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Page 25 text:
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®br tfalur By FLOSS has been said that the decision of a single individual has more than once changed t lie current of the world’s history; and that, too, not only for an hour, but for centuries. Strangeit is and almost unbelievable that only a moment’s hesitation and then finally the decision—and the future course of the world’s events has been changed: but all history gives examples of this kind. We now call such periods epochs, and look to the actors as makers of destiny: but it is only liecause we, coming years and years after them, can look Uu-k and see the results of their decisions. They who lived in those periods did not realize that the great clock of heaven had Just then struck for a change on earth, nor did the actors themselves know that for centuries the world’s progress would turn on their very act as on a new axis. For, as some one has so lieautifully expressed it, “The revolutions on earth, like those of the heavens, swing on unknown centers: and it is only when the periods are complete that men recognize the extent of the change.” Take, as an example, that poor Genoese wool carder's son, Christopher Columbus, one of the greatest men the world has ever produced, if we max measure his quality by the effect of his discovery on the future ages. Did any of his neighbors or friends even dream that so much of the world’s progress depended on his decision to explore an almost unknown sea. in a vain hope, as they thought, to find a new route to the Indies? Did they ever mock him or Jeer at him when he tried to tell them his new and strange ideas aixmt the earth, and how he intended to sail around the earth and not across it? Even Columbus himself did not suspect, even for one moment, the wonderful issues that would result from his keeping of I hat decision. But how much tlie world lias been lienelitted by that very thing: for who is able to tell how much the world has l»eeu influenced and helped t better things along religious, commercial, social, and political lines, by the aid and example of the I’nited States? In fact, what would this world have been It be bad given up that decision, simply liecause no one would lielieve him at first, or was willing to give him aid! Think bow much humanity has tieen forwarded by our advanced ideas concerning free institutions, free religion, the equality of man. ami our system of national government. These few facts only serve to show bow much was involved in one man’s decision. Nor did Martin Luther, that almost unknown man at the time, even imagine, when he decided to publish his own ideas against some of the acts of I’ope Leo. iu his ninety-live theses, and tack them on tin doors of that nf Drriimut IE YOUNG college building, that lie. by this act and a few similar ones, would start one of the greatest religious revolutions ever recorded. He perceived in Ids mind only that they were wrong, decided to stand for tlie right and history itself will tell what the result of his decision was. .lust two hundred and fifty years later a different sort of a question came up. and like all other great questions. It demanded a positive decision liefore it could Ik finally settled. Neither did John Adams its originator, fully realize what the result of his standing so boldly against the unjust, tyrannical laws Of our mother country would finally lie. Little did he think that by his stand and influence, he would originate one of the greatest movements ever started in this country, a movement which would finally result in the great Revolutionary War. Rut on account of tills very decision, we are now able to point, with true American pride, to the Declaration of I nde| endence in which is recorded that almost Immortal resolution that these united colonies are. and of a right ought to lie free and independent states. That decision led to the beginning of a new nation, a new political revolution, a new era of civilization, with tlie people as ruler. Napoleon decided to make his country the leading country of all Kurope. He did It. ('aesar resolved to Ik first in Rome, and second to none anywhere, lie liecamenot only the leader in Rome at the time, hut lie came to lie looked upon in history as one of the greatest men of all ages. Lincoln declared, while yet a mere hoy, that one man had no right, either by tiie written law or by the law of right and wrong, to bold another man in Itoudage. As lie ! eeame older, lie decided to do his part towards altering the condition of slavery in our country. At times it seemed as if he never would get this accomplished. Many others faltered in their decisions to help him, hut he kept rigid at it. through all the dark days of the Civil War, until lie finally saw Ids desire realiz.ed. In fact, all history as we know it to-day. is only a record of the doings of such men of decision, and their results. They It Is who are ahead, and wlm are aide to rule over their fellow-men. Difficulties and dangers and hardship are simply obstacles, the overcoming of which only show their true greatness the more clearly. They do not stop at defeats, but rather look at them as incentives to greater effort. Others can stand back and complain that their circumstances or environments prevent their success. They, with truer hearts and greater courage, tower over these difficulties and come out from the struggle only stronger and nobler than they were before. Look how that poor.stuttering, backward, shrinking youth finally liecame
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Page 26 text:
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the great Demost henes of Athens. Every obstacle seemed to to placed in his path, every difficulty was to 1m overcome. It seemed as If he never could In an orator. What miserable failures he made of it when he first tried to address the populace of Athens in the toma. How the crowd Jeered him and scoffed him. Hut his indomitable w ill would not be downed, lie had decided to Im a great orator and he would be one in spite of everything. Ills fellow-men must look to him its someone great in their midst. Day after day lie kept at it. speaking for hours to the waves on tlie seashore, in order to accustom himself to speaking in tlie midst of the turbulent assemblies in the city. We all know the result: how that after a long time of such effort, he was able to move vast crowds of men at his will: and how. finally, he became known throughout the world, and how the title of Great was annexed to his name, a title which lias clung for all these twenty-two centuries. These are only a few examples, yet they show the true value of decision. Some one has said that, “decision Is one of tlie most conspicuous elements of victory in every undertaking. A wavering mind never accomplishes anything. liecause decision itself is the Incentive to action. And tlie decision once made, victory will lx the end oft lie labor if the proper effort is put forth to accomplish the end. Let. us then not slop at trllles. Were not others hindered soV” I
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