of all this, which his gifted pen once so vividly could have portrayed his body rests peacefully in the grave. But unlike the majority of humanity, he lives in the memories of thousands, and as the years glide by his devotees who happen to set foot on the shores of this far off land will connect the two words, Stevenson and Samoa and, Mohammedan-like, make the short pilgrimage up the "Winding Trail" to their Mecca, the simple slab of concrete. Apia, Samoa.

THE TRAGEDY AND TRIUMPH OF YOUTH.

BY J. E. HICKMAN, A. M., PRESII ENT OF THE MURDOCK ACADEMY.

VII. THE RICHES OF ADVERSITY VS. THE POVERTY OF OPULENCE.

"It is not birth, nor rank, nor state:

'Tis get-up-and-git that makes men great."

But

The Emperor of Germany, realizing the bane of ease and plenty, had his sons schooled in the most severe study and physical endurance. He gave them training in the strenuous life. That is an antidote to the poisons to which fortune is heir. humanity is eager to plunge into the lap of wealth and ease and dream of the state of Nirvana. Money, beyond the needs of life and the aiding of projects that bring new light or thought into the world, is a hindrance. It does not bring true happiness, but rather the reverse, A wealthy banker and mine owner some time ago confessed to me that wealth produced almost anything but happiness. He said that through it he had lost confidence in mankind. "No man ever approaches me," he said, "but I feel, 'What advantage does he wish to take of me now?' A similar remark was once made by Jay Gould when confessing the sorrows of a wealthy man. Wealth in itself is a blessing, but poor, silly humanity, like moths seeing the brilliant flame, attempt to plunge into the glare. Man possessing wealth should use it as a directing force to up-lift humanity not to wrap himself in it and glut his lusts.

Almost every one desires to make money, which is a legitimate wish, if it is a means to a worthy end; but let money

The spirit of get

making be subordinate to character-building. rich-quick is destructive of the nobler sentiments of life. It has ruined its thousands. With that sentiment predominant, succeed or fail, the moral standard has been lowered. Such a sentiment is a blight upon the soul. Norman had for his motto: "I will engage in business that I may serve God in it, and with the expectation of getting to give." The result was growth in graces and increase in spirituality. It is said of him, that he rose towards heaven like a lark of the morning.

Until men reach the high intellectual plane where they take more pleasure in doing good with the money they earn, than in money-making itself, business will be debased to a species of gambling. The speculations of Wall Street exemplify this thought. Scarcely ever has money softened the human heart, but it has turned man from his God and his fellowmen. It has dried up the fount of human kindness and strewn the earth with debauchery. Give me the storms of tempest and adversity. Give me the in

spiration of want, the yearning for greater things. Then, as I ascend the crags of Sinai, I shall hear the voice of Jehovah declaring, "Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness and give drink unto the thirsty." Wholesome opposition met with in life's struggles stimulates man to his best.

No one should shrink from opposition if in that opposition his duty lies. The earth was filled with opposing forces to make man great. Every worthy task implies opposition. Friction is opposition, yet without it no structure could stand nor be erected. Opposition gives stability and inspires progress. Without the opposing forces of winter and the Arctic blizzards, the sterility of the earth, and the withering blasts, civilized men would degenerate into painted savages lounging in earth's tropical forests.

"Cursed is the ground for thy sake," was the blessing God vouchsafed to Adam and gave as a heritage to his offspring. Man has found true happiness in overcoming the obstacles that lie in his path. It is a mistake to think that God cursed the earth to punish or take vengeance on Adam. Toil develops both mind and body. It brings health, wealth and happiness. Toiling communities, I have always noticed are the happiest. Idleness brings. discontent and degeneracy to both mind and body.

Honest labor

-physical and mental-produces its own enjoyment; but the idler, the street-loafer and the tramp, if they have joy, must seek it outside of idleness. When man runs away from work, he runs away from progress. God could have put no surer curse upon man than to have left him in his fallen state in an Edenic world. The redeeming of a fallen world has flooded the earth with wisdom and intelligent joy. When Rome turned from honest toil and became a parasite, she lost her prowess and groaned with crime, while other peoples came in and trod upon ruins of that self-defeated nation. Young reader, turn from life's task and the world will write upon your brow, "Ichebod,"-your glory is departed.

There is no triumph except in overcoming. Heaven is victory; hell is failure-the failure to accomplish life's mission. Struggle, not the mere fact that you have succeeded, gives power and exquisite joy. Row up the stream of time, not float down. The drift wood goes down, the trout swims up. The drift not only goes down, but it becomes soggy and worthless. It is neither fit for fuel nor timber. Finally reaching its lowest level a wave flings it upon the shore. There it lies dead and unavailing. How many youths have turned driftwood and now lie dead. to the world, dead to progress, dead to all that is holy. They would better be a scar upon the brow of time than piece of driftwood upon the shores of eternity, for then nothing would ever be expected of them; but, on the other hand, they are the sad record of what they might have been. Strong language, but there is no language forceful enough to express the rebuke for the debasement of young man or womanhood.

Why this struggle with horny hands, sweated or thoughtful brow? Is it worth the candle? Aye, a thousand times! Hunt pleasure and it flees from you; turn to progress, and pleasure follows you. The getting brings new thought, gives power. The aim of life is power-power to know and to do. "Know the truth, and the truth will make you free." Have an aim in life, and work for it. Should the getting make you feel that you want to rest from further toil, then the getting is harmful. When the coveted task is accomplished, the new inspiration for higher ideals.

true spirit of growth gives Thomas A. Edison once said:

"Anything I have begun is always on my mind, and I am not easy while away from it, until it is finished, and then I hate it. Yes," he added, "when it is all done, and is a success, I can't bear the sight of it. I haven't used a telephone for ten years, and I would go out of my way any day to miss an incandescent light." Mr. Edison has produced over a thousand inventions, and still his love and inspiration lie in the unfinished task.

I have a number of diplomas in my trunk, but I have not appreciated them enough to have them framed. Yet when the truths they represent were in the getting stage, they absorbed all other thoughts. The scripture administers a severe rebuke to him who is satisfied with what he has gained and bids his soul rest. "But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee." How often you see a young man who is willing to overturn the earth to win a young lady of his choice; but once he succeeds, he settles down in stupid poverty, a slave to indifference, while he worse than beggars wife and children. Christ in one of his parables tells of a servant who rejected heaven because he had married a wife. Thus an ideal accomplished instead of becoming an inspiration, is a hindrance to him who is easily satisfied. A true wife should be a living inspiration; not an opiate that deadens progress. Young man, when you are doing your level best, you are none too good for a noble woman. ""There is no success," "" said noted painter, "as valuable as the failure which leads to greater effort. There is no failure so complete as the success which paralyzes earnest work."

Remember that honest, earnest labor, hallowed by inspiration, has moved the world from darkness to light, swept ignorance back, and flooded the earth with intelligence. Remember, too, that the block of granite that is a stumbling block to the weak, becomes a stepping stone to the strong. Reverses in your life are not signs of failure, but prophecies of triumph. The strenuous hours of a nation have brought out all that was good in her people, and have stamped the names of her sons in imperishable fame.

Switzerland's struggle for liberty immortalized her name. During the dark night of the Revolution the names of Washington, Jefferson, Adams, and a galaxy of others were made famous, hence their names became household words in many lands.

Had