The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-02-13
LIONS HEAR INSPIRING ADDRESS BY .:e..
DIR. ASHLEY CHAPPELL;; THE IDEAL
MAN Is ONE WHO SERVES" TAKEN FROM
HAWTHORNE'S 1.-THE GREAT STONE FACE

ture, in strange mood, had carvel
the image of some giant or Titan a.
the granite steep. The features weir
all noble, and the expression was at
once grand and sweet. There was an
old prophecy concerning this Old mys-
tcrious face, the purport of which was
that at some future time child
would be born there who was destined
to become the noblest man of the
age. The inhabitants of the valley
watched and waited in vain for the
coming of this great benefactor. At
last it was rumored that the counter
part of the great stone faco was
really coming among them.
"a son OF ,ho valley was about to
return 20 them who. Midas-lke, con-
verted everything he touched into gold.
His Golfers were full. The people were
profoundly stirred; Tor they knew that.
he was to brighten their homes and
cause their valley to bloom like Eden.
But alas! When he came they sadly
locked upon his hard miseriy counten-
ance and could trace no resemblance
to the great stone face ON the moun-
tain side Time passed. the weeks and
months had grown into years, when
again the news spread about that
'the great stone face had appeared
in mighty statesman. His massive
head and bold features filled the peo-
pie with exccptancy; but the divine
expression of tenderness was alto
gether wanting. After another long
interval a gifted poet came among
them and charmed the valley with the
music of his genius. Whatever ne
touched was glorfied. The people We're
strangely moved as they listened.
We'll" said they, has he come mt
last?" But the granite lips We're mute.
They could see for themselves that
the prophecy was not yet fulfilled.
During all these years there lived
in the valley quiet, unobtrusive man
who frcn childhood had carried the
image Of this face in his heart As
he pon1cred he prayed again and
again for the coming of the ideal
man. He became a minister, and by
the simplicity of his wisdom and the
purity of his life made deep i'm
preston upon all the people of the
valley. At times as he spoke to them
OF the radiant glories of the upper
world, his face was strangely trans
figured; and those who had listened
60 him would pause as they passed
Up rhe valley to look at the grea.
stone face, fancying they had seen
its likeness in a human countenancc
but could not remember where. After
a while his useful life was ended: and
AS the inhabitants OF the valley came
Co pay a last sad tribute TO the mem
ory OF the dead, gazing upon the
lofty purity of his cold brow. and
awed by the majestic sweetness which
still fingered about his noble lips.
in hushed accents they whispered: Be
hold the great stone face. He hal
been born and had lived and died in
their midst and they knew him not.
That great stone face is the worlds
ideal man, deeply embedded by ma
ture's God in the great heart of hu-
manity. During the age of mythology
man fancied they saw it's likeness
in Hercules, but the light of ythe com
ing centuries revealed their error. Then
they tried 10 trace its resemblance In
the codd face OF the philosopher; but
there too, they were mistaken. Still
they looked for il in the realm OF
the beautiful, in the palaces OF kings,
in the homes of the learned but hc
could not be found. The ideal man
is he who serves. The strength of a
Hercules, the gifted brain of philo-
sopher, the power OF kings and con-
querors, the wealth of a Midas, are
all but a handful OF rags thrown on
the wreck and ruin OF human history
except they stocp to serve. Every
thing is great as II serves. Nothing in
a wide lying universe is worth it's
name unless II serves. Let us carry
in our hearts the image OF the great
stone face until it transflgures our
lives till we become like the man who
lived by the side of the road and be-
came the servant of man."