.
Arago, the great mathematician and astrono-
mer says in his autobiography, that when he
was puzzled and discouraged with difficulties he
met with in his early studies in mathematics some
words he found the waste leaf of his text
book caught his attention and interested him.
He found it to be a short letter from D'Alem-
bert to young person, disheartened like him
self, and read: GO on, sir, go on. The diff
culties you meet with will resolve themselves as
you advance. Proceed and light will dawn and
shine with increasing clearness on your path"
That MAXIM he said, was my greatest master
in mathematics"
| have never known person who made II
lite rule not to give way to discouragement
but to do his level best, everywhere and ALWAYS
who did not make his life masterpiece And
nothing helps more to keep one up to his best
than trying to model his conduct and work ON a
high ideal Nothing strengthens the mind
and enlarges the horizon of manhood and wom-
anhood as a constant effort to measure I'D to a
worthy ambition. 1t stretches the thought. as II
were, to larger measure and touches tn. life to
finer issues
Il dream dreams. and see visions, and then
paint my dreams and my visions" was Raphaers
reply to one who had asked him how he made
his marvellous pictures. Back of the work ever
glows the dream the aspiration of the worker,
Its nature determines whether he shall fulfill the
high purpose of our being or become eastawavs
tlotsam and jetsam on lifes ocean.
Not at the top, but climbing" Ever on
ward, Lifting better up to best" or anv other
aspiring motto followed conscientiously, lived I'D
to day in and day out. would make master
piece of any human being.