Carthage courier. (Carthage, Tenn.) 1913-current, 1918-05-23
LIFE AT ITS PRIME.

In these trying times the question
will arise, What is life? and at what
stage do we make the most of life?
It is fact that there are some aged
men who have not yet passed through
primehood, and probably never will.
This is the set that is for self only.
Life at its prime is life ready and eff
ficient and filling to the full life's
days. 1t is life in service, life busy
at work, adding something of value to
the weli-being of ourselves and of
others, and hence of the world in
which we live. It is life meeting re-
sponsibilities by arduous toll and de-
votion to high and noble ends. It is
life enjoying itself in the sense of do
ing well what is ours to do, and of
being able, in spite of obstacles, even
to make some advance in the high art
of living. 1t is life bounding forth
with the pleasure of independence, of
freedom, of self-reliance, and of self
activity.
The days of preparation for life's
work are over, if need be, for we are
in war and must win. School DAYS
and college days and days of trade
learning can all be sacrificed, if there
should be need of such. Tutelage and
apprenticeship are behind us. We
have taken our place in the great field
of service to do what is in our power
to restore a world peace. We are
now units in society, responsible for
ourselves and for those dependent on
US. We are masters in our several
spheres. No one has a right to dis
pute our claim, seeing that we have
prepared ourselves honestly to occupy
the place which we claim for our
selves, and seeing that we are hon
estly occupying that place to the best
of our ability. That is a fine feeling,
is it not, to stand before a world
ready and capable to do a bit of its
great work; willing to serve for an
honestly earned wage, that others
may be happy and the world may be
better because we are in it. No day.
after all, like this day-the day of
manhood's fair prime, the day of ca
pacity to do or of fitness for service.
the day of helpfulness~ of others. the
day of wisdom and prudence and of
finer estimates of life as to its mean
ing and value. This is indeed lifes
noontide, life at its highest and best,
not that it means perfection, for then
development would cease, but "per-
lection" In the sense of readiness, as
a well-sharpened tool is ready for use,
perfection" in the sense that ife's
resources may now be used and even
increased and developed in attaining
life's end.
1t is the day of family life, when
man is citizen, husband, father and
even grandfather. 1t is the day of
faith, faith that unites the soul clos
er and closer to the Christ or to God
or to the good; a day of faith is man
hoods day, of faith in self, OF faith in
God. We are learning more and more
life's true meaning and end We have
come to see that permanent, whole
some joys are found not so much in
good dinner or In the appeasement
of ones appetite as in such things as
duty well done intellectual insight,
activity to a great end, self-deniaI
for loves sake, the right motive the
holy purpose, the unstinted loyalty of
a soul surrendered to a cause which
can never be surpassed In it's ethics or
spirit. We have in this hour of life's
noontide come to see that it is better
to be courageous than to be a coward !;
lbetter to be generous than to be sell