No. 8.
INDIVIDUALITY.
prohcnsive and more cultured Now
truths will continually burst upon our
minds, and thus we shall lose our self
importance, and be better prepared to im
part truth and knowledge to those around
us and feel happy in the thought that we
arc not travelling in this vale of tears to
no purpose. If we are preparing for a
higher, purer and holier region, let us
press onwaid.
"When wo know and feel the advance
ments that have been made, new emotions
arise and spring up within us, and wo are
enabled to pursue our course with pleas
ure and usefulness through this life. Nor
will our progress stop here, but I appre
hend throughout ull the ages of eternity,
we shall advance, and thus we shall be con.
tinually reminded of the transcendent
power and wisdom of him who has croa
ted our immortal minds ami enstamped
upon them this law of eternal progress.
Ncvor glvo up, 'tis the secret of glory
Nothing ho wise can philosophers tench,
Think on the nnmes thnt are famous In vtory,
Never give up, la the doctrine they tench.
M.
INDIVIDUALITY.
An individuality whose chief character,
istics shall be independence of thought,
freedom of action and boldness of pur
pose, strongly marked by originality is
one of the great wants of the times.
In this mechanical ago with all the
wisdom of past centuries at our com
mand, even while taking into considcra
tion the rapid progress which in many
respects the world is making, there is a
lamentable lack of that originality which
should characterize every individual,
n There seeniB to bo a certain mould form
ed by a fow leading minds and every one
strives to imitate its cast. This produces
a uniformity winch Is in every way ob.
jectionablc. Every opinion and thought
is carefully reechoed. Each path cut by
the persevering fow who have gone before
is trodden down into ono continuous series
ofrutu. Here and there along the high.
way a narrow foot-path branches oil', tcsti
fying to the fearlessness and independence
of its maker. But for the great majority,
only the countless fool-prints in (lie old
well beaten path i cumin to mark their
progi ess. So few aro independent
enough to examine for themselves diller
ent roads, to bridge their own ravines and
cut down the underbrush that may hedge
their path ways. Remembering that in
Shakespeares Julius Caesar, he makes one
of the conspirators say of Cicoio, that "he
will never follow anything that other men
begin," one is tempted to think that the
Romans were more independent than
Americans, for this epithet could be ap
plied to a few of Columbia's citizens.
Independence in any form and fearless
ness, which is neither recklessness nor
hardihood, is rarely to bo found. Plain,
straight forward thought and action, turn
ing neither to the right nor to the left,
guided by a strong will, which takes no
account of obstacles, except to over-come
them, does not often exist, even in our
boasted days of free thought and inde
pendent action. If men would only re
member that not to be independent is to
he enslaved, that not to bo fearless is to be
cowardly, that ho who docs not govern is
himself governed, if not the master he is
tlio servant, then would it seem that nut
ural tendencies should lead to universal
freedom. Hut minds and wills are not so
strong and powerful as they are often said
to be, it takes abundant courage to bo in
dependent, and until some great occasion
calls forth all the dormant energies and en
ervated bravery wo aro proveroially cow
ardly. Few aro the Maoboths of the UHh
century who can trulj say, " I daro do all
thai may become a man." Alice Carey's
advico " do what thou doest with thy
might and trust thyself alone," brings
lbrwaid this same idea of independent
originality. Ono of the reasons why this
is M) rare a characteristic is because al.
most every ono has some example peipot
ually before their eyes, some ideal which
ever seems to exercise an almost omuipo-
t-rf 4i