320
A C'OMMOX-PI.ACK STOltY.
Vol. vii
hi
i
life ends in a miserable, lonely, cross,
giaincclold age. While generosily and
willingness to oblige bring forth, as their
legitimate fruits, a liappy autumn and
hosts of loving friends. Let every one try
to become a host in himself, so that if lie
were to be the only one left living upon
earth, he could find in his own developed
capabilities material out of which to man.
ufacture happiness. Such an one would
be independent in the fullest sense of the
word. Our scaffold is growing in heigth,
and so lar it is one upon which we may
safely stand. From it we can build a
grand structure, even a successful life.
Hut there is other material yet to be used.
Let us use it all; for the higher we make
our seali'old, the higher we can carry our
building.
"And if we will, we may find in na
ture, art and revelation, a thousand trib
utaries" to our nobility and usefulness.
Society is a help. .Men crave sympathy,
and the companionship of their fellows.
When we are alone we sometimes fall in
to a rut, or even a slough of despond, and
need a helping hand to lead us out. Wo
become lonely, everything appears gloomy
and cold, we are down very deep in the
valley ot the blues until a friend comes
along and, by a friendl smile or jvko
chases away the cold, and gloom, and
blues, and cheers and rcficshcb us as a
cool zophyr does the weary and heated
toiler. Well has the poet said,
" Noodfiil nuxilinrles aro our friend.
To glc to social mini trnu lolltli of himself. '
Hut the groaie&l help man has is his
sense of right. lie who always, all along
the journey of life " keeps to the right"
will be led to ascend gradually an "An e.
ceeding great and high mountain," whose
oase begins with one's eilbrU, to do right,
and whose summit extends higher than
sun, moon, or stars, and is separated from
the celestial city only by the narrow val
ley of death. The climbing will be hard,
for the path is narrow and full of stonc3
and thorns; enticements and dangers aro
all around us, and the ihundor storms are
frightful. Hut wc need fear no evil, if
the Hashes of lightning reveal to us, writ,
ten upon the surrounding rocks, and the
path we are treading, "The way to life."
Helps arc all around us; innocent pleat,
ures and amusement give a healthier, hap.
pier tone to mind and body.
The pages of nature are fraught with in
spiration, and by appealing to man's bet
tor nature helps him build up a nobler
and triirer manhood. Why then do we
growl? Insect and bird and beast, arc
tine their instincts, they accomplish
quietly the task allotted to them. Only
man brings dicord into the great song of
purpose. Yet a true man's mark is great,
er than theirs; but he has higher instincts
and purposes to guide him. Hird and
beast arc subservient to man, man is sub.
servient to God. And this purpose was
made known unto him long ago, for it
was declared unto him, "Ye are God's
building." I. M. S .
A COMMONPLACE STORY.
" ImngliinUous, niry fhnpoB." Milton.
John Howard Jr. was in childhood
reared in the "nurture and admonition of
the Lord," but he had scarcely passed his
tenth year before the good women of the
neighborhood began to whisper among
themselves that he was a pretty wild boy,
and already well started on the "down,
ward road." It was a long time before
his gray-haired sire suspected that his
only son was any worse sinner than oidi
nary boys, for John had learned to don a
cloak of hypocrisy and conceal his evil
doings beneath it, as suited his pleasure.
Hut this young gentleman's course of life
was not dosiined to be
" A piiciiKc brond,
Smooth, winy, InoffBiielvu, down to Holl,"
and one beautiful Sabbath morning in
mid-suminor the aged minister's eyes were
suddenly opened to his son's wayward.
J loss. .More than once had John and
some half.do.,-!) companions of his own
