Norwich bulletin., 1922-01-21
THE MAN WHO TALKS

We are now quite q bit out on the
ocean of 1922. The familiar shore is
gradually receding: new horizons are
constantly rising out of the unknown |
spaces ahead To visualize the idea q
little more clearly. let me say that we
have loosed from the wharf in North |
river, have passed out of New York har-s
Dor, by the Statue of Liberty, through the |
Narrows, and are quite distance be- |
You'd Sandy Hook all Of which are fea-
lures of the vanishing shore of 1921. AS
we look back, what do we see? All the |
details of New York city and vicinity?
Far from it. Minor objects have mingled
with the general landscape, and many of
them have passed from our vision never
to be recalled. Other things-more Inn
portant and conspicuous features Of the
landscape Enger on the fading
shore. We still see the famous sky
scrapers; the wonderful bridges. and.
most of all, Liberty's arm holding up e
mighty torch that will eniigflten the
world to the end Of time.
When the Apostle Paul says: forget
ting those things which are behind evil
IDENTIFY he intends them to be taken with
some qualification. 1. We ought not to
forget some things in 1921 or a longer
past. 2. Some things we cannot forget,
however hard we try. When we rer1ern-
through by way of personal sufferings,
troubles in the churches. and detection of
colleagues, we understand why he would
like to wipe out the past. Ask returned
soldier to relate his experiences at
Brest, or Verdun, or in the Afgonne re-
gion, and he will close his eyes. shake
his head, and answer: ooh, forget it !"
Now this was Paul,s experience exactly,
and his writings. like those of any other
men. were colored by his feelings. Now
the things we want to forget are the lit
tie useless nothings that have made no
addition to our strength and stimulated
no grand incentive. It is just as foolish
to litter up our minds with junk as it is
our attics. II we haven't the moral cour-
! age to clear UP this rubbish and burn II,
let US try to forget it.
Do we want to forget all that trans
/, pired in 1921? Ought we to forget those
| big things that entered into the iron
/ structure Of our lives and helped to make
US what we are? Amid the Earring dis
| cords of 1921-and of course there were
/ more or less-were there not some sweet
( strains of music that made you forget
! the discordant? Didn't some great
| Songstress lift you out of yourself, and
+, doesn't some Of the sweet melody still
! linger in your ears? II SO, you must be
a little better than last year. Personally
! I do not want to forget some of the
great addresses 1 heard at a convention
+ last year They have become an organic
=, part Of my mental and moral capital
DO not want to forget the impression
grand mountain scenery made upon me
! during last Augustus vacation. God has
made the memory for some great intel
lectual and moral purpose. It will not dc
! 10 forget the Ten Commandments nor the
/ Sermon on the Mount, We even need
warnings, Lest we forget"
The greatest man in the New Tesla
n1ent- and one of the great men of the
world, tells US that he presses towart
the mark for the prize Of the high calling
Of God in Christ Jesus" This indicates
that Paul saw clearly before him somt
available object worth striving for. THU
eaca Of US ought TO have before US a goa
rs the reward of honest effort If W,
wish we can be mere fioaters like brain
less butterflies, or hard workers, reaching
Intelligent ends worth while. All men ar
/ not IN quest of the same marks. AS ma
lion we ara guided by loftier ideals tina,
the Dagans of Central africa. for thes
! are determined by the degree of civiliza
, tion. The higher the degree of eivf1iza
y ton. the greater the number of attainabi
II objects. According TO ones Temperament
taste, natural bent and training is deter
! mined whether one is to be a poet, mus
: can, historian or the follower of any c
4 the trades or professions The mai
s thing is to see. goal, and reach it.
2 II is well to remember that the desirs
s BILE goals Of life are not hurled at U
. apart from cur earnest seeking. If W
@ get Them and. still better, if we kee
!, them, we must be aid the time ''reachin
forth after those things which are b.
: fore" The best things in life are thos
which we reach after; they are never tt
: things that are thrown into our lap
? After 3 distinguished Eng1ishman ha
n made q tour of this country. someor
$ had the temerity to ask what he consit
e cred the most characteristic feature ,
4 Americans. After moments though
= he replied: 1T is your. everlasting reacl
ing forth after things You American
g never rest y 1t was great eempfime,
IS to our nervous force and action. Coloss
fortunes have responded to this we
n directed reaching FORTH Great indu
le tries in railroads, coal, iron. steel, o
&c cotton, wool, have been built up by m.
! who have worked hard and intelligent
;, Successful industries always point to a
= tive brains that may be both unadve
IS tised and invisible.
q Ought we not to make a careful d
:. ffnction between marks to be reach
= and prizes to be won? Paul press
% toward the mark not for the thing
7r self but for the prize which the mark
/ fers. To illustrate: All the pupils of
j. class or q school can gain marks but II
is all can win prizes. Out of a school
A. 400 let us say that SO are ranki
lie scholars; those who have nothing low
than B on their cards. They have
. gained a high mark. Suppose that fl
ol and second prizes are offered for the b,
examination in a certain subject and
try for it. Now out of the so contesta1
two will be happy and 4S disappoint
% dfaeir ranking scholarship did not gs
~ The prize. Competition does not dispara
OF ability, but simply narrows the numt
of rewards. Let us not be made nnisera
if we do not gain prizes if we reach hi
r. marks. There is, however, one prize,
a highest of adj that all can reach if tt
wish, and that is worthiness of Go
approval.
I'D Those who have children to rear alws
ed have something to worry about-and
sc- they don't have it on hand they'll go
and lind 1t. They will run up agai
somebody who will warn them agai
ma something that was told them some ii
~ that relates to some member of the ia
lily that might be detrimental at so
lse day There are those of just e1iol
mental caliber to delight in doing
such accurate, scientific knowledge A
Of it IS a fair sample Of most of the 81
ell that causes some parents to. worry
not stead of living a life of trust and fa
in the inherent integrity of their child
and doing everything that is fiufna
possible in rearing them, some pare