, 1924-05-14

upbuilding, ~conquering forces of to-
day or among the retarding and
hindering influences. There is no
middle ground.
With the great heritage of the
past that is yours; with the most
opportune time in all history to live
and work. certainly the call
most clearly for each of you to live
the c%onquering life.
May l make a few suggestions
that will contribute to this living
OF the victorious, c%onquering life?
One of these suggestions is that
you should realize hat you must
measure up in scholarship, ability
and character with the thousands of
Sometimes in these small COM
munities we over-estimate ourselves.
In comparison with our associates
we may rank well. And we forget
hat out yonder lies the great world
with millions of young people who
are burning the midnight oil of
preparation. improving every oppor-
lbIlNg vi alh iof
and increasing their efficiency to the
very highest degree. 1t is with these
that you must race for the choice
values of life. If you would be a
real conqueror in life you must
successfully measure wits and quail
ifications with the best.
This will mean work. There is
M trua aycel1enca withou great 10
bor." Edison is called a genius, but
he himself says his success is due
almost entirely to work. Long hours
of consencrated effort. He defines
genius as 90 per cent work and 10
per cent ability. Another as 80 per
cent perspiration and 10 per cent
inspiration 1t means worn that
makes a real contribution to the
webbing of humanity. l shouldn't
like to spend my life as a pool hall
proprietor where men simply drop
in and loaf; l shouldn't like to feel
that l had made no larger contribu-
ton to the webbing of mankind
than a professional baseball player
or prize fighter. Is the world de-
finitely advanced in its ogres by
n spending a life time in such a
manner? The conuuering life means
that n so lives as to make a defin-
lite and valuable contribution to the
sum total of the worlds good.
Another. element that enters into
the principle of living the conquer
ing life is that of a sterling char
acter.
Such a character is made up of a
clean mind, clean body and high
ideals. Can a person have a clean
mind and use foul or profane Ian
guage?
General Grant was once in camp
and the men were willing away the
time telling stories. One foul-mind-
ed man started to tell a dirty story
and introduced it by saying, There
are no ladies present, are there?"
And General Grant spoke up and
said, No ladies present, but a gen
tleman present" And the foul story
was not told.
Profanity, cursing, is another
habit tina frequently besmirches the
character We conceive of the great
Creator as the Supreme Being of
the Universe. His name is to be
held in reverence. 1t cannot be
lightly repeated without instilIing
1~rreverence and dethroning charac-
ter.
suppose o should hear your
own mothers name being spoken in
d~lsrespect, in anger, in Jest. Would
your blood not boil with INDIGNATION
and your love for her feel that il
had been insulted? If this be true
with reference to our mothers it is
INFINITELY much truer with reference
to the Supreme Being of the Uni
verse who gave us our mothers.
Further. o wouldn't stand be-
fore your mother and swear. You
wouldn't stand before this audience
in this sacred place and curse. You
Know 1t would be degrading to
your own character and disrespect-
tul to people. Then why not use
the best language always. Why de-
grade yourself elswhere?
He who befouls his character
with profane words has not as yet
come sufficiently under the ciyilizing
and culturing influences of goth
century good English"
Another habit hat young people
allow to creep into their system and
that has a dwarfing influence upon
both character and body is that of
smoking. Good doctors all agree
that smoking is iniurious IN both
the mind and body of young people.
AND II mind and body suffer, GER
ta1nly character and personality are
injured. A friend of mine, ]. Sher-
man wallace. taught in 4 collage