How suggestive is this bit of history in view of
the struggles, the trials and temptation the present
failures but final victory of the true earnest man of
the nineteenth century, who has an alleviating
aim in life towards the accomplishment of which
he bends his every energy. Take for example, the
life of Abraham Lincoln. Born in extreme
poverty, he early learned the blessedness of toil.
At the age of twenty he could but barely read and
write ; yet he felt that there was that in his metal
which would one day make him famous provided
it had but a chance, to use his own words “he
gained his education as it became necessary.”
Noted for his uprightness, his manliness, and his
justice alike to friend or foe ; he was firm in his
convictions and ever true to himself, his purpose
and his God. Thus unknown and unappreciated
ho struggled to make for himself a name. Is it
any wonder that he succeeded ? We see conferred
upon him the highest honors that nation can
bestow upon any of its citizens. Lincoln reached
through his own earnest efforts, that pinnacle of
worldly fame, which to the poor rail-splitter must
have seemed a thousand times more difficult of at
tainment than did Italy seem to Hannibal. Fi
nally, when death came, the soldier and states
man was mourned as America never mourned for
another of her sons.
Lincoln raised himself from among the thous
ands by toiling on while others rested. Like
the Carthagenian he climbed his Alps having suc
cess for his watchword, and at last beheld spread
out below him ; —all that a loving nation could
offer in honor to his ability : truly
“Honor and fame from no condition rise,
Act well yonr part, there all the honor lies-’’
I glory in being of a nation so enlightenen by
God’s mercy as to make such a life possible.
That he who was born on a soil so poor that
naught but chickweed would grow there, could by
his own earnest efforts raise himself to be chief
ruler of the nation whose government is, “of the
people, by the people, and for the people, is a
thing of which an American may justly be proud.
THE FREE LANCE.
I thank God that we who are so surrounded with
other blessings have Lincolns and Washingtons
and Franklins and Grants to whose examples we
must look for encouragement and help when we
feel our courage waning in the struggle of life.
Then it is that we should remember that our deeds
are but stepping stones on the one hand to some
thing higher and nobler, on the other to some
thing lower. Every man has thus his Alps and
his Italy, and in so far as his motives lead him up
ward and onward to manly effort in just so far are
they a blessing to himself and those around him.
Had we no high motives and were there no ob
stacles to the attainments of wishes we should be
but little better than the beasts of the field which
neither sow nor reap.
The world needs no more drones, for a life of
ease is conducive neither to a noble career nor a
brilliant man If you wish to see the great minds
of to morrow, look upon those youths of to-day
who are putting forth their best efforts to secure
for themselves that training so little prized and
sought after by their so called more fortunate
brethren ; those who plunge heart and hand into
their work with the purpose of making the world
recognize them.
‘He who sits idly by waiting for “a chance" has
has a long wait; but the youth who grasps to-day’s
difficulties with a firm hand and does his best to
succeed is bound to do so. “Quit ye like men,
be brave brave as Hannibal was brave ; have a
purpose and let naught swerve you from it;
climb slowly and steadily, never looking back and
time will tell the story.
Says Col. Geo. VV. Bain ; “So find me the poor
est boy in Philadelphia; let him pledge me that he
will be industrious, honest, economical and sober
and in twenty years hence you will find him hon
ored and well to do in life.”
Such are the opportunities of the American
youth. Who does not envy him his birthright ?
surely the poet must have had him in mind when
he said :