The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1917-12-27
Shapcrs of Destiny.

| 10 the Editor of The Republican.
Here and there among men there are
those who pause in the hurried rush to
listen to the call of life that is more
real. How often have we seen them
jostled and ridiculed by their fellows,
considered asincompetenta and unworthy,
pushed aside and forgotten? He who
| sees and hears too much is cursed for
being dreamer, a fanatic or a fool,
and the mad mob, which having eyes
see not, ears, hear not, refuse to under
stand.
1t is customary to associate these
people with those who are lazy, or in
different and to attribute the poverty
and destltution of the lower class to
them, or to place them with the ex-
IRENE radicals who advocate principles
that are valueless and absurd in our
present age. But looking from higher
field of vision one is not so likely to
criticize the dreamer, the man of vision.
In our present day life there Is
tendency for US TO center our minds
upon the present alone. There are
few facts which we do with any Ger
tainty of permance, nearly every act
tor day, period of time, or year.
And because of this habit of "tiding
over the crisis" in any manner, what
soever, we, unconsciously. drift in
to the ranks of Bunyans, muckrakers
bending over the glittering chatT of
present success, forgetful of all else.
Only when we can no longer strive IN
the battle for earthly honor, or material
wealth 60 we turn to the unseen but
mere enduring things Of life. With
ears deafened by the din of selfish war,
and eyes blinded by the glare of pass
ing pomp and folly we strive to hear
and see the things we have so long re
fused to consider. And as the hidden
treasures reopen before US we writhc
in chagrin and shame. So to US es-'
pecially, the dreamer, the man Of vision,
should appeal.
The man of vision alone can associate
the present with the future. He sees
the full grown plant in the seed, he
sees the matured harvest IN the sowing
Of the seed, the completed structure in
the breaking Of the sod. " Each act
each step is but step to fulfllment.
There is no wsvering, faltering spirit
in his process, decision stands into the
eternity It's sad that most men
see only the present, and that through
veil Of selfhness, greed and envy,
a few see only the future and they
naturally are followed and supported
by the efforts of some tireless friends.
But the true dreamer does unite these
two extremes and serves the present
more efficiently through the knowledge
Of the future, and can develop the
future to a great extent by mol ling
the present to it, and the man who can
concentrate his powers on a united
present and future Is truly the build.
er of empires.
We are not theorizing. History is
witness to the achievement of these
men of vision. Alexander and Napo-
leon swaying worlds, Gariboldi and VIM.
of Orange reading liberty in the future,
and Jesus the Messiah, despised by the
world. saw breaking dawn, victory and
the victor's rest. And were we as
strangers to 90 into any community and
inquire of true citizen who its great
est man was. and the cause for his
greatness we would receive this ans
wer He was man of vision.
Men are called upon to be shapers of
destiny. Every individual, whether he
desires or not, leaves an impress far
better or worse upon his fellow man. |
Each has an obligation to fulfill. We
must lead men to higher and broader
view of life and we can only hope to do
this by understanding the way our
selves. When our fellows disgust ed !
with the clink of silver, and weary of |
the struggle of the business world. turn
to US we must have message, a word |.
of inspiration for them. If we can in
spire hope in but one brother, if we can
point the way through the hazy future
to one earthly pilgrim we have risen to
be "Shapers of Destiny"
The opportune moment of our lives is
now. The Holy Grail is before US if we
only lift cur eyes from the multitude
and dream not idle dreams, but truths
which honest toll will rightly prove.
ADoLPH,