THE BATTALION.
mind as the bright visions and fancies
we entertain in childhood in regard to
futurity.
If we were to take a retrospective
view and dwell for a few moments in the
recollections of our childhood, what a
beautiful picture we would behold! Our
sphere would become enlarged, and our
hearts enraptured with the desires, hopes
and beliefs we then entertained. Every
one of us has some bright hopes or noble
thoughts to recall. All of us, in child
hood, cast our eyes beyond the horizon
in whose radiant delineations w? dis-
besrned great prospects and possibilities.
Some of us cherished a vision, in some
future day to become great generals,
others philanthropists. Some enter
tained a bright fancy, in some distant
day to become millionaires, while others
found in the radiant beams hopes for
something still greater.
When we arrive at manhood we realize
that all our earlj^ imaginations and con
ceptions were only transitory. All our
cherished wishes disappeared. All fan
cies blighted, all hopes vanished, and
that we were only building castles in
the air.
Thus the first act of a drama in life is
closed.
The curtain rises again, and a second
act is to be performed.
God contemplated all creation in good
ness, and man especially. He invested
him with some of His own attributes.
It is, therefore, characteristic of man
kind to long to achieve something worth
while. We all realise that we have been
placed in the world to accomplish some
thing great. In the rising, of the sun
we discern in his radiating raj's new
hopes, new prospects and new possibili
ties ; every object around us is ready to
do our bidding, nature smiles upon us r
opportunities invite us to receive them..
Notwithstanding all this, how unfortu
nate it is that so many ' men, when
emerging from the prime of life, realize-
.that they have been building castles in
the air, that all was a dream, and in the
utmost despairing pronounce the awful
verdict that “Life is a failure.”
It is, therefore, of great importance to-
ask ourselves what we must do in order
to reach the pinnacle of our aspirations..
This is the all burning question which;
ought to be agitated in our hearts at the-
threshold of life. The solution of the-
problem can only be found in the culti
vation to the utmost, the gifts the-
Almighty has given us, of which Truth,.
Honesty, Perseverence are pre-eminent..
If we are sure that the desire to make
something out of ourselves is not transi
tory, that it will not vanish at the mo
ment opportunities may present them
selves, which will enable us to carry out
our plans, then we must not falter in our
course. We must step out coldly and.
say “I will conquer as far as it lies-
in my power.” We must act as though
there were no obstacles in the way. It
is the apparent lack of opportunities that
spurs us to stronger exertions and ani
mates us to higher activities. It is our
moral duty to leave no stone unturned
which will aid us in the work for which,
we are adapted, and thereby benefitting
our fellow-men. As Horace Mann
strikingly and verv truly says, “benefi
cence is Godlike, and he who does most
good to his fellow men is the master of
masters, and has learned the art of
arts.”
After we shall have pursued a course
like this there will be, I doubt not, a
continuance of higher opportunities, aru