IN EARNEST.

Otago Witness, Issue 2808, 8 January 1908, Page 72

IN EARNEST.

" Oh, but he really is in earnest this time !" ft She is in earnest How, and therefore I have great hopes of her;" "Give me another chance,, sirj I am quite in earnest now as to reforming my habits." Suph are the phrases we frequently hear, and a ohanee remark of the kind suggested to-dajr's tqgw., Eafasstn,e.ss. is yejcjr aeir^r

allied to perseverance, /and, ' like that virtue, too often the one thing lacking in, a character to enable it to make of life a success; the one thing that causes some to drift instead of steering all their days; the thing that really earns the envy and the glory many ascribe to "luck" as they see onward and upward progress of 4 fellow-worker. 'Tis in the human mind, you know, To say of neighbour So-and-So, . When on his unexpected Tise We enviously cast our eyes: " I wish I had his luck, I swear, What quirk, I wonder, got T»tit there." But come, let's mind 'our P'9 and Q'ff, And give Success his rightful dues. First mind the P— and here is hick, Now reading, as is proper, Pluck; To even up take Q from quirk, And here we have the truth, in work. 'Tis pluck and work, nine times in .en, That bring the rise, my fellow-men.

And what inspires the pluck and gives strength for continuation of work but » deep, underlying earnestness of purpose;, There may, indeed, be brilliance, aptitude, "smartness," even talent; yet unless we are in earnest our work must v come far short of what it might be. Brilliance^ will not aid 'tis when there are cumbxous obstacles in ,our path; nor yet aptitude. Serious effort only shows how superficial* a thing is smartness; and talent, unless the on© endowed with it be in to put it to its' best uses, may only prove; an impediment, for often it Is relied on to supplant steady application. 'I remember — when the' school regime was other than it is now— boys and girls of a class who hung back in their work, content to take a low place in class for a great portion of the year, because, their ahUities enabled them \ (when they 'so desired) to take high places," and perhaps in the end carry off prizes for which others had striven hard. Surely in such cases Uaient was a serious impediment, and made those young people losers, aot gainers, for its possession, inasmuch as it hindered them - putting forth their best, therefore only honest, efforts. As life unfolded to thess gifted but not honest ones its deeper, tnorei intricate lessons for their \earning-, I feat their wasted talents would jrove of smalt' avail as compared to ' the strength and durability of an earnest, straightforward discharge of duty — the duty of the hour, in whatever sphere it might be required of them.' Only by rising always to the plane of the best possible can we hope to reach ode yet higher, and no trifling or superficial mood can help us- so to risa Up the hill, step by step! Fortunate flight' • Never yet placed a man Firm on the height. _ " \ '• Set your gaze 'steadily Right up the Iffll;" Lay yourself out to" ft, Work with a will. Stick -to it doggedly - Day after- day; ' - ' ' Spite of discouragements Hammer away. When I advocate being in earnest it is not to be understood that f -would have you j always serious, with the mind so fixed on life's sterner realities , that it cannot be responsive to the merry, sunny aspect of things. Why, I would have you in earnest 'in your laughter, too — let it be real, hearty, --fresh-bubbling ' from a heart that has within itself a source ofi joyousness, for laughter that is forced, mirthless— not, in fact, "in earnest,"— • is a poor thing and but a mockery of what' it should' be, quite as nucn a-s » playing ~ with work instead of grappling] with " it. 1 But I do wish that all idlers and triflers could feel that -"life is real, life is earnest"; that "the grave .is not its goal " ; that we only begin here what in some way as yet" unknown, to ns shalf be carried on and perfected hereafter. I would wish the boys and girls who are disappointing the high hopes that are centred in them by failing tct pass examina- | tlons, not because of inability; but because they have put forth no honest effort to ! do so, to be in earnest' clow and come ! up to the best that is in. them, and gladden the hearts .that are fearing -for their future because of the instability; that is marring great gifts. There are j those who 'have already tripped, who jet go near and ever nearer to t some dread pitfall, trifling with the ' temptations that ( may all too soon overpower them. Perhaps they have promised a loving, anxious father or mother to turn at once their, steps from the thing that lures, and yet every day lessens the chance of escape,' They . have not truly recognised thei£ danger. JBe in earnest now, sons and brothers, daughters and sisters; be m earnest and wrestle yourselves free whil«? yet you may; not only for your own sakes'^ but for the sake of the hearts you caused to ache so sorely. Be in earnest, and "flee temptation"; or, if that maj not be, then in its very presence " quie you like 'men, be strong" to Resist its enslaving power. There are many who seem endowed with' abilities quite beyond the average, and.yeft are among the number who " let them chances, like sunbeams, pass them by." People wonder at their want of success — • that ones so"fitted in all seeming to bs in the front- rank are always in the rear., A few — those nearest to them— understand) and mourn over it. They are never enough/. in earnest to overcome any obstacle, whe 1 -

- flier it be patience or strength or conrage that is wanted. " Unstable as water, he "shall not excel," their friends say in the depths of sad and disappointed hearts. not steering, such pass through life. "I do not say that every honest, earnest -. ;effqrt is crowned with success ; even a patient continuance of them seems sometimes marked 'by failure to our shortsighted eyes. Yet it is indeed a good thing to be in earnest in our every toil, to give to it our best If we do not at once receive a • full recompense it is good to know that through no fault of ours is it delayed. I knowl "there will be some lowly, discouraged ones saying, ." There is nothing of all I do that is worth being in earnest about. My life" is bounded .by trivial, , almost contemptible, duties. It" would be -useless "to - expend a thought upon them. ~-Cotrld I reach" to a greater height I might - then "give of my best to my labours." "Comrade, take heart; "not by our work, ■ "but by our manner ofdgjng shall we be judged."- To' whom.-^much is given, of him much shall be required, will doubtless prove true; but it is according to what a man' hath that he is to give, and if only small opportunities are given a like ■ work only 'shall be expected, and there •is- surely great comfort in the remembrance of the Master's words, " He that is faithful -in that which is least is faithful also in that which is most." The Master sees the lowest work -- . - Of all Hia children true, And in. the crowning day will giv« To each Ms honest due. *