Norwich bulletin., 1917-04-14
Sunday Morning Talk
THE wooDcHUck SPIRIT.

the big, little We.shman was asked | recently, how he managed to accom- | plish such unheard of things in th' British empire, he replied with
 story.
 | fOnce upon a time,'' said the prim, 1 minister, there was woodchuck Now. you know, woodchucks cam climb trees, Well. this woodchucl he came to a tree. He knew that i he climbed the tree the dog couldn get him, but if he didn't climb 1t, ht was doomed. Now woodchucks can climb trees; but this one had to-sc he did" Z That's the way we've accomplished things in England" laughed MT. I-loyd George; by resolving to do wha1 can't be done.'
 Millions of people are willing ana anxious to do things that can be done Throngs of such accommodating mor- tals inhabit offices and stores and fac tories all over the land You can hire plenty of them for s6 q week, or even less. But, in every genera ton, too. there emerge a few choice spira it's of a different temper; people who gre willing to tackle the things that can't be done Among these we are apt to find the leaders of the race.
 Some scribe should compile a book of Maxins That Are Not True" In the list we should find, for instance, this: You can't change human na- -ture." Another one would be: NO one can perform the impossi ble.' How many such announcements there are in the copy books, accepted as law and gospel by most of us, and yet be- ing: constantly disproved, As a mat ter of fact, human nature can be rad icaiiy changed. and a proportion of our fellow citizens in this worli are always busily at work doing the in1- possible.
 No one may predict the potency in any individual human spirit. Mater ial forces can be tested in 1abora- tory. The exact weight that a strand of rope or bar of iron will sustain can be calculated to a nicety. Neither will bear an ounce more than the figures show
 But the power in a person cannot be so easily gagged. Any man, any woman. may reveal unsuspected en- ergy and heroism.
 So night is glory to our dust, So near is God to men,
 When duty whispers low, Thou must, The youth replies, I can.
 In the presence of some crisis, be- cause of some sudden challenge. men often surprise themselves and all their friends by their resources of physical or moral power. Thousands of pale and physically undeveloped clerks and office men in Britain's citizen army have proved themselves to be man. sized soldiers in the trenches. Mrs. Frank E. Harris, is a. quiet. little weighing no pounds. but when the Laconia was stabbed from beneath in midocean. her nerve and skill in rallying the ships helpless eQualled that of any vet eran commander. Nothing in life is more impressive than the way in which the human spirit, when the great call comes, can transcend all physical limitations.
 Centuries ago beegar sat by an eastern roadway crying out his wants to all who passed. As proof of his dis ability he called attention to a Shrunk- en. palsied arm that hung limp at his side. The medical men, such as there were in Palestine, had long since given 1im up as incurable- Barred from any gainfGl employment. he was seeking
 One day marvellous new teacher anne along that way. He looked at he beggar's withered, useless arm, and gave its owner strange direction. Stretch forth, thine hand" he said. shock of surprise smote the crip- ,le's brain. Of course he could not nove- those paralyzed muscles. Yet behold him, wonderingly he makes he effort. There is an instant's ;tIuggle as he brings his will into ull play. Then, to his astonishment. l he thrill of power is felt; his arm omes up; is stretched forth whole as he other. The miracle has been ac--i ;ompEshed.
 Let the Gospel story have it's sug-I 'estion for any whose duties seem to | 'e out of proportion to their powers. 1 The first step to victory is faith. They | an who believe that they can.
 THE PARSON.
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